Help choosing a flash

DavidoffDavidoff Registered Users Posts: 409 Major grins
edited May 13, 2008 in Accessories
Last December I bought a 285hv and thought manual was all I'd need, but turns out I sort of need ttl because I feel the manual one isn't practical for anything moving or with changing conditions.
So, I was going to buy the Nikon SB-800 which has a great reputation, has CLS, built in slave unit, well built. But for a bit more there's the Metz AF-58, a new ttl flash that as far as I can tell has a second light built in and a bit more power. Is anyone familiar with this flash ? Should I consider it ? Has anyone tried any of it's versions vs the brand ones ? Nikon or Canon.
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  • Art ScottArt Scott Registered Users Posts: 8,959 Major grins
    edited May 13, 2008
    Metz makes a fine flash.....a bit pricy but a nice flash....I use Sunpaks (622's) an they are manual with an auto thryistor [ a measuring device for helping in the output control of the flash unit the 285HV has this on the front of it also)......when shooting with a flash I find that my flash meters are better helpers than shooting with any full auto flash that I have ever used and since I use them in the studio settings all the time, well I just incorporated them into outdoor shoot as well.............

    My question for you is why do you need more power for shoe mount flash? For the price of the SB800 you would be well on your way to owning 2 of Sigmas flash units that are dedicated to your Nikon....also an after thought occurred me to.......if the "kangaroo" or twin flashes had been a great thing to have all the flash companies would have at least one model still in production....I owned a kangaroo/twin flash and found it just ate up the batteries and really did not function well as a fill when bouncing the flash.
    "Genuine Fractals was, is and will always be the best solution for enlarging digital photos." ....Vincent Versace ... ... COPYRIGHT YOUR WORK ONLINE ... ... My Website

  • DavidoffDavidoff Registered Users Posts: 409 Major grins
    edited May 13, 2008
    Art Scott wrote:
    Metz makes a fine flash.....a bit pricy but a nice flash....I use Sunpaks (622's) an they are manual with an auto thryistor [ a measuring device for helping in the output control of the flash unit the 285HV has this on the front of it also)......when shooting with a flash I find that my flash meters are better helpers than shooting with any full auto flash that I have ever used and since I use them in the studio settings all the time, well I just incorporated them into outdoor shoot as well.............

    My question for you is why do you need more power for shoe mount flash? For the price of the SB800 you would be well on your way to owning 2 of Sigmas flash units that are dedicated to your Nikon....also an after thought occurred me to.......if the "kangaroo" or twin flashes had been a great thing to have all the flash companies would have at least one model still in production....I owned a kangaroo/twin flash and found it just ate up the batteries and really did not function well as a fill when bouncing the flash.

    Hello Art, where I'd be getting it it's only about 10€ more expensive than the sb-800. I'm really happy with my vivitar on full auto, but sometimes when I shoot something that's not waiting for me to shoot, I find it's too slow to use.
    More power ? Well, I'd just assume it's a good thing to have for when you really need it, like when using modifiers, against strong sunlight or with very high ceilings for example, not a deciding factor though. I have no first hand experience with the kangaroo flash, but I liked the idea on paper. Guess I'm going with the great sb-800 mwink.gif
    By the way, those sigma flashes don't do cls or have a built in optical slave, do they ?
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  • Art ScottArt Scott Registered Users Posts: 8,959 Major grins
    edited May 13, 2008
    Davidoff wrote:
    Hello Art, where I'd be getting it it's only about 10€ more expensive than the sb-800. I'm really happy with my vivitar on full auto, but sometimes when I shoot something that's not waiting for me to shoot, I find it's too slow to use.
    More power ? Well, I'd just assume it's a good thing to have for when you really need it, like when using modifiers, against strong sunlight or with very high ceilings for example, not a deciding factor though. I have no first hand experience with the kangaroo flash, but I liked the idea on paper. Guess I'm going with the great sb-800 mwink.gif
    By the way, those sigma flashes don't do cls or have a built in optical slave, do they ?

    What is "cls"?? and yes I do believe that they have built in slaves....
    "Genuine Fractals was, is and will always be the best solution for enlarging digital photos." ....Vincent Versace ... ... COPYRIGHT YOUR WORK ONLINE ... ... My Website

  • SloYerRollSloYerRoll Registered Users Posts: 2,788 Major grins
    edited May 13, 2008
    Art Scott wrote:
    What is "cls"?? and yes I do believe that they have built in slaves....
    Creative Lighting System
    Yes it has built in slave action thumb.gif

    What do you shoot with? I shoot w/ SB strobes. But I also shoot Nikon.
  • Art ScottArt Scott Registered Users Posts: 8,959 Major grins
    edited May 13, 2008
    SloYerRoll wrote:
    Creative Lighting System
    Yes it has built in slave action thumb.gif

    What do you shoot with? I shoot w/ SB strobes. But I also shoot Nikon.

    Aren't all falshes creative lighting systems or aleast as creative as the photog is???mwink.gif
    How does this make a Nikon Flash better.....I am think the OP was saying that Nikon had cls and maybe others don't???
    "Genuine Fractals was, is and will always be the best solution for enlarging digital photos." ....Vincent Versace ... ... COPYRIGHT YOUR WORK ONLINE ... ... My Website

  • DavidoffDavidoff Registered Users Posts: 409 Major grins
    edited May 13, 2008
    Art: Yes, it’s Creative Lighting System. The thing is, with a CLS flash ( the sb-800 and 600 ) you can not only trigger them with the built in flash, but you can also have wireless ttl and wireless control of power settings if you’re using manual mode.

    SloYerRoll: But just optical slave or cls compatible slave ?
    I shoot with a D70s. What do you mean, SB strobes ? The Nikon speedlights ?
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  • SloYerRollSloYerRoll Registered Users Posts: 2,788 Major grins
    edited May 13, 2008
    Davidoff wrote:
    But just optical slave or cls compatible slave ?
    In Commander mode, the SB-600/800 utilizes the CLS system. Meaning it uses i-ttl data to adjust strobe power. I'm almost positive the D70 can utilize CLS in Commander mode as well. Not sure though.
    Davidoff wrote:
    What do you mean, SB strobes ? The Nikon speedlights?
    Yup :D
    Art Scott wrote:
    Aren't all flashes creative lighting systems or aleast as creative as the photog is???mwink.gif
    Art, I understand what your saying. I learned strobes and lighting in 100% manual mode. For a while I was kind of snobbish about CLS and thought it was for weak minded photographers. But after giving it a fair shake... It's really freakin good. Scary good IMO. Toss n Su-800 in the mix for easy adjustments on the fly and your nailing shots in 5 minutes that could take 30+ w/ a manual setup.

    I'm very happy I started out in the manual world and have been able to better understand lighting from it. But as I find myself as an enthusiast photographer. I find the CLS system has more and more appeal.

    Kinda like a Mac. It just works mwink.gif
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