Nikon SB800 or 900?

mpriest13mpriest13 Registered Users Posts: 222 Major grins
edited December 14, 2010 in Accessories
Which is better? Which should I buy?

Comments

  • DsrtVWDsrtVW Registered Users Posts: 1,991 Major grins
    edited December 13, 2010
    Cant speak for the SB 800 dont have one but from what I have seen and between the controls on SB 600 and the SB 900. The 900 is so much more user friendly and powerful. Making changes in the menu is so much more easier especially if you are using it in commander mode. I use the 900 on my telephotos up to 500mm and if the range is modest I do not have to add my Better Beamer Flash extender it has lots of power.
    Chris K. NANPA Member
    http://kadvantage.smugmug.com/
  • IcebearIcebear Registered Users Posts: 4,015 Major grins
    edited December 13, 2010
    If you can find an SB800, I'd buy it. I think it is probably a better value than the SB900. If you buy used, make durn sure you get the manual.
    John :
    Natural selection is responsible for every living thing that exists.
    D3s, D500, D5300, and way more glass than the wife knows about.
  • MitchellMitchell Registered Users Posts: 3,503 Major grins
    edited December 13, 2010
    The SB800 is no longer made by Nikon. If you can find a lightly used SB800 at a good price, it might be worth purchasing.

    The SB900 is more powerful, but is also larger and heavier than the SB800. The controls are better on the SB900, but once I figured out how to work the SB800, it has been easy to use.

    I own the SB600, SB800 and SB900 flashes. The SB800 is my favorite. A good combination of size and power.
    Mitch
    http://clearwaterphotography.smugmug.com/
  • catspawcatspaw Registered Users Posts: 1,292 Major grins
    edited December 13, 2010
    fyi, SB700 is coming out semi-soon. haven't looked into details, but might be more affordable than the SB-900 but just as nifty :)
    //Leah
  • catspawcatspaw Registered Users Posts: 1,292 Major grins
    edited December 13, 2010
    here ya go - mid Dec and retail in the 300s:
    http://dpreview.com/news/1011/10112206nikonsb700.asp
    //Leah
  • angevin1angevin1 Registered Users Posts: 3,403 Major grins
    edited December 13, 2010
    Icebear wrote: »
    If you can find an SB800, I'd buy it. I think it is probably a better value than the SB900. If you buy used, make durn sure you get the manual.
    15524779-Ti.gif The manual can also be had Online in pdf form.
    tom wise
  • jonh68jonh68 Registered Users Posts: 2,711 Major grins
    edited December 13, 2010
    I think it depends on how you use it too. If it mostly going to be onboard, the sb-800 is great. If you are going to be using it as a remote flash or a master flash, the controls make it much easier on the sb-900 than the sb-800. I had a photo-shoot the other day and it was great going between remote setting and onboard setting with just a switch instead of digging into the menu.
    www.jonimages.com
  • IcebearIcebear Registered Users Posts: 4,015 Major grins
    edited December 13, 2010
    What I find irritating is that the modus operandi of the SB800 is so different from the SB600. You'da thought they would have been more intuitively similar.
    John :
    Natural selection is responsible for every living thing that exists.
    D3s, D500, D5300, and way more glass than the wife knows about.
  • QarikQarik Registered Users Posts: 4,959 Major grins
    edited December 13, 2010
    I had an sb800, after 1 year of owning it, it still took me some fiddling with to get it into commander/slave mode. The controls are arcane, hold this button and this button down for 3 sec to access this mode, etc. The SB900 I can get in commander mode in a flick of switch. That alone was worth the sb900 for me.
    D700, D600
    14-24 24-70 70-200mm (vr2)
    85 and 50 1.4
    45 PC and sb910 x2
    http://www.danielkimphotography.com
  • jonh68jonh68 Registered Users Posts: 2,711 Major grins
    edited December 14, 2010
    Qarik wrote: »
    I had an sb800, after 1 year of owning it, it still took me some fiddling with to get it into commander/slave mode. The controls are arcane, hold this button and this button down for 3 sec to access this mode, etc. The SB900 I can get in commander mode in a flick of switch. That alone was worth the sb900 for me.

    Yep. My sb-800 is set in remote mode permanently now. There may be more options in the menu of the sb-900, but having this switch makes it much simpler for off camera lighting options which makes it worth the extra price for on location shooting.
    www.jonimages.com
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