Need a flash for my Nikon, around 120 - 130 dollars.

[RMThompson]

Crap. I need a flash, and can only spend around 125 bucks...

(yeah yeah I know I should wait until i can afford one for 180 but I need it soon, and I have to get my Nikon 50mm 1.8 too)

I came across this:

http://www.ritzcamera.com/product/5...cidigitalslr;ciflashes-motor-drives;ciflashes

The Quantaray PZ-1 DSZ Series TTL Power Zoom Flash
Guide Number: (ISO 100/ft.) @ 28mm-75 / @ 80mm-138
Recycycling Time: 0.3-10 sec.
AF illuminator: effective out to 16.5ft.
Flash burst duration: 1/30,000 to 1/1,000 sec.
TTL operation with cameras having that feature
Power Zoom: Motorized Zoom 24-28-35-50-70-80/85 -105 focal lenght.
Power: (4) AA Alkaline or NiCad batteries
Battery Life: Approx. 100-700 flashes (depending on batteries and distance)
Dimensions: 5.2 x 4 x 2.5 inches
Weight: 13 oz. (without batteries)

for about 100 bucks. Anything good/bad about this?

 

[newrmdmike]

buy an sb-600 . . . buy a used one if you have to.

I swear by nikons speedlights . . . they really are that great.

 

[Ihaveaquestion]

buy an sb-600 . . . buy a used one if you have to.

I swear by nikons speedlights . . . they really are that great.

Well worth the wait.

I have a SB-600.

And a cheap ass Quantacrap flash (for my film Rebel and the thing Dosent work half the time?).

 

[RMThompson]

That doesn't help.

If I could afford a sb-600 I would've gotten it by now....

There HAS to be a viable 3rd party solution.

 

[Mike_E]

RM, look at a used SB 28. It's right in your price range and they hold their value quite well if you want to sell it later to help pay for an SB600 (They are a great little flash). A 28 will work in auto flash pretty well on a Nikon D type- or any camera i suppose. It works very well in manual mode with a guide number of 36 meters (the SB600's guide number is 30 meters I believe) and is about a 1/3 lighter than an SB-24, -25, -26). If you pay $100 retail for a new flash then it's maybe worth half of that. A used Nikon may not have that new car smell but will be with you long after you have used a quantaray for target practice.

mike

Also, you can get a new Vivitar 285HV for $89.99 here... http://www.calumetphoto.com/item/VR4165/ guide number 120 @50mm

 

[RMThompson]

Oh so is teh Vivitar a decent brand?

I liked some of the Sunpak stuff, but people then said Quantaray (made by Sunpak) are crap, so I dont want to get something terrible.

I liked the idea of this:

http://www.adorama.com/SU5000AFNK.html?searchinfo=sunpak%205000%20nikon&item_no=2

but of course Adorama is out of it, along with the 50mm 1.8 I need!

 

[airgunr]

I would suggest looking on used sections www.keh.com www.cameta.com B&H, Adorama, etc. and look for either a SB-28 or better yet a SB-80DX flash.

Another good site to check out is www.nikonians.org They have a good section of for sale items and lots of quality Nikon stuff up there.

 

[Mike_E]

The Sunpak you linked to sounds good. I can't speak for all or even most quantarays. I have a quantaray qaf 6600 that i got a while back that I would give you but I don't want you mad at me (or suing me for misrepresenting a flash gun )

Vivitar has been around for ages and their 283 flash is legondary. Seems like most of the photo journalist used them back in the day.

Again, look hard at a used Nikon. If you shop you should be able to get All of your money back when it comes time to sell it. I don't know what you shoot but an SB80dx will work on anything up to a D1/D100 in TTL and has a built in slave function.

If you check before 12:55:49 PDT 4/20/07 there is one on ebay with a diffuser that is currently $82 . http://cgi.ebay.com/Nikon-SB-80DX-S...yZ103416QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

and a buy it now with an sb17 cord- Very handy for off camera-bracket- use should you have a camera that will take it. $135
http://cgi.ebay.com/Nikon-SB-80DX-S...yZ107933QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Good luck!

mike

 

[newrmdmike]

sunpak makes some very powerfull cheap flash units i would use off camera for stuff . . . but on camera i would try to stick with nikon,

check out strobist.com they have all kinds of info, and i think alot of those guys (even the ones shooting canon and other non nikon brands) use the nikon sb-28

 

[RMThompson]

Well I am using a Nikon D50, I was under the impression that the SB-80DX and the SB-28 were uncompatible?!?

 

[RMThompson]

I was thinking:

http://cgi.ebay.com/Digital-i-TTL-A...hZ006QQcategoryZ48515QQtcZphotoQQcmdZViewItem

 

[Mike_E]

Only with the i-TTL. They will work fine (and won't blow up your D50 because of the voltage) in auto mode and manual.

Auto mode is where the flash itself figures the distance and sets the power. It works fairly well.

If you are using a prime or a zoom with a constant focal number you can download a guide for distance and power settings by guide number and it is a quick step to memorize it from there. (be aware that using manual exposure and a manual flash will do wonders for your white balance workflow!)

mike

 

[Mike_E]

Sorry Guy but that flash according to their ad only has a guide number of 39 feet, 1/3 of an sb 28 (13' X3).

mike

ps they (phoenix) claim a guide number of 112 feet but I strongly doubt it.

 

[RMThompson]

Ugh. A friend is selling a SB-800 for 225, but if I get it, I dont have the cash for a 50mm 1.8 I need

 

[Mike_E]

Dang it! That's a good price! Would he let you borrow his 50mm for a while? Or at least for the shoot you are gearing up for? Him or anyone else? A rental maybe?