SB600 vs SB900 is it that much better?

Jwar

I'm currently debating to get the SB600 or 900. I'm usually taking photos of family or landscapes. The main reason i want the flash is to shot portraits and family shots indoors. I may use it for fill on outside shoots. I'm not planning to do weddings or go pro anytime soon.

My question is, is the SB900 twice as good as the SB600? Since it cost about twice as much, $220 vs $460. The guide numbers are less the 14 feet apart, 98 compared to 111.5 @ ISO100. Is there something i'm missing in the SB900? Do you think i'll need it? I would like to get the SB900 just cant find a compelling reason. Please help.

-jay

Qarik

Jwar wrote:

I'm currently debating to get the SB600 or 900. I'm usually taking photos of family or landscapes. The main reason i want the flash is to shot portraits and family shots indoors. I may use it for fill on outside shoots. I'm not planning to do weddings or go pro anytime soon.

My question is, is the SB900 twice as good as the SB600? Since it cost about twice as much, $220 vs $460. The guide numbers are less the 14 feet apart, 98 compared to 111.5 @ ISO100. Is there something i'm missing in the SB900? Do you think i'll need it? I would like to get the SB900 just cant find a compelling reason. Please help.

-jay

The SB900 has many advantages over the SB600:
0) can act as master flash
1) it has more power
2) it has a wider zoom and longer zoom
3) the flash head can turn 180 degrees either direction
4) it includes gels and gel holder and automagic WB correction depending on which gel you use.
5) the interface is redesigned and MUCH easier to use. No longer do you have to hold down 2 keys (which ones wer ethose?) for 3 sec and shuffle down 2 layers of menus to turn on slave mode. It's one key now.
6) it has auto shutoff if the flash gets too hot

These are advantages are very useful to pro shooters. If you instend to stay ameteur and your flash requirements are not that demanding then the sb600 is fine.

cab.in.boston

I'm certainly no expert, but how I understand it, the main differences are that the 900 can automatically detect DX vs. FX, has a wider zoom range, more powerful output, and can be a master as well as slave for off-camera flash. It's also larger, heavier, can use an external power source (not sure if the 600 can be powered externally). The 900 also comes with the diffusion dome and the color filter set, which I imagine contributes some to the extra cost. But of course you know all this from reading the specs...

I just bought a 600. I eventually want a 900, but I figured that since my D90 can work in commander mode, I can still use the 600 off-camera until I decide that I can afford the 900. So far, in a couple of weeks, I am very happy with the 600. I'd guess from how you say you'll use it that you would also be happy with the 600. I think the 900 is a great flash, but for casual use, I think the 600 is also quite worthwhile. The main reason I'd see for getting the 900 is if you wanted to use it as a commander for other flashes and your body doesn't support that mode. Anyway, that's my uninformed opinion. YMMV. :D

Jwar

Qarik wrote:

1) it has more power
2) it has a wider zoom and longer zoom

I think the first two items are what concern me. I don't want to get the SB600 and feel like it's not enough power.

thanks Qarik!

Jwar

thanks Cab,

I've got a D90 also, so you haven't seen any short falls in the sb600?

Art Scott

For portraits and such you need all the power a flash can muster......to shoot thru a good diffuser and not have to set ISO at 1600 and aperture at f1.0..........I have not shot my 900 thru my Brolley's yet (later today) but I have been playing with it with the large diffuser (sto-fen style) on it in commander mode using the pop up flash at 1/120th power.......it does a good job.......

If you have the money to get a 900 and if you have not had the 600 too long to return......I would return and get the 900 .....this will be your main flash and should be a powerhouse .......

You also should read Joe McNally's HotShoe Diaries.....as he decribes the use of Nikons equipment quite well.....

There are lots of people complaining about the thermal shut down of the 900.....however I emailed Joe and got a reply from one of his employees to which was said....they turn off the thermal cut off and have never had a problem and they do shoot them till they get hot......however unless your shooting sports this should never be a concern........all one needs to do if you feel the flash getting hot is to change the batteries out.....now you have a sensor registering cool batteries.........

dmeiselman

Sounds like you need a flash. I have used sb-28 sb-800 and sb-900 speedlites extensively, only handled the 600 a couple of times.
Personal opinion? get a used sb-600. i suspect you'll find it's the right product for you, and saves you a giant chunk of change. For indoor primary and outdoor fill, the sb-600 will be fine. If you want to switch down the road, you can resell it (for almost exactly what you paid) or use it as a slave flash.

If you're shooting events or groups, get the 800 or 900, they're easier to work with, recharge faster and are somewhat more robust. They're designed for all-day professional use. If this isn't you, get the 600, you'll be happy.

InsuredDisaster

Some would say start with the SB-900, then you can ad SB-600's later and build an entire remote, master slave flash set up. Of course, you can do it the other way around, and get the SB-600 first.

Personally, I started with the SB-600 first route, then got the SB-800. I didn't really appreciate the differences of the SB-800 vs the 600 until I started using the wireless functions. The SB-900 has a lot more goodies, but I think unless you are intending to build a wireless setup right away, I'd got with the 600. You can get them on ebay for about $200.

Tim Kamppinen

For me the 900 is totally worth the price difference. I started with a 600, got into manual off camera flash where the older SB-28's (same power as the 900) were perfect and cheaper, and eventually ended up getting a 900 when I decided to get into wedding photography.

The reasons are primarily:

a) The power difference. The 900 is about twice as powerful as the 600. That sounds really impressive, but remember it's just one stop, the difference between f/2.8 and f/4, etc. So for many things it may not be an issue, however it becomes very important when I'm shooting indoors and bouncing my flash off the ceiling or walls. This can a lot of flash power and having a flash that's a stop more powerful is the difference between shooting at ISO 800 and ISO 1600 (which is a significant quality difference on my D90). Also, with the SB900 I almost never have to fire it at full power, which means it recycles faster and doesn't have to work as hard.

b) The 360 degree swivel of the head. This alone is worth the price difference to me. I often bounce the flash up and slightly behind me to avoid any direct light which casts ugly shadows that I want to avoid. This works great with an sb600 or even 800 when shooting in lanscape orientation, but turn your camera into portrait orientation, with your right hand on top, and you can no longer swivel the light back far enough to point behind you. So you need to hold it awkwardly with your right hand on the bottom which is really uncomfortable for me and not a stable shooting position. With the 900 you can swivel the head wherever you want, even in portrait orientation.

Those are the two main reasons that the 900 is worth the price, for me anyway. There are others, like the simpler/quicker controls, the ability to command other flashes, the better zoom range, the built-in optical slave, the pc jack on the side, etc. But power and swivel are the main ones.

cab.in.boston

Jwar wrote:

thanks Cab,

I've got a D90 also, so you haven't seen any short falls in the sb600?

I haven't, but I wouldn't necessarily put a whole lot of stock in my opinion... This is the first time I've ever used a flash other than the built-in, and I'm far from accomplished in photography. That said, my primary subject is my 2.5 year old daughter, and I am very happy with the flash for that purpose. I'm sure there are lots of reasons why the 900 is "better," but for what I need, I think the 600 is a great flash to learn with. If the price difference hadn't been so much, I'd have gone with the 900, as I have a few semi-pro friends who have 800s and love them. But so far so good and I just hope that someday I really am good enough to need the extra ability of the 900. It's kind of like wanting a D300s over a D90, IMO. Yes, it would be great, and I'd love to have one someday, but at my ability level, I think the "lesser" camera/flash is quite adequate. I think if you go with a 600, you'll be happy, and maybe someday outgrow it and then find the money for a 900 and relegate the 600 to off-camera duty. That's my two cents, anyway...

insanefred

I have had plenty of use of the 600, 800 and 900.

All I can say it SB-900 . Use 600 for backups and when using more than one flash.
It does have noticeably more power. I'd also note that the larger head seems to add even more efficiency in lighting things up evenly.
The sb-900 is also more durable!