How do you use your SB-600?

[ababysean]

Photos would be nice!

I was in walmart the other day and looking at the camera memory and I look down and there is an SB-600 on clearance for 150. I could tell the box was opened so I got a manager and asked for another discount. They gave me an extra 15% off making it 127.50

I grabbed it but have yet to use it or open it because I'm not really sure other then it is a flash what it is for....

I think it was a good buy? but only if I'm going to use it, ya know

So do you use yours or is it something I should return?

 

[Markw]

Its a good buy. Learn to use it. If youve never thought 'Hey, I could use a flash for this!' before, you may not use it alot. Id say learn, but if you want to get rid of it, Ill buy it from you.

Mark

 

[ghache]

i use mines all the time, use them on ma camera with a bounce card, off camera with a bounce card, i use them as background light in my home studio, as a hair light, as a fill light. for back lightning, to blind my wife. you can use it to do anything,.....:lmao:

 

[BrianLy]

I did not know wal mart sell flashes

 

[Markw]

None of the ones near me does. Maybe thats why it was on clearance.

Mark

 

[ababysean]

It wasnt in their computer system so the manager had to price over ride it.

They sell them online and they said it was returned to the store, that is why it was not in the computer, but on the floor.

 

[ababysean]

Walmart.com: Nikon SB-600 Speedlight AF Flash - Compatible with D40, D60, D80, D90, D3000, D5000, D300, D300s, D700 (#4802): Digital Cameras

 

[NateS]

I use mine for macros everytime I'm out shooting. I honestly couldn't live without my SB-600.

Examples

Beyond that, I also use it any time I shoot my kids or my niece. Works wonders for portraiture stuff...examples....

....also proved very valuable at a wedding I did....especially when the light starting to go away

.....also works great for snapshots of the family in our house....pretty poor lighting in our living room, but bouncing an SB-600 makes the pictures come out great.

So, in short......KEEP IT. It is an extremely valuable tool to have in your bag and I couldn't live without mine.

 

[ababysean]

oh my gosh the fly picture is wow!

and are these taken while camera mounted?

Is there a way I can use it with a large light system, like an umbrella or softbox type of deal, without a wire?

 

[NateS]

oh my gosh the fly picture is wow!

and are these taken while camera mounted?

Is there a way I can use it with a large light system, like an umbrella or softbox type of deal, without a wire?

The macros are all with the camera mounted to the tripod collar of my lens....so yes it's camera (or lens) mounted. The portraits of the babies and the wedding shots are with a $20 33" white shoot through umbrella and a $20 lightstand fired with CLS/Commander mode. So add in another $40ish for a umbrella and stand and you're there.

The last shots of my son is with it mounted on the camera hot shoe and bounced off the ceiling....a little dark on the eyes since he was so close, dark eyes are better than a ton of grain/noise and/or camera shake.

 

[ababysean]

ok I am learning so much today! Everyone is so flipping GREAT!

I have a NikonD3000 and I'd love to be able to shoot indoors, with a backdrop and such, but I dont want to spend a lot right now.

So for the flash mounted on the lite stand and umbrella... how does the camera tell the flash when to fire? Do I need some sort of transmitter? When I did the studio shooting we had radio wireless transmitters that I put on the flash (hotshoe, is that what it is called) and when I shot, it fired....

Also, where do I get these umbrellas and stands? can you post a link for a beginner home setup, I mean VERY amateur here, like smile kids, thanks for helping mom learn type of deal... haha

 

[Rayne]

Nice macro's nate...

When I first got my sb600 I didn't use it that much. Now I use it for almost everything and couldn't live with out it. On camera and off. I say it's a keeper

 

[Markw]

www.strobist.com will teach you everything you need to know..

Mark

 

[ababysean]

...perhaps the most spectacular way to screw things up....

I'm dying here!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lKAD7leNOVY&feature=player_embedded#!

GREAT video!

 

[NateS]

ok I am learning so much today! Everyone is so flipping GREAT!

I have a NikonD3000 and I'd love to be able to shoot indoors, with a backdrop and such, but I dont want to spend a lot right now.

So for the flash mounted on the lite stand and umbrella... how does the camera tell the flash when to fire? Do I need some sort of transmitter? When I did the studio shooting we had radio wireless transmitters that I put on the flash (hotshoe, is that what it is called) and when I shot, it fired....

Also, where do I get these umbrellas and stands? can you post a link for a beginner home setup, I mean VERY amateur here, like smile kids, thanks for helping mom learn type of deal... haha

Well, with the D3000, you will need something to fire it. SU-800 would be my recommendation...that or get a long sync cord. If you had a D70(s), D80, or D90, or above you would be able to fire it using CLS wirelessly using the built in flash. D3000 and D5000 don't have this built in so you need either the SU-800, a sync cord, or a camera upgrade. You can get some cheap ebay flash triggers, but you lose TTL, and I personally find TTL too useful to do without.

Edit: Here's the stuff you need....links to them

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/362385-REG/Impact_S3233.html

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/359885-REG/Impact_2205_Light_Stand_Black.html

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/298709-REG/Impact_3117.html


That's what I use for my portrait stuff and it works just fine.