which nikon flash.

Flash In The Pan said:
The SB900 is a much better flash than the 800 and doesn't cost a great deal more secondhand....
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:plusone:
The SB900 is far better, I have both the sb800 and the 900, I always reach for the 900, having said that the 800 is also a great flash judt not quite as easy to change options on.
 
Personally I would go for the SB800 over the SB600, iirc you can not use it as a commander flash and it isnt as powerfull as the the SB800, you also cannot use the fifth battery unit with the SB600, this does speed up the recycling time. My reasoning on the power front is it is better to have the sb800 running at say 75% power than the sb600 running at 100% power, I am not saying that is the power difference I am just using it as an illustration, before I get jumped on for wrong info.:thumbs:
 
Scott, I do not know how the other makes compare. If you want to compare the sb800 and sb900, I travel through Honiton usually twice a week for work, I would be happy to meet up so you can compare.
 
I have the SB800 and SB600. There are a number of extras that you get with the SB800. Flash zoom, more power from an extra battery, aux power port for an 8 battery pack, better menu system, other TTL modes, focus assist light, defuser and more.....
 
Davec223 said:
Scott, I do not know how the other makes compare. If you want to compare the sb800 and sb900, I travel through Honiton usually twice a week for work, I would be happy to meet up so you can compare.
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nice one dave thats really top off you, might take you up on that, where abouts do you go togging.
 
I have both a SB 600 and a SB 800. Is the SB900 really worth the price? I got my SB800 for £180... Paying £200+ for a flash seems a bit much! Sans studio equipment of course, but I don't have a studio so that's irrelevant to me :)
 
scottcampbell said:
Don't attempt a wedding with an SB-600 ;)
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My mum's wedding was in the Easter, I helped a family friend, who's been doing weddings for year, cover it. He had a SB600! I amused myself considering I have a SB800 =D
 
To me the biggest advantage of the SB900 is the manual switch that makes changing from one mode to another easier and quicker.
 
If you intend to do weddings I would go for the SB 900. Its a great flashgun and well worth the money. The menu is far easier to use than that on the sb600
 
cowasaki said:
To me the biggest advantage of the SB900 is the manual switch that makes changing from one mode to another easier and quicker.
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If that's the biggest advantage then I don't feel I'm missing too much to be honest :p
 
I have had the SB600 and SB800 for almost 2 yrs now, the main advantage of the SB800 is its comander mode but if you have a D300 you can use its pop up flash for that.
Yes the SB800 is a bit more poweful not that I ve noticed in real life situations and I ve never used the 5 batteries. I actually prefer the SB600 menu system of the two myself.
Theres quite a cost difference between the various models, I got mine a couple of years ago and paid £130 and £185 for them. I think the SB900 will be better but then £300plus and I doubt youd get a secondhand one for £250, last I looked on ebay SB800s were going for over £200.
Oh and I just shot my daughters wedding with a SB600!! The pro had a SB900 but Ive not seen his shots yet, mine were generally pretty good.
Finally it is rumoured Nikon are about to release a SB650 in the next few weeks, not seen any specs or price anywhere yet but no doubt more expensive than the current SB600
 
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I have had the SB600 and SB800 for almost 2 yrs now, the main advantage of the SB800 is its comander mode but if you have a D300 you can use its pop up flash for that.
Yes the SB800 is a bit more poweful not that I ve noticed in real life situations and I ve never used the 5 battery. I actually prefer the SB600 menu system of the two myself.
Theres quite a cost difference between the various models, I got mine a couple of years ago and paid £130 and £185 for them. I think the SB900 will be better but then £300plus and I doubt youd get a secondhand one for £250, last I looked on ebay SB800 were going for over £200.
Oh and I just shot my daughters wedding with a SB600!! The pro had a SB900 but Ive not seen his shots yet, mine were generally pretty good.
 
Spanishphil said:
I have had the SB600 and SB800 for almost 2 yrs now, the main advantage of the SB800 is its comander mode but if you have a D300 you can use its pop up flash for that.
Yes the SB800 is a bit more poweful not that I ve noticed in real life situations and I ve never used the 5 battery. I actually prefer the SB600 menu system of the two myself.
Theres quite a cost difference between the various models, I got mine a couple of years ago and paid £130 and £185 for them. I think the SB900 will be better but then £300plus and I doubt youd get a secondhand one for £250, last I looked on ebay SB800 were going for over £200.
Oh and I just shot my daughters wedding with a SB600!! The pro had a SB900 but Ive not seen his shots yet, mine were generally pretty good.
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thanks phil
 
I just watched an SB800 go for £386 on ebay - more than the price of a new SB900, so watch yourself if bidding elsewhere.
Used SB900's are routinely going on here for £250-ish and a bargain at that price.
 
Because the SB900 has a thermal cut off and the SB800 doesn't some people are going for SB800's thinking that you can take more shots one after the other, not realising that the SB800 can just melt instead :) If someone wants to spend that kind of money on an SB800 then I'll happily stick mine on there with it's external power block and buy an SB900 or just swap !!!
 
Can't find that one Rob but most seem to go for 150-225
 
DiddyDave said:
I have both the SB800 & SB900 for Wedding work - and I rarely use the SB900 as the SB800 never cuts out on me and is more powerful (a bit) too

I'd actually consider swapping my SB900 for an SB800 if it was newish

DD
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If you want to I'd go for it. It is basically as good as new, boxed with all accessories PLUS a FITP external battery pack. Let me know if you want to.
 
cowasaki said:
If you want to I'd go for it. It is basically as good as new, boxed with all accessories PLUS a FITP external battery pack. Let me know if you want to.
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A what???

PLUS a FITP external battery pack :shrug:

Goes to Google this :)

EDIT - Google's not heard of it :shrug:

DD
 
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DiddyDave said:
No insult to flashy ;) but does it work?

And how long have you had your SB800, and what do you use it for?

DD
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It's just a Chinese copy of the Nikon item - costs about £20-35 on ebay or Amazon and does exactly the same as the OEM version which is something stupid like £150.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Opteka-Exte...1?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1283676211&sr=8-1
FITP gets a few every now and then. Very useful if you're doing any kind of OCF strobist nonsense...
It just holds 8x AA batteries and plugs into the flash's external power port.
 
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DiddyDave said:
No insult to flashy ;) but does it work?

And how long have you had your SB800, and what do you use it for?

DD
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Yes it works :)

I use it for general photography. I have an SB600 for the day job which suffices this one has only been out for two or three family events. The item looks as new but is a couple of years old. With all the paperwork and unused accessories.
 
cowasaki said:
Well about £40 as per both of our examples :shrug: but yes a cheap chinese copy that does the same as Nikons.
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They were going for £25 two weeks ago.
I also notice they have a 6-cell version for about £30 on ebay and amazon now as well...
 
cowasaki said:
I have the SB800 and SB600. There are a number of extras that you get with the SB800. Flash zoom, more power from an extra battery, aux power port for an 8 battery pack, better menu system, other TTL modes, focus assist light, defuser and more.....
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The SB-600 does have flash zoom and a focus assist light:

http://www.europe-nikon.com/en_GB/product/speedlights/speedlight-sb-600

"Auto zoom of 24 to 85mm

Same Wide area AF Assist Illuminator as the popular SB-800"

Neither rotate 180 degrees to the right.

I don't think they're designed to blow up :lol: but a fleabay diffuser is cheap, if wanted.
 
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