Speedlite for NIKON D-600 (confused!)

virginie · Sep 5, 2014

hello all,

I'm using a NIKON D600 and would like to invest in a compatible speedlight (after finding out the one I bought in asia, the yongnuo 468-ii is NOT compatible with my body (eeerk, annoyed.) Lesson learned: never trust the vendor, even though he seems very nice!

SO I want to invest in a speedlight in order to use it mostly off camera, with an umbrella (or softbox, still hesitating). I don't do any sports or events (such as concerts, for example), in other words no "high speed/fast moving" photography... this would be used mostly for portraits. I'd like to be able to use it in low light situations not only indoor but outdoors for portraiture as well). makes sense? As I said, I don't have much experience with speedlites so i would like one that can be fully auto (TTL, is it?) . Perhaps i'll learn the manual aspect of it eventually but for now auto would suit me just fine. Oh and also, I'm currently using my sigma 35mm/1.4 but will purchase a 85mm/1.8 in the next few days (can't wait), don't know if that changes anything but i thought perhaps i should let you guys know.

I don't have a huge budget and was thinking about one of those YONGNUO as i've read good reviews about them (and honestly, after my next lens purchase I won't be able to afford a NIKON speedlight just yet!) - so i was thinkin 150$ of less? (more or less...)

I've been trying to look myself for compatible yongnuos for my nikon d600 but i find it very confusing to get the right info. On ebay, for instance, there seems to be very few speedlights that are available for the d600, and I don't entirely trust vendors that say their speedlite is compatible with d600 when on the yongnuo website it doesn't specifiy that it it ! (still following me?)

So basically, if any of you guys actually have like me a d600 and can tell me more about the speedlite that you are using with this body (again, in my price-range), it would be much appreciated!

Thanks a lot
Virginie
Virginie Bourque Photographie

astroNikon · Sep 5, 2014

The flashes you read about are not going to list "d600 compatible" but rather "nikon compatible"

I have a d600 and a d7000. I also have 4 flashes for portraiture off-camera.
You mention umbrellas, diffusers, etc is this part of your budget ??
what about a light stand and it's equipment ??
some type of diffuser is really a good idea, but it adds to the cost

TTL allows the camera to set the settings. Really, when you get off camera especially portraiture you'll be in manual settings especially with multiple flashes. But that's for another thread.

You will have to up your budget a bit to even get the one Yongnuo TTL flash, which I believe is the 568EX II and is normally around $180.
I do not have a 568ex as I have nikon SB-800s, 700s and a yongnuo 560ex.

BUT once you get it OFF CAMERA you have a couple other issues to deal with.
Such as how you are going to Trigger that remote flash

1 - you can get a cable based system - but truthfully no ones wants to add cables it's just to restrictive.
2 - you can use your camera body flash to trigger it
2 - you can use Infrared to trigger the flash, though I don't think this one flash is compatible in that regards, and I've found out my Yongnuo is restricted to 8 feet indoors for IR triggering.
3 - I'll cut to the chase .. Radio Triggers. Yongnuo makes some inexpensive ones in the 622N series and the 622-TX. But these blow your budget.

The flashes you read about are not going to list "d600 compatible" but rather "nikon compatible"

Also .. another thing. If I were to redo what I bought I would have bought a set of 3 strobes and 1 nikon flash (to use on body once in a while and as the Background light).
Diffuser costs will really add up quickly for you too.

FYI, I'm not a pro but just a hobbyist.

tirediron · Sep 5, 2014

^^What he said ^^. If the unit is compatible with Nikon TTL/E-TTL, it's compatible with your D600.

virginie · Sep 5, 2014

thanks to both of you for your answers!

150$ is only for the speedlite... although im a newbie to flash photo i am aware that 150$ for speelite+trigger+umbrella+stand is absolutely not realistic !

could you gentlemen recommand a specific model knowing what i am looking for ? (i only plan to use 1 speedlight for now, i have a wireless flash trigger-not sure if compatible but if not perhaps the speelite could be triggered using my camera body flash?)

Thank you very much!

virginie · Sep 5, 2014

Hmm so now apparently my current speedlite (468-ii from yongnuo) IS compatible with nikon (but is it automatically with the d600?). Im super confused as Ive read differently on another page... ? arg.
YONGNUO TTL FLASH SPEEDLIGHT YN468-II FOR NIKON

Ideas?

astroNikon · Sep 5, 2014

It looks like you need to set the Flash to "S2" mode for TTL

virginie · Sep 5, 2014

Thanks again astronikon...
on my speedlite there appears to be different settings: TTL, M, MULTI, S1, S2
...so whats the difference between TTL and S2 mode for ttl...?

astroNikon · Sep 5, 2014

I'm not sure - I based my answer on the link you provided. You'll have to read your manual and play with the settings.
I've found my Yongnuo manual somewhat confusing as you are finding.

another reason I like my Nikon flashes - easy to figure out.
I keep my Yongnuo in manual mode 100% of the time as it's relegated to my background flash as it seems to vary flash intensity.

virginie · Sep 5, 2014

I'll try to figure it out. OH well at least I should be happy that I won't have to purchase another speedlight for now

Thanks a lot for your help!

astroNikon · Sep 5, 2014

Yes
you mentioned that you currently have triggers ?
have you figured out how to use them ?

CameraClicker · Sep 5, 2014

Small flash has degrees of compatibility. If you put it in the hot shoe and it flashes when you release the shutter, it's compatible. If it can talk to the camera and they can work out how much light it should put out, or it can aid the camera in focusing, those are bonus features. If you move to studio flash, you will probably be back to release the shutter and it flashes, again.

virginie · Sep 5, 2014

Astronikon: you mean remote flash trigger? if that is the little device you put on top of your camera body and on the off-body speedlight then yes it seems like ive figured how to work it out

As for the hot shoe... i never used one...?

astroNikon · Sep 5, 2014

a "hot shoe" is the little slot thing on top of your camera, where you slide in the Radio Trigger of the flash - right on top of your camera.

you can also buy "hot shoes" (little cubes with the slide in thing to put flashes on) that you can connect to each other via cable.
but you have radio trigger, so don't worry about that.

The radio trigger has a hot shoe on it too .. where you put the flash.

virginie · Sep 5, 2014

Oh right. Sorry my first language is french, I get confused with english photography words too!

WayneF · Sep 5, 2014

virginie said:
hello all,

I'm using a NIKON D600 and would like to invest in a compatible speedlight (after finding out the one I bought in asia, the yongnuo 468-ii is NOT compatible with my body (eeerk, annoyed.) Lesson learned: never trust the vendor, even though he seems very nice!

SO I want to invest in a speedlight in order to use it mostly off camera, with an umbrella (or softbox, still hesitating). I don't do any sports or events (such as concerts, for example), in other words no "high speed/fast moving" photography... this would be used mostly for portraits. I'd like to be able to use it in low light situations not only indoor but outdoors for portraiture as well). makes sense? As I said, I don't have much experience with speedlites so i would like one that can be fully auto (TTL, is it?) . Perhaps i'll learn the manual aspect of it eventually but for now auto would suit me just fine. Oh and also, I'm currently using my sigma 35mm/1.4 but will purchase a 85mm/1.8 in the next few days (can't wait), don't know if that changes anything but i thought perhaps i should let you guys know.

I don't have a huge budget and was thinking about one of those YONGNUO as i've read good reviews about them (and honestly, after my next lens purchase I won't be able to afford a NIKON speedlight just yet!) - so i was thinkin 150$ of less? (more or less...)

I've been trying to look myself for compatible yongnuos for my nikon d600 but i find it very confusing to get the right info. On ebay, for instance, there seems to be very few speedlights that are available for the d600, and I don't entirely trust vendors that say their speedlite is compatible with d600 when on the yongnuo website it doesn't specifiy that it it ! (still following me?)

You are describing the Yongnuo YN565EX (comes in Nikon or Canon versions - yours should be Nikon. It is compatible with D600 and all other Nikon DSLR in the last ten years ... iTTL).

It does TTL and Manual and hot shoe and remote, everything that you said. Only $99 US at B&H.

See Review of the Yongnuo YN565EX Speedlight (for Nikon)