|
| 
 enlarge | Brand: Nikon
Category: Photography
List Price: $420.99
Buy New: $329.99
You Save: $91.00 (22%)
New (10) Used (2) from $319.00
Avg. Customer Rating:  110 reviews
Media: Electronics
Autographed: No
Memorabilia: No
Fragile: No
Batteries Included: No
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.8
Dimensions (in): 5 x 3.6 x 2.8
Warranty: 1 year warranty
MPN: 4801
Model: 4801
UPC: 018208048014
EAN: 4960759024152
ASIN: B00015GYU4
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
|
| Customer Reviews:
Excellent choice. August 23, 2005
3 out of 11 found this review helpful
This speedlight is everything I expected and hoped, and then some. I'm sure the SB600 is a great flash, but if you want to do more than just the basics, this is the one to get.
It is great! August 23, 2005
3 out of 6 found this review helpful
It makes my picture look much better. I got better color. But there is one thing I wished I knew before I make this purchase. My camera is N50. I cannot get auto zoom on this flash with my camera body. It required manual adjustment. It is painful.
Versatility and more August 2, 2005
6 out of 8 found this review helpful
Although I have only had the SB-800 for a few weeks I am totally impressed with it's versatility. It undoubtedly exceeds my expectations and capabilities. Used with my D70 I feel I am now prepared to take any picture in any ambient lighting environment that I may be challenged with. The instructions booklet is not an easy read but full of options which I hope to master.....someday!
A must have for your D70 July 3, 2005
23 out of 23 found this review helpful
After reading the reviews I bought the 800 over the 600. After reading the manual I was about to send it back (too complicated), but decided to give it a try anyway.
Don't let the manual and all the things this flash will do scare you off. Just put it on your camera and in about 5 minutes you will figure out the basics, and the basics are amazing: Pefectly exposed shots with color to match. Straight, bounce, diffused, it doesn't matter.
As has already been noted, this model comes with a diffuser, which is a nice touch and a way to remove the harshness from flash photos. Like "natural" makeup, this flash can make your photos look more natural. After all, photography is all about light, so you're not really cheating -- just using all the tools at your disposal.
Why I chose the SB-800 over the SB-600 January 21, 2005
591 out of 596 found this review helpful
I won't repeat the wealth of information the other kind reviewers have already given. I'll just focus on why I decided to cough up the extra $100 to get the SB-800 instead of the less powerful SB-600.
Compared to the SB-600, the SB-800 has the following extra features:
1) Much more powerful, as reflected in the GN.
2) Slightly faster recycle time with the standard four AA batteries. It also comes with a battery holder that holds a fifth battery which cuts down recycle time by 1/3 to 1/2.
3) The SB-800 has non-TTL auto and auto aperture modes. (More on this later.)
4) In wireless remote mode, the SB-800 can act both as the master and slave, whereas the 600 can only be a slave.
5) It comes with a useful diffusion dome, which won't even fit on the SB-600.
6) The SB-800 package also includes two colored gel filters.
7) The SB-800 can do repeating flash (in the same exposure), for a strobe effect.
Basically, both the 600 and 800 support Nikon's latest flash technologies, i-TTL (supported by the D70 and D2H only) and CLS (creative lighting system), in addition to all the TTL (through the lens) flash modes Nikon introduced in the past. The 600 is really a prosumer-level flash that's either TTL or manual, whereas the 800 is pure pro-grade with a lot of modes and options. The manual, evidently written by a Japanese manual writer, attests to its sophistication; understanding the manual will really require a Ph.D. in yoga so you don't stress yourself out.
The 800's auto modes are what won me over in the end. The auto modes can set the flash output automatically on Nikon bodies that do not support any TTL (through the lens) mode. On those bodies, with the 600 you'd have to resort to manual, which is simply a pain in the butt, not to mention prone to error. The two non-TTL auto modes on the 800 are auto aperture and auto. You'll need to study the manual very carefully to figure out the difference; I still haven't, but I'm already enjoying the auto aperture mode. The availability of auto modes also means the 800 can be used on a wide range of Nikon bodies than the simpler 600.
If you are deciding between the 600 and the 800 like I was, ask yourself the following questions:
1) Do you have an extra $100-$150 to spend? If yes, the 800.
2) Do you plan to use the external flash a lot? If yes, the 800.
3) Do you have Nikon bodies (usually older manual ones) that do not support TTL (you can find out in the camera's user's guide)? If yes, the 800.
4) Do you plan to do a lot of wireless flash photography and take full advantage of Nikon's Creative Lighting System? If yes, the 800.
5) If you want to get a diffusion dome that fits the flash, get the 800.
In the end, I think the SB-800 is a better long-term investment than the SB-600, despite the higher price. It's much more powerful and flexible, and even though it's an overkill for me right now, I imagine when my flash photography improves (and I'm trying very hard right now), it'll prove a very worthy investment.
Feel free to drop me an e-mail at hotmail with any questions. BTW, if anyone knows of a good web forum that discusses how to use Nikon's flash modes and the CLS, please let us know. Thanks.
|
|
|
Disclaimer: This is an Amazon storefront - the products referenced on this site are manufactured and sold by other parties and sold through Amazon.com We make no representations regarding either the products or any information vendors offer about their products. Any questions, complaints, or claims regarding the products must be directed to the appropriate manufacturer or vendor, or to Amazon.com. |
| |
