Nikon Flash

[PhotosbyMeg]

Hi All...

I need to take the jump and purchase my first flash. I am trying to understand the differences between the sb600, 700, 800 and 900? From what I'm reading, the sb600 cannot be used as a master flash if you are using a slave? (like I said I'm learning so be kind if I'm wrong) Any thoughts on what the best flash would be for me for a wedding?

(Most of my photography until recently has been artistic landscapes, etc; however, I'm working in a photo studio and a friend has asked me to take photos of her wedding this summer. I'm going to be shadowing a local photographer friend to help me get started.)

Thanks,

Megan

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[tirediron]

The SB800 is Nikon's best flash ever. Period. Unfortunately it's no longer in production. If you can get a gently used one, grab it.

The SB600 does not have a Commander mode, but will function as a slave if your pop-up flash has Commander capability (D70/70s, D80, D90, D300/300s, D700, D7000(?)) and is probably the best bang for the buck right now.

The SB900 is Nikon's new "Professional" flash, but it suffers from over-heating issues, and there are many reports of other problems as well as a high price. While I've not used this unit, based on all the reports, I don't plan on buying one.

The SB700 is so far a relatively unknown quantity (at least to me). I've heard/read almost nothing about it.

[KmH]

The SB-900 doesn't have an over-heating problem, per se.

Nikon, for the first time in any of their speedlights, put a flash tube overheat (thermal) protection sensor in the SB-900 speedlight, an added safety measure provided to protect the unit when sustained high-speed bursts are used. Like during a wedding.

The thermal protection feature can be turned off in it's menu's.

I have found it to be very useful to read the online users manual for any product(s) I am considering buying for doing my photography.

For evaluating speedlights you need to understand what a speedlight's GN number means and what zoom range the speedlight is capable of.

Nikon's new speedlights, the SB-900 and the SB-700, have other new features like the ability to select 3 light distribution patterns.

For weddings I would want the highest GN number, a connector for an external battery pack, as much zoom, and the shortest recycle time I can get.

Adding strobed (flash) lighting to your repertoire also entails gaining a new understanding of how to control exposure, because with strobed lighting, shutter speed controls the ambient light exposure, the lens aperture controls the strobed light exposure, and the duration of the strobed light stops motion.