When Samsung announced their new SEF-580A Flash in conjunction with their NX30 introduction,
the first thought that came to my mind was ‘Top Heavy’.
The above featured image, and those following, display the camera and flash in a horizontal position.
Raising or lowering your lens toward your subject will make for an un-balanced tool in my opinion.
When you position the flash forward or backward you will ‘feel’ the flash’s weight.
Doing this during a 1/2 day’s shoot can be tiring and a waste of energy in my opinion.
My opinion is based on my use of my NX300 and Nikon SB800 (in thyristor mode) when I
want more light than my SEF-220A offers.
This configuration is ‘Top Heavy’ to me in the same manner as the NX30 and 580A as pictured seems to me.
The fact that the head tilts and swivels on a newly announced Flagship Flash needs no comment from me, for the same reasons lights and a horn on a new Rolls Royce warrant no comment. They all ‘Should Be There’.
A flash designed for use on a DSLR, placed on an MILC, will always be ‘Top Heavy’ in my opinion.
At most other times I place my Nikon SB800 off camera on a stick and fire it in Remote mode via my SEF-220A.
I do this very often, especially for large groups, and the issue of ‘balance’ is eliminated.
In fact, I can’t wait to get the ED-SEF580A ( providing the Spec’d Recycle time of 5.0 seconds is a typo and it is actually .5 seconds ) and use it as a TTL metered flash on a sick, controlled by the built-in flash of the NX30 (assumed capability as indicated by the Spec Sheet).
I’ve been doing this for years with my Nikon DSLRs and Nikon flashes.
I don’t anymore since getting my NX300. The weight benefits and maneuverability of my NX300 keeps my Nikon stuff on the shelf.
The advanced technology of the NX30 warrants designing a flash with similar ‘DNA’.
Samsung missed creating a new First Impression for their new flash by not investing in creating a new flash unit with MILC ‘DNA’, in my opinion.
My suggestions to Samsung, and to any flash manufacturer, ( I really like Samsung but I like Competition even better), are:
1) Get those 4 AA batteries out of the flash unit (you don’t need me to tell you how).
2) Include an off camera flash cord with every NX30 ( I use the one from China ).
Yes, shooting your NX30 camera in one hand and holding your flash (even the SEF-8A with your NX300) in your other hand will provide you with images of clarity and 3 Dimension which will amaze family and friends and get you many ‘Likes’ on social networks.
These are my ‘two cents’, and I look forward to your opinions/suggestions on Samsung’s new ED-SEF580A Flash.
Raw Jaw
==
Photos and Specifications and their Sources:
____________________________________
#1:
#2:
#3:
ABOVE PHOTOS SOURCE: https://plus.google.com/+samsungcamera/photos
—————————
SAMSUNG ED-SEF580A Flash light Specifications
(NOTE: AS PER SAMSUNG ALL SPECS ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE)
Number
58 (ISO100, 105mm)
Flash coverage
24-105mm
Power Ratio
1/1, 1/2, 1/4, 1/8, 1/16,
1/32, 1/64, 1/128, 1/256
Power Source
AA?4(Alkaline, Ni-MH,
Oxyride, Lithium (FR6)
Recycling Time
(New battery)
Alkaline max 5.5sec,
Ni-MH max 5.0sec(2500mAh)
A number of flashes
Alkaline min 150fls,
Ni-MH min 220fls (2500mAh)
Flash duration (Automatic)
max 1/125, min 1/33,000
Flash duration (Manual)
max 1/125, min 1/33,000
Lamp Light Voltage
Blinking 285V, Lights 330V
Bounce
UP 0, 45, 60, 75, 90?
CC 0, 60, 90, 120?
CCW 0, 60, 90, 120, 150, 180
Exposure control system
A-TTL, Manual
Color Temperature
5600 ± 500K
AF Assist Beam
O (1.0m ~10.0m) (TBD)
Auto Power Zoom
24, 28, 35, 50, 70, 85, 105mm
Manual Zoom
24, 28, 35, 50, 70, 85, 105mm
Camera Mount
Samsung Original
Flash Covering Angle
24mm(R/L 78?,U/D 60?),
105mm(R/L 27?,U/D 20?)
High-Speed Sync
Yes
Wireless
Yes (4ch, 3Group)
Other
Graphic LCD, Power Save, Multiflash
Modelling light, Wide-angle diffuser
SPECIFICATION SOURCE: http://www.samsungmobilepress.com/2014/01/03/Samsung-Launches-the-NX30-Camera-alongside-First-Premium-S-Lens-1
10 Responses
Thanks for this article. The main advantage of this flash (in my opinion) is the wireless mode. So if I bought it, it would be because of that 🙂 Anyway I bought an off camera flash cord for my SEF20A and I love the results.
I have the metz 44 that, with canon and nikon offers slave wireless mode. It’d be nice if samsung shared the protocol with metz, so to enable ir for nx as well.
I would rather see Samsung innovate something that does not have any Metz luggage.
Sorry, but I don’t agree with you. The new samsung itself looks like a rebranded metz unit, so I think that the metz 44, that up to now is the only third party flash with ttl for nx, and the best of all them (not including the one presented now, that’s not out yet), deserves a wireless upgrade.
My point is that I would like to see a Metz/Samsung/Anybody Flash Unit Form Factor upgrade to match the NX30’s form factor, of course with wireless included,
that enables handling a camera and flash together as one unit that is well balanced (weight-wise) in my hands.
I don’t know anything about flash technology, but is there anybody who is trying to build smaller flash units to go with these smaller cameras? I try to use flash when necessary, but I think most people do not, besides a built-in. I use m43, and any powerful flash unit is bigger than the camera!!! I often feel flash is an afterthought with these companies…
I often rely on my 220A flash for large groups of people, more than 25 at times, when I don’t have my Nikon Sb800’s with me.
I set it on wide and it is remarkable what I can pull out of my Raw NX300 shadows.
If you can get only one flash the 220A will fill your needs 90% of the time, especially with an off camera flash cord, Samsung TTL compatible.
I use a Samsung NX30 and have recently purchased the SEF580A. I was under the impression that I would be able to trigger it off camera, wirelessly.
So far I’ve only been able to achieve this when the onboard/internal flash is deployed.
This seems crazy when the SEF580A has full wireless capability. I just want it as the only off camera light source without triggering the NX30s internal flash.
Any ideas on how to achieve this?
Wireless is by light, not radio waves, same as the Nikon CLS.
There are ways to reduce the light of your built-in flash that hits your subject. while still being readable by your 580a flash unit.
Thanks for the article. Recently, I bought two SEF-580A for my NX300, and was hoping to use them with the master and slave mode. After trying to follow the user manual I was only able to trigger the slave flash when set to servo mode. Does this sound correct? This was my first attempt to use two flashes, and I still learning about the terms regarding the flash. Thanks