Nikon SB900?

mpriest13

Ok...my Nikon sb-600 has bit the dust...and it just wasn't cutting it anymore. Time to buy a new flash. The SB800 seems hard to fine. Anyone have any recommendations or experience with the SB700 vs the SB900?

Leaning toward the SB900 but would love to hear what others think!

Thanks!!

MileHighAko

What wasn't cutting it with your 600?

ziggy53

Anything you could tell us about how you would use the new flash would be helpful towards making a recommendation.

mpriest13

MileHighAko wrote: »

What wasn't cutting it with your 600?

Not enough power. Didn't recycle very fast. Right now is only fires every so often. Not sure what is wrong with it. Also, it eats up batteries like crazy. The option to have a battery pack is very attractive. Also, the menu system is a complete joke. It took me forever to learn how to adjust some of the options and still have to use the manual from time to time.


Right now I have been using it mostly for fill flash for outdoor portraits and for bounce flash at receptions and the like. I do want to start using flash off camera and plan to start investing in that direction.

time2smile

i dont think you can put an external pack on the SB700

Im ordering one tomorrow, but what i read its not much more powerful than the SB600, i have 2 Sb600 and want to utilize the off cameria commander of the SB700.

If you want more power than its the SB900.

Happy Hunting

ziggy53

time2smile wrote: »

i dont think you can put an external pack on the SB700 ...

I believe that is correct. If you want the option to use an external power supply, the SB-800 or SB-900 is the way to go.

time2smile wrote: »

... what i read its not much more powerful than the SB600, i have 2 Sb600 and want to utilize the off cameria commander of the SB700.

If you want more power than its the SB900. ...

I believe that the SB-700 is a "slightly less" guide number rating at equivalent zoom settings than the SB-600. Even the SB-900 is rated slightly less than the SB-800.

I believe that the SB-900 supports 3-groups (CLS) vs 2-groups on the SB-700.

I would greatly prefer the user interface of the SB-900/SB-700 myself (vs the earlier flashes), and that, plus the external power supply option, would probably make my recommendation towards the SB-900, at least as the primary flash. Subsequent purchases might be another model recommendation.

angevin1

mpriest13 wrote: »

Not enough power. Didn't recycle very fast. Right now is only fires every so often. Not sure what is wrong with it. Also, it eats up batteries like crazy. The option to have a battery pack is very attractive. Also, the menu system is a complete joke. It took me forever to learn how to adjust some of the options and still have to use the manual from time to time.


Right now I have been using it mostly for fill flash for outdoor portraits and for bounce flash at receptions and the like. I do want to start using flash off camera and plan to start investing in that direction.

I'd think you were in the market for the SB900.

But I have to ask, what kinds of batteries were you using? I know your present flash sounds torn up but overall I've had realllly good service from my SB600's and I love them!

Cygnus Studios

600's are nice, but not on the same page with the 900.

If you are only going to own 1 flash, there really isn't a better alternative than the 900.

Zerodog

I love my 600. I want more of them. I just wish it could be used as a commander. The 900 is killer. But it is huge and recycles slower.

Batteries are key. Are they still good?

time2smile

Zerodog wrote: »

I love my 600. I want more of them. I just wish it could be used as a commander. The 900 is killer. But it is huge and recycles slower.

Batteries are key. Are they still good?

I agree, I have 2 and will order a SB700 in the am just for the commander, I want to use my SC-29 cord off camera with TTL.

i have good results with Tenergy batteries from ebay, they hold a charge well and seem to last countless rechargings.

Wil Davis

Best Buy (Nashua) still have 3 SB-600s (at least they did when I was in there earlier this week). Nothing wrong with the SB-600 (I have 2). What batteries are you using?

- Wil

Wil Davis

If you're looking for SB-800s you might try eBay...

time2smile

Wil Davis wrote: »

If you're looking for SB-800s you might try eBay...

I've been looking, and the price is usually high 2's to low 3's and since Best Buy was discontinuing then for $153 each, should of bought as many as i could have, I think the demand outways the price. So I'm trying the 700, plus i think i will like the smaller size and the new features really seem cool.

Zerodog

time2smile wrote: »

I've been looking, and the price is usually high 2's to low 3's and since Best Buy was discontinuing then for $153 each, should of bought as many as i could have, I think the demand outways the price. So I'm trying the 700, plus i think i will like the smaller size and the new features really seem cool.

Best buy is discontinuing the SB600 and blowing them out? Now? I would pick up another for sure for that $$.

dixonduke

time2smile wrote: »

I've been looking, and the price is usually high 2's to low 3's and since Best Buy was discontinuing then for $153 each, should of bought as many as i could have, I think the demand outways the price. So I'm trying the 700, plus i think i will like the smaller size and the new features really seem cool.

Please post a link to that so I can print it off and take it my store near by. They are still 219 here.

for 153 I will go buy a couple of more!

DsrtVW

The menu interface on the Sb900 is so much better and easier to use. The SB 700 has the same. I have 2 600 and a 900. Love the 900 for what I use it for. The 600 I use for slaves with the CLS when doing portraits

time2smile

The $153 was when Best Buy was selling off the SB-800, a few years back, sorry to get hopes up, there were posts on grin telling us about it, but my store was already sold out when i got there.