Flashguns: How long do they last?

synapseman · 31st January 2006

5600HS(D)/3600HS(D)

What's their typical lifespan? How long have you had yours? I think mine's close to 3 years old already. Still going good, no probs whatsoever. But will it just blink out suddenly one day?

Timber Wolf · 31st January 2006

My power control transistor died after 5 days. Sent to KM, and it's good now =)

QX

user111 · 31st January 2006

typically a few years

zcf · 31st January 2006

Originally Posted by Timber Wolf

My power control transistor died after 5 days. Sent to KM, and it's good now =)

QX

Mine got problem after a few events also, they changed the board and now is OK.

pai · 31st January 2006

my sigma's bulb blew after 3 months. had it fixed as it was still under warranty. has been another 9 months, with no new problems. has compatibility issues with the 5D though, can only be fixed by upgrading the main board. too expensive, so....

synapseman · 31st January 2006

Originally Posted by pai

my sigma's bulb blew after 3 months. had it fixed as it was still under warranty. has been another 9 months, with no new problems. has compatibility issues with the 5D though, can only be fixed by upgrading the main board. too expensive, so....

How much does it cost to upgrade the board?

Del_CtrlnoAlt · 31st January 2006

Originally Posted by synapseman

5600HS(D)/3600HS(D)

What's their typical lifespan? How long have you had yours? I think mine's close to 3 years old already. Still going good, no probs whatsoever. But will it just blink out suddenly one day?

buy a spare 1 lor... or a hammerhead... hehe

pai · 31st January 2006

Originally Posted by synapseman

How much does it cost to upgrade the board?

was quoted $185 total. some more the tech said that he wasn't really familiar with doing this...

Agetan · 1st February 2006

My 5600hs has done probably 50,000 flashes... no problem at all.. touch wood...

But I have 3 units... just in case one dies.

Regards,

Hart

sulhan · 1st February 2006

Originally Posted by Agetan

My 5600hs has done probably 50,000 flashes... no problem at all.. touch wood...

But I have 3 units... just in case one dies.

Regards,

Hart

Wow!! thats long use!!!

ratboy · 1st February 2006

maybe it's constant use that keeps it alive ?

like camera lens in use all the time seems to not get fungus
while those stored in dry box seem fungus prone ?

Timber Wolf · 1st February 2006

Originally Posted by pai

was quoted $185 total. some more the tech said that he wasn't really familiar with doing this...

Hmm. Look for Mr Harry Tay?
I think he's rather knowledgeable and very very helpful

QX

pai · 2nd February 2006

Originally Posted by Timber Wolf

Hmm. Look for Mr Harry Tay?
I think he's rather knowledgeable and very very helpful

QX

he's the one i talked to lah. he was nice, and polite, but he told me it couldn't be done. i finally got hold of a service order from someone in the states who had gotten it fixed. then he said oh, this ah, can, but very expensive, etc etc etc...

codling · 2nd February 2006

you mean upgrading the main board to something like the ADI one?
will that be fully compatible with the 5D like the 5600?

pai · 2nd February 2006

Originally Posted by codling

you mean upgrading the main board to something like the ADI one?
will that be fully compatible with the 5D like the 5600?

yes. i'm using an old super dg non-ADI model. i was quoted $185 by sigma singapore to upgrade to the latest ADI version. i don't know if it will be fully compatible, but someone in the states who did that told me his flash works fine with 5D in direct and bounce mode. dunno if it can do rear-sync, multi-flash etc

(pls note, i think this is not something they do normally. the tech said that their instructions are actually no re-chipping or upgrade for flash.)

codling · 2nd February 2006

hmmm...i m just thinkin, since Sigma released a newer ADI model, kinda defeat the purpose if it does not have compatible features for the 5D & 7D...
anyone bought the ADI model and tested it?
full feature compatibility (similar feature set to 5600)?

matthew · 5th February 2006

Originally Posted by synapseman

5600HS(D)/3600HS(D)

What's their typical lifespan? How long have you had yours? I think mine's close to 3 years old already. Still going good, no probs whatsoever. But will it just blink out suddenly one day?

I've got a Cannon 299T flash gun that's well over 15 years old and still works. Admitedly I don't use it much, but more so now that the built in flash on my d7i has failed.

Doesn't talk to the Minolta camera at all, I hot-shoe trigger it and it does it's own exposure control based on the film speed and F no. dialed up on the back.

I would say the 'weakest' part of a flash is the flash tube itself, followed by the main storage capacitor.
If you hunt around, you will probably find one of the specs given for flash-tubes is the number of firings.
Capacitors have a bad habit of drying out with age.

31st January 2006	#1
synapseman Senior Member Join Date: May 2003 Location: State of Confusion Posts: 2,088	Flashguns: How long do they last? 5600HS(D)/3600HS(D) What's their typical lifespan? How long have you had yours? I think mine's close to 3 years old already. Still going good, no probs whatsoever. But will it just blink out suddenly one day? __________________ The synapseman uses Sony Alpha system & Corel Paint Shop Pro Photo X2.

31st January 2006	#2
Timber Wolf Member Join Date: Oct 2003 Posts: 910	Re: Flashguns: How long do they last? My power control transistor died after 5 days. Sent to KM, and it's good now =) QX

31st January 2006	#3
user111 Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2004 Posts: 4,719	Re: Flashguns: How long do they last? typically a few years

31st January 2006	#5
pai Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Lala Land Posts: 1,664	Re: Flashguns: How long do they last? my sigma's bulb blew after 3 months. had it fixed as it was still under warranty. has been another 9 months, with no new problems. has compatibility issues with the 5D though, can only be fixed by upgrading the main board. too expensive, so....

1st February 2006	#9
Agetan Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 2,595	Re: Flashguns: How long do they last? My 5600hs has done probably 50,000 flashes... no problem at all.. touch wood... But I have 3 units... just in case one dies. Regards, Hart __________________ www.tomato.sg www.bambiniphoto.sg

1st February 2006	#11
ratboy Member Join Date: Sep 2002 Posts: 702	Re: Flashguns: How long do they last? maybe it's constant use that keeps it alive ? like camera lens in use all the time seems to not get fungus while those stored in dry box seem fungus prone ?

2nd February 2006	#14
codling Member Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: eastside... Posts: 654	Re: Flashguns: How long do they last? you mean upgrading the main board to something like the ADI one? will that be fully compatible with the 5D like the 5600? __________________ triggerhappy exposures sony A700 + konica minolta dynax 5D Last edited by codling; 2nd February 2006 at 02:37 AM.