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Using the Sigma EF-DG Super Flash In Manual Mode Off-Camera

The Sigma EF-DG Super Flash is a powerful hotshoe-based flash unit with a lot of nice features.  It even includes a somewhat unusual feature for a hotshoe-based flash, a built in optical slave.

But, the user interface is a bit hard to use, the user manual is obtuse, and accessing important use modes are often not intuitive, even for gearheads.

Many want to use this flash off-camera in manual mode.  They might want to trigger the Sigma Super with a cord, with a radio slave, or even with an external optical slave (note the word external here).  But, it is not obvious how to do this.  The copy below will show you how to set the Super Sigma for off-camera manual use.

Please note that this short offering only deals with how to properly set the user mode for manual off-camera flash for the Super Sigma.  It does not deal with how to mount the flash off-camera, or connect a sync device such as a cord, a radio slave, or external optical slave.  Those issues are covered in other subject offerings.

Step one - Getting the Sigma Super to the proper mode:
(These instructions are for the Canon version of the Sigma Super, but I suspect the other versions are similar and this may serve as a useful guide)

ETTL

M  (Many would think this “manual” mode is the correct one, but it is not.)

MULTI

ETTL  ETTL Master Symbol- wireless flash master

ETTL ETTL Slave Symbol- wireless flash slave

Slave Flash - Slave Flash mode (This is the mode you want; note that "ETTL" is not shown anywhere on the display.)

ISO - for setting the ISO

Step two - Turning the internal optical slave off and setting the power level:

If you are going to activate your off-camera Super Sigma with a sync cord or a radio slave, you will want to turn the Super Sigma’s internal optical slave off.

Step three – Turning the internal optical slave on and setting the power level:

Here is a link to a PDF for instructions for all of the various versions of the Sigma Super: http://www.sigmaphoto.com/flashes/flashes_flashes_details.asp?id=3257