can't decide between speed light

[minister]

Hi,

I have D5000, now it's time to buy Flash , I have three choice , Sunpack PZ42X or nissin Di622 or nikon SB600
I want to use flash off the camera also ,
so please help me decide which one to chose, as far as i know no one work as a commander , so do i have get any thing extra if I buy any of these to use off camera flash ,
and which is best

Thank you

 

[Big Mike]

I'd suggest that the SB600 is going to be the best one. The others may be less expensive and even more powerful, but I'd guess that the Nikon unit is built much better.

I'm not sure if your camera has Commander flash mode or not. If it does, then you could use the SB600 off-camera very easily. If it doesn't have that mode, then you would need a flash unit that does have commander mode, or you could use a radio flash trigger. Something like this Gadget Infinity :: Digital Camera :: Flash Trigger :: Wireless Trigger :: Cactus Wireless Flash Trigger Set V4

 

[tirediron]

SB-600

 

[ghache]

the nissin is a pretty good deal.

 

[cnutco]

SB-600 is the best out of your choices, but I think the SB-600 is becoming harder to find. You would also have to buy a hotshoe mount for it to work off camera.

 

[LBPhotog]

SB-600, you can porbably get one cheap now. And, the D5000 has Commander Mode, no need for a sync cord for it to work off camera, no metering, but it'll fire and you can place the flash where you want to.

 

[o hey tyler]

SB-600, you can porbably get one cheap now. And, the D5000 has Commander Mode, no need for a sync cord for it to work off camera, no metering, but it'll fire and you can place the flash where you want to.

I'm not a Nikon guy, but I'm willing to bet that the D5000 DOES NOT have commander mode. Actually, I'm positive it doesn't.

 

[LBPhotog]

I'm not a Nikon guy, but I'm willing to bet that the D5000 DOES NOT have commander mode. Actually, I'm positive it doesn't.

Just played with the one I have left, and you are right, there isn't Commander Mode, I stand corrected - always just assumed it was in there.

 

[Ginu]

SB600

 

[SrBiscuit]

sb-600 and cactus v4s :thumbup:

 

[KmH]

For the price of a SB-600 you can get 2 Vivitar 285HV Auto Professional Flash and a set of radio - remote trigger/receivers.

The 285HV's can't be used using Nikon's i-TTL (Through-the-Lens) auto modes, but they do have a thyristor and can be be used on the camera hot shoe in their own automatic mode.

For off camera use, just like a SB-600, they would need to be used in manual mode.

There is also the Vivitar DF383 Digital TTL Shoe Mount Power Zoom /Swivel /Bounce Auto-Focus Flash for Nikon TTL, Guide Number 45m (147') that can be used with Nikon's i-TTL and you would still have money left for not only the above radio trigger set but a 2 light stand and 2 umbrella kit too: impact light stand kit.

 

[SrBiscuit]

thats a good point keith.
i have a quantaray that works JUST as well as my sb-600...and i would much rather have 2 lights than 1.

 

[minister]

So, The Conclusion is Nikon has best build quality , bus other will also do fine , and for command mode I have to use hotshoe adopter any way ,
one more thing I want to know , dose having back LCD help or are they consider good flash , I mean should i consider having LCD or not ,

 

[ghache]

if you have a sb-600 already just get vivitars 285hv, thats what i use and they work great. powerfull and the built quality is great.


they are plastic but they can take beating like you cant imagine. once you change the hot shoes to a metal one, they are A1.

i bought 3 and broke them in the first couple of months. Hot shoe replacements are like 5 bucks each on ebay

 

[itf]

I've been researching about speedlights/flashes a lot and if you use the SB600 off camera with a radio trigger, it can't be used with TTL. You would need the SU-800 to use the TTL mode, so any flash would work.