# anybody with experience with the Sigma EF-610 DG SUPER speedlight for Nikon CLS?



## fjrabon (Nov 6, 2012)

Considering getting a backup flash with commander mode capabilities, but I don't want to pay for a Nikon branded flash and I don't want to pay for another Metz AF 58  I love my AF 58 (and my 50 as well), but they're fairly expensive for something that will mostly be used in slave mode and as a backup.  

Any thoughts on this speedlight for Nikon CLS use?  Both as a commander and a slave.


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## Dao (Nov 6, 2012)

Do you have to have the Nikon CLS?  What about regular flashes with radio trigger?


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## fjrabon (Nov 6, 2012)

Dao said:


> Do you have to have the Nikon CLS?  What about regular flashes with radio trigger?



I have radio triggers for when I need the range or the angles just don't suit a LOS system.  I love the convenience of TTL when I need/want it, and even when I'm not using TTL, love being able to control power of all the units directly from the camera.

Any time I can use CLS, I use CLS.  I only use radio triggers when I have to.


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## MOREGONE (Nov 6, 2012)

I am not sure about Commander mode but the Yongnuo YN565 does CLS, and I believe the YN568 does both.


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## MLeeK (Nov 6, 2012)

I have HEARD great things about it, but that's all the help I am! I know the metz line is also really very impressive as far as the better, off brand speedlites go.


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## fjrabon (Nov 7, 2012)

MLeeK said:
			
		

> I have HEARD great things about it, but that's all the help I am! I know the metz line is also really very impressive as far as the better, off brand speedlites go.



Thanks. Yeah, I LOVE my Metz flashes, but they're a little but expensive for backups. Pulled the trigger on the sigma. The plastic hot shoe foot worries me, but I'm pretty careful with my gear, so should be fine for a non primary flash.


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## MLeeK (Nov 7, 2012)

fjrabon said:


> MLeeK said:
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> 
> 
> ...


I actually have an older sigma flash with the plastic hot shoe foot that I broke. It took a quite a bit to break it, but if I can screw something up I will. The camera it was mounted on was on a strap and I let it drop, well the flash smacked something pretty good.


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## fjrabon (Nov 9, 2012)

so in case anybody ever searches the site for this, here's my review, disappointed to say the least.  Just going to suck it up and buy another AF 58, Metz flashes are hard to beat:

For reference, this was tried on a Nikon D7000. Comparisons were made to a Metz AF 50 and 58.

So, after going back and forth between this and the Metz AF 58, I decided to give the Sigma a try. Delivery was prompt, the pouch and stand that are included are nice enough. The large range of motion on the head's tilt and swivel is nice. It can do a full 180 clockwise and 90 degrees counter clockwise and has a pretty standard up and down range of motion as well. The display screen is nice and it's light up function is nice as well. That's about where the pros ended however.

Cons:

1) It's really awkward to set up for slave operation. The included manual has about 4 lines that are less than clear. Eventually I was able to set it up, but it took some googling. Second, not only does it have to be attached to the hot shoe to set up, which is inconvenient enough, but you constantly have to make sure that the metering controls are running. ie you have to half depress the shutter nearly the entire time you are setting the flash up.

2) Even when set up, it is HIGHLY undependable as a slave unit. I'd say it only fires about 1 out of 4 times as a slave unit. I had it side by side with my Metz AF 50, and my Metz fired EVERY SINGLE TIME, while the Sigma would just sit there like a knot on a log. I can point my D7000 on camera flash dead at it from a foot away and it will only flash about 1/2 the time.

3) It occasionally will just randomly unset itself as a slave unit, which requires putting it back on the camera to reset it.

4) As a commander unit, it just plain doesn't work. It seems like it simply can't create the pulses fast enough (ie the super slow recycle time others have noted) to actually be a fully functional commander unit for Nikon's CLS. This was the primary reason I bought it.

5) while the guide number seems impressive, if you actually meter it with a Sekonic light meter, it's nowhere near being as powerful as Sigma claims it is. This is using high quality, fully charged Sanyo Eneloop batteries.

6) the build quality is 'meh' at best. At the price point I didn't expect a lot build quality wise, which was fine, but I did want to mention that for completeness sake

7) The plastic hot shoe is very 'sticky' in my camera's hot shoe. I always feel like I am having to force it out. Compared to the smooth glide in and out with the AF 50 and I'm always worried I'm going to break the plastic hot shoe with how hard I have to force it in and out of the camera.

8) THe red 'ready' light comes on before it is actually fully charged. So not only is the recycle time long, but you have no actual way of knowing when it's actually ready.

I don't know if I just got a bad copy somehow, but this unit is getting returned and I'm just going to suck it up and buy the Metz AF 58. If you intend to use this as a part of Nikon's CLS, save your money. If you just intend to leave it attached to your camera's hot shoe, then it is fine. But if that's all you're going to use it for, you can buy $50 flashes that do that.


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## MLeeK (Nov 9, 2012)

I'm actually kind of surprised that SIgma hasn't done anything about the plastic hot shoe. Even my SUPER CHEAP YN462 has a metal foot. 
Sad!


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