530 super vs metz50

SlickYamaha · 05-05-2011, 06:52 PM

Ok, so my first flash was a sigma 530 super, well lets backtrack, the FIRST was a bell and howell (junk!) That lasted a week before the sigma. But anyway.. The sigma gave me all sorts of varied results. Over exposed, underexposed, all kinds of a mess. I could get nice photos, but it was hit or miss. Alot of (what I call) flash burn in peoples faces. I always thought it was me. I was new with strobes, and figured I had alot to learn. The other day the zoom feature broke on the sigma and I'll need to send it back for repairs. But since I have some stuff coming up that I need a flash for, i figured it was time to invest in another unit. I purchased a metz 50... Let me just say... WoW. Is this how flashes should be? The pictures are phenomenal! It almost appears as if I know what I'm doing.
Is this just the difference between a good flash and a decent one? They seem comparable price and spec wise, but the results are night and day. Its almost hard to take a bad photo with the metz. They both were in pttl 99% of the time, in x mode. So the results should be close. The metz just seems effortless where the sigma took alot if trial and error...
Any thoughts?

mtansley · 05-05-2011, 07:14 PM

I only tried a Sigma for a week but it took decent photos for me. Perhaps the zoom head in your flash was failing from the beginning and finally failed altogether. If it wasn't zooming properly but the flash & camera thought it was that could account for the weirdness you observed.

I then switched to a Pentax AF540 which did a good job until it suffered a fatal fall off a light stand that smashed it's flash tube.

That gave me the chance to swtich to a Metz 58 AF-2 on my Pentax and a 58 AF-1 on my Nikon D80. I prefer the Metz just because they seem to be more rugged. I also like the idea of dealing with a company that responds to emails generally within 24 hours. I have emailed several questions to the Metz company in Germany over the past couple of years and typically they do respond within that time frame. I also have several Metz flashes from 15-25 years ago that still do a good job.

I'm happy with what I've got and at the moment the Metz 58 is a lot cheaper than the Pentax flash in Canada.

Michael

SlickYamaha · 05-06-2011, 08:51 AM

I may have to have Sigma look over the rest of the flash to make sure everything is ok. When using the Metz, it just really makes me feel like something isnt right with the Sigma. Its hard to explain that to a technician. "something is wrong with my flash" -- "Whats wrong with it?" -- "It takes bad pictures" lol..

For someone who doesnt work with a flash a whole ton, I just cant get over the difference in the two..

mtansley · 05-06-2011, 09:46 AM

It might be fine once the zoom head is fixed. That may have been the problem. Try taking a couple of photos with your Metz, let the camera determine the flash head position and then switch the zoom head to manual and zoom it in or out a bit, then take the photo. Maybe the photos will show a similar problem which would indicate the flash head was to blame on the Sigma.

I do prefer the Metz units for the reasons I stated earlier and now that I've got one for each of my systems I'm very happy with them.

05-05-2011, 06:52 PM	#1
SlickYamaha Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Bel Air MD Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 840	530 super vs metz50 Ok, so my first flash was a sigma 530 super, well lets backtrack, the FIRST was a bell and howell (junk!) That lasted a week before the sigma. But anyway.. The sigma gave me all sorts of varied results. Over exposed, underexposed, all kinds of a mess. I could get nice photos, but it was hit or miss. Alot of (what I call) flash burn in peoples faces. I always thought it was me. I was new with strobes, and figured I had alot to learn. The other day the zoom feature broke on the sigma and I'll need to send it back for repairs. But since I have some stuff coming up that I need a flash for, i figured it was time to invest in another unit. I purchased a metz 50... Let me just say... WoW. Is this how flashes should be? The pictures are phenomenal! It almost appears as if I know what I'm doing. Is this just the difference between a good flash and a decent one? They seem comparable price and spec wise, but the results are night and day. Its almost hard to take a bad photo with the metz. They both were in pttl 99% of the time, in x mode. So the results should be close. The metz just seems effortless where the sigma took alot if trial and error... Any thoughts?

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05-05-2011, 07:14 PM	#2
mtansley Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Ajax, Ontario, Canada Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,139	I only tried a Sigma for a week but it took decent photos for me. Perhaps the zoom head in your flash was failing from the beginning and finally failed altogether. If it wasn't zooming properly but the flash & camera thought it was that could account for the weirdness you observed. I then switched to a Pentax AF540 which did a good job until it suffered a fatal fall off a light stand that smashed it's flash tube. That gave me the chance to swtich to a Metz 58 AF-2 on my Pentax and a 58 AF-1 on my Nikon D80. I prefer the Metz just because they seem to be more rugged. I also like the idea of dealing with a company that responds to emails generally within 24 hours. I have emailed several questions to the Metz company in Germany over the past couple of years and typically they do respond within that time frame. I also have several Metz flashes from 15-25 years ago that still do a good job. I'm happy with what I've got and at the moment the Metz 58 is a lot cheaper than the Pentax flash in Canada. Michael

05-06-2011, 08:51 AM	#3
SlickYamaha Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Bel Air MD Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 840 Original Poster	I may have to have Sigma look over the rest of the flash to make sure everything is ok. When using the Metz, it just really makes me feel like something isnt right with the Sigma. Its hard to explain that to a technician. "something is wrong with my flash" -- "Whats wrong with it?" -- "It takes bad pictures" lol.. For someone who doesnt work with a flash a whole ton, I just cant get over the difference in the two..

05-06-2011, 09:46 AM	#4
mtansley Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Ajax, Ontario, Canada Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,139	It might be fine once the zoom head is fixed. That may have been the problem. Try taking a couple of photos with your Metz, let the camera determine the flash head position and then switch the zoom head to manual and zoom it in or out a bit, then take the photo. Maybe the photos will show a similar problem which would indicate the flash head was to blame on the Sigma. I do prefer the Metz units for the reasons I stated earlier and now that I've got one for each of my systems I'm very happy with them.

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