SB600 to SB900 - Worth the upgrade for weddings?

JAMoore

My wife and I both shoot weddings with bracketed (stroboframe) SB600s. With wedding season upon us, I'm wondering if it would be beneficial to switch to the SB900.

We use Sanyo Eneloop AAs which give great life and quick refresh time on the SB600s, but I'm wondering if it would be the same on the SB900s? For weddings, having the flash ready as quickly as possible is the name of the game... would getting the bigger flash help that? Any other areas where it might help?

TIA

-Josh

Art Scott

Larger flash = more power = longer recycle time.....however.......Nikon and some other companies make a 8 AA Pack to get the SB900 up and running faster and longer......
I love my SB900 but I have no idea about the 600...only that it is a much older model and less powerful (I think)......

angevin1

JAMoore wrote:

My wife and I both shoot weddings with bracketed (stroboframe) SB600s. With wedding season upon us, I'm wondering if it would be beneficial to switch to the SB900.

We use Sanyo Eneloop AAs which give great life and quick refresh time on the SB600s, but I'm wondering if it would be the same on the SB900s? For weddings, having the flash ready as quickly as possible is the name of the game... would getting the bigger flash help that? Any other areas where it might help?

TIA

-Josh

I think it mostly depends on what mode you shoot in. If you were shooting in manual and you used 1/4 power from the SB600, you could produce the same amount of light at a lower power (on the 900) and save some battery juice. If you were shooting TTL, then no. The SB 900 would give you more light and may even cycle slower. Manual is the only mode that you really control the juice: in=batt, and out=light.

Personally if the SB600 thing ain't broke, why try and fix it?

Though I admit, when I got my Sb800, I found more uses and usefulness with it. I am certain the same would happen if/when I got a 900.

The SB900 ought to give you more options, if options are needed.

dangin

The SB-900 is marginally more powerful than the SB-600; this alone wouldn't be worth the extra $$$. The recycle speed, power management, wider zoom range, and remote triggering ability makes it worth the extra dough; especially if you're doing a lot of wedding/event work. I show up with 2 SB-900 and at least 1 SB-800 to each wedding.

Qarik

JAMoore wrote:

My wife and I both shoot weddings with bracketed (stroboframe) SB600s. With wedding season upon us, I'm wondering if it would be beneficial to switch to the SB900.

We use Sanyo Eneloop AAs which give great life and quick refresh time on the SB600s, but I'm wondering if it would be the same on the SB900s? For weddings, having the flash ready as quickly as possible is the name of the game... would getting the bigger flash help that? Any other areas where it might help?

TIA

-Josh

if you are shooting weddings..absolutely worth the upgrade.