Flash test: Onboard vs. Sigma vs. Sigma w/Stofen

03/21/2004 08:28:06 PM · #1

Hi all!

I was in an experimental mood and I wanted to try out the difference between the onboard flash, the Sigma EF-500DG Super and that same flash with the Stofen Omnibouncer.

I placed my 300d on a tripod in a pitch black room. Set the timer and pressed the shutter button and got myself into position. Without the Sigma flash, the camera fired strobes to get the focus and with the Sigma flash the flash itself used it IR capabilites to focus. I find the IR focus method quicker and better. When photographing subjects in dimly lit room, it kind of annoys them to get multiple flash strobes in their faces whilst the camera tries to find focus. The IR method from the Sigma flash is much, much better.

The 300D was in P mode and the basic exif is:
1/60s
f/4
ISO 100
Focal length 27mm

I had the Sigma flash on the ETTL setting.

1. Top left picture: Onboard flash
2. Top right picture: Sigma flash aimed straight at me.
3. Second row left picture: Sigma flash bounced off the ceiling (60Â°)
4. Second row right picture: Sigma flash w/Stofen aimed straight at me.
5. Bottom picture: Sigma flash w/Stofen bounced off the ceiling (60Â°).

I would like to remind you that the room was pitch black when the flashes fired, there was no other source of light other than the flash.

B.t.w. Excuse the pshycotic look on my face, I have a tendency to have close my eyes when the flash fires so this is the look on my face when I am forcing myself to keep my eyes open.

Picture 1 and 2 are similar, but nr.2 is a wee bit darker but a bit more natural colors (IMHO). The onboard flash washes the whites out more than the Sigma in nr.2.

Picture 3. With the Sigma bounced, the flash source is practically the ceiling, so thatÂ´s why the heavy shadows come from the curtains. Wee bit dark but the colors are better than in picture 1.

Picture 4. The Sigma with the Stofen, this is the best of the straight on pictures (pics 1, 2 and 4).

Picture 5. This is the best one. The Sigma flash with the Stofen bounced off the ceiling.

In my opinion the Sigma flash and the Stofen were a great investment. The benefit of having great control over the flash plus the IR focus capabilites are practically priceless. The onboard flash probably wonÂ´t get any use now. The stofen is the icing on the cake. I canÂ´t recommend this enough.

I wondered for some time if I should get the Sigma EF-500 DG Super or the Canon 550EX. The price difference was to great for the tiny differences between those two flashes. The Sigma flash is a great bang for the buck.

Well, that concludes my test, hope ya had fun, I sure didnÂ´t ;-)

HereÂ´s my 300d with the Sigma+Stofen

Jacko

Canon EOS-20D

Canon EF 24-105mm f/4.0L IS

03/21/2004 09:08:11 PM · #2

Thanks for the post.

Here's a comparison I had done between straight and bounce flash (Canon 550EX):

Comparison of bounce and flash

Most of my indoor pics use bounce flash. A lot of people say to avoid using a flash, but I really like the results I get while bouncing the light off the ceiling.

Latest entry using bounce flash.

lwkimages

Canon EOS-5D Mark II

03/21/2004 10:14:41 PM · #3

Nice post, Ivar! I have a similar setup with my 10D, but haven't experimented quite as scientifically as you did ;-).

Question: Did you use exposure compensation with any of the shots? Or did you just let the camera and flash determine the exposure for each shot, whether bounced or not?

Thanks,
-len

Nikon AF Nikkor 50mm f/1.8

03/22/2004 04:10:31 AM · #4

Originally posted by lenkphotos:

I let the camera do all the work. Just to check out the differences.

I have heard though that +2/3 exposure compensation is recommended in many cases both with the Canon 550EX and the Sigma EF-500 DG Super.

pcody

Canon PowerShot G6

03/22/2004 05:16:49 AM · #5

When you bounce the flash off the ceiling, your light is traveling twice (or however far away the ceiling is) as much as what your camera is reading as the distance to the subject. It will always underexpose the picture. If you could lower the ceiling, to about a foot from the flash, you might get an accurate reading. Another way to lower the ceiling is to place a white card above your flash. I've found that by positioning the flash at 45 degrees and to the side and bouncing off a card, the flash looks more like natural light. In a pinch, a white piece of paper, a newspaper or a light colored book will do the same thing.

jonpink

Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX2

03/22/2004 06:09:47 AM · #6

I have exactly the same flash and have found that it's better and more accurate to set it to Manual High and expose from there. Great for getting clean white backgrounds.

Jacko

Canon EOS-20D

Canon PowerShot Pro 90 IS

03/22/2004 06:58:34 AM · #7

True on the Maunal thing. I select Manual (M) and usually set it at 1/90sec and choose an aperture. The flash chooses the correct output, unless too much power is required.

coolhar

03/22/2004 08:59:15 AM · #8

Very interesting thread. Thanks Ivar. But I am confused about something. You said that all 5 images were P mode, 1/60s and f4; and then in your later post you said you let the camera do all the work. Am I correct to assume that the camera selected the same exposure settings in all 5 shots?

EddyG

Canon EOS-1D Mark II

Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM

03/22/2004 10:10:46 AM · #9

Originally posted by pcody:

This isn't true for Canon cameras. All recent Canon cameras, even their film and P&S models, actually fire two flashes to determine the flash exposure. This allows the camera to take into account any "bouncing" or other modifiers that may effect the exposure. The first pre-flash is very quick, especially on the Canon DSLR's, and you are not likely to even see it unless you are watching for it very carefully. The camera meters the light returned by this first flash so that it knows how much power to provide for the "real flash" that follows immediately after.

Canon's FlashWork brochure is a very worthwhile introduction to the Canon E-TTL system.

pcody

Canon PowerShot G6

Nikon AF Nikkor 50mm f/1.8

03/22/2004 10:17:13 AM · #10

So why is his bounced flash picture underexposed by about two stops? Not trying to be a smarty, but wouldn't the camera have adjusted for it? He does have a canon. Or does he have to have the canon flash also?

03/22/2004 10:20:32 AM · #11

Originally posted by coolhar:

Yes, but the camera decided how much the flash output would be. I just had the flash in ETTL mode. Sorry but I donÂ´t have any better way of explaining it. I have been led to belive that while the flash is in ETTL mode, the camera completely controls the power output of the flash.

Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM

03/22/2004 10:30:25 AM · #12

Originally posted by pcody:

I have the Sigma flash. I am quite curious why the bounced Sigma without the Stofen is underexposed. I have been reading about such problems though. Many people seem to compensate for that by increasing the flash power by 2/3.

I am new at using this flash so this was a test to see how it performs under certain circumstances. It is all apart of learning how to use it properly.

EddyG

Canon EOS-1D Mark II

03/22/2004 11:01:54 AM · #13

Since I don't have any direct experience with the Sigma 500 Super DG, I can only speculate.

Did you take multiple pictures to see if the under-exposure was consistent in every shot, or if the exposure varied shot-to-shot?

Also, do you remember what focusing point was in use when you took the pictures in "P" mode? Was the camera automatically selecting from the 7 AF points? The Sigma AF assist light only works with the center focusing point; the 550EX assit beam only works with the 5 horizontal focusing points; the 420EX can project a horizontal or vertical pattern, so it can use all 7. (Also, the AF assist isn't actually infrared; the flash simply projects a red, high-contrast line pattern that the auto-focus phase-detection algorithms can lock onto very easily.)

Since E-TTL links the flash exposure to the active focusing point, it is important to keep it over your subject, or if that isn't possible, use FEL (Flash Exposure Lock) which will fire the metering pre-flash and calculate flash exposure, and then allow you to re-compose the shot.

Gordon

RIM BlackBerry Curve

Canon EF 85mm f/1.8 USM

03/22/2004 11:06:40 AM · #14

It is maybe worth realising that the omnibouncer itself does nothing to reduce shadows or diffuse the light. If you use it in an environment without close walls or ceiling you'll not see any difference (as the light source is the same area - you need a bigger light source area to reduce shadows.

The omnibouncer does a good job by throwing light to the sides and off the ceiling as well as straight on - which works great in a suitable location. Not sure that blue walls would count as suitable though!

Gordon

RIM BlackBerry Curve

Canon EF 85mm f/1.8 USM

03/22/2004 11:08:58 AM · #15

Originally posted by EddyG:

Since I don't have any direct experience with the Sigma 500 Super DG, I can only speculate.

As far as I remember, a lot of the more advanced flash metering modes only work with same brand flashes on the Canon cameras. The photonotes.org site had a lot of info on what does and doesn't work well.