Budget iTTL Flash for Nikon

gad-westy

gad-westy

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Graham
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I don't do a huge amount of flash photography but when I do it tends to be off camera using flash commander. I like to have two flashes at my disposal and currently have a Nissin Di622 Mk2 and an SB800. The 800 is up for sale as I just find it too damn fiddly to use. The controls and menu layout are awful. I'm looking to replace it. In an ideal world I'd get an SB700 as I've had one before and found it excellent but its over budget. I love using the Nissin I currently have as its very simple and does everything I need it to but its only downside is that its fixed to group A so if I bought another I wouldn't be able to vary the light output from one to the other without doing it manually. So I'm looking for something similar to the Nissin that is either either fixed to another group or where its group can be altered. Ideally all for under £100 new or used. Any thoughts?
 
Yongnuo
 
Meike MK-910 for £76.00 brand new from Amazon. Basically they're copies of the Nikon SB-910's.

I have two and they work perfectly. Also has the built in remote so if your camera has the built in commander it can trigger it off camera and still be TTL.
 
minnnt said:
Meike MK-910 for £76.00 brand new from Amazon. Basically they're copies of the Nikon SB-910's.

I have two and they work perfectly. Also has the built in remote so if your camera has the built in commander it can trigger it off camera and still be TTL.
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Do they do high speed sync?
I know my yongnuo do not, but that about all( apart from acting as a master). Bit great slaves they are. Be good if the Meike do HSS - or whatever Nikon call it. One of the few reasons I hump my SB 910 around.
 
They sure do do HSS. That was also one of the reasons I bought it. Along with TTL and having the remote aswell it was a no brainer. It was my first flash so I wasn't about to spend LOADS more on a SB700 or SB910 as I didn't even know if I would get into it. Turns out that I liked it enough to get a second one.

Comes with a stand and it also has a lock on it so you can lock it onto the hotshoe. Not alot of third party flashes do as far as I know?
 
Cheers gents. Looks like I'm spoilt for choice. Like the simplicity of the Yongnuo but hard to ignore the breadth of features on the Meike. David, how do you find the Meike in terms of ease of use? After the SB800, its a quality that's high up my agenda.
 
I've had no issues using it mate, everything is pretty simple to do but then I've never had another flash to compare them. Everything seems simple to alter and works well. The reason I went with this one over the Yongnuo is that to get HSS it was about £25 more I think. :LOL:
 
In terms of the Yongnuo triggers, is it best to get the controller and a transceiver? Does anywhere sell these as a pair as have only seen pairs of transceivers where I understand you have to use the camera menu to control?
 
kendo1 said:
They're one and the same.
http://www.lightingrumours.com/yong...r-nikon-first-look-hands-on-4102#.U-p2b2PQovw
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No the controller is separate: YongNuo YN-622C-TX E-TTL LCD wireless flash controller wireless flash trigger For Canon DSLR https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00LD0K77M/ref=cm_sw_r_udp_awd_OBN6tb0W84S3G

I found this combo pack on Amazon YongNuo 1 Pcs YN-622N-TX & 1 Pcs YN-622N transceiver i-TTL LCD wireless flash controller wireless flash trigger transceiver For Nikon D70, D70S, D80, D90, D200, D300S, D600, D700, D800, D3000, D3100, D3200, D5000, D5100, D5200, D5300, D7000, D7100 https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00KWU6QHE/ref=cm_sw_r_udp_awd_yDN6tb05YTQYW
 
michaelg said:
No the controller is separate: YongNuo YN-622C-TX E-TTL LCD wireless flash controller wireless flash trigger For Canon DSLR https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00LD0K77M/ref=cm_sw_r_udp_awd_OBN6tb0W84S3G

I found this combo pack on Amazon YongNuo 1 Pcs YN-622N-TX & 1 Pcs YN-622N transceiver i-TTL LCD wireless flash controller wireless flash trigger transceiver For Nikon D70, D70S, D80, D90, D200, D300S, D600, D700, D800, D3000, D3100, D3200, D5000, D5100, D5200, D5300, D7000, D7100 https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00KWU6QHE/ref=cm_sw_r_udp_awd_yDN6tb05YTQYW
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The first one out the bag is the one that goes on the camera, a Nikon.
I have a pair of 622s. They are interchangeable.

Are we misunderstanding each other? Did you read the review?
 
kendo1 said:
The first one out the bag is the one that goes on the camera, a Nikon.
I have a pair of 622s. They are interchangeable.

Are we misunderstanding each other? Did you read the review?
Click to expand...

I read it a bit more carefully this time and I see what you mean and probably a pair of these would be enough it for my needs. I think with the TX unit and say multiple flashes (I only have one so far) then you can play around a bit more. So will grab a pair of the 622's first then. Need to then think about what to do with just the one flash then! Back to reading up I guess!
 
michaelg said:
I read it a bit more carefully this time and I see what you mean and probably a pair of these would be enough it for my needs. I think with the TX unit and say multiple flashes (I only have one so far) then you can play around a bit more. So will grab a pair of the 622's first then. Need to then think about what to do with just the one flash then! Back to reading up I guess!
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Yep, they're both transceivers.
A word of warning though- the instructions are c*** :)

Alternative instructions rewritten by someone who speaks English!
https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B77OmmGIg0gMVFpqNkpBYXBHajA/edit?pli=1

With one flash, you use it off camera attached to a 622, the other 622 on camera.
 
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Glad I found this thread. I like the look and price of the Meike MK910. I currently have the Nikon SB700 and SB600 but I don't use them as much as I thought I would.
I'm now thinking maybe I could sell both of these and get two MK910 flashes. I would still have iTTL and HSS both of which I want plus the wireless functionality that I wouldn't want to lose. I would then have around £120-£150 spare cash to spend on other equipment that I would probably use more.
Thanks
 
Yep, sounds like a good move. Just used mine for a wedding today and it never faulted once. Took probably 300 shots with the flash and still on the original set of batteries and it's been working pretty hard. Surprising how quick it recycles too. Was expecting a few duff shots* but it appeared to fire everytime.

*from the flash not me... there will be loads of those. :D
 
minnnt said:
Yep, sounds like a good move. Just used mine for a wedding today and it never faulted once. Took probably 300 shots with the flash and still on the original set of batteries and it's been working pretty hard. Surprising how quick it recycles too. Was expecting a few duff shots* but it appeared to fire everytime.

*from the flash not me... there will be loads of those. :D
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Cheers David, good suggestion of yours, thanks.
Now what to spend the spare cash on before the boss hears about it.....
 
Hi David, what these last 3 with just a single flash? Could you please also tell me what kind of softbox were you using?
 
Hey Jacques. Single on camera flash fired over my head back into the room, no softbox, bare flash. In this case the room acted as a softbox with light bouncing all around. There was a big red wall to my left in the prep shot so i had to angle the flash slightly to the right.

HTH's.
David.
 
Aha, now I understand what the term "over my head" means.. The flash was rotated to fire either sideways, up or backwards. Some beautiful results you got! Amazing detail and beautiful tones on the last one..

Thanks for always helping out with info and details :)
 
No probs mate. Yes, rotate the head to fire it where ever you want. Bouncing from the ceilings will give shadows though so be careful.

In this day and age of The Only Way Is Essex and all that malarky, skin tones can be hard to get right as some people seem to think that being orange is a great look. :LOL:
 
Hi, after reading this thread can I confirm that Nikon fit flashes advertised with I-TTF are just the same as TTF?. Google is giving me mixed results...
 
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