Considering SB-400 or SB-600 flash unit

[jdong217]

I've been reading reviews on both of them but since I don't really understand external flashes they mean nothing to me. I shoot with the Nikon D3100 btw

Portability is important to me. Obviously they're both "portable" but the SB-600 seems rather large to me.

The main things I photograph are nighttime cityscapes, city street life, lots of city buildings, and some landscapes.

Also, just wondering: if I take something like a white index card and angle it in front of my camera's built-in flash is that a simple/lazy way to bounce the flash?

 

[StringThing]

Since the SB-600 is discontinued and becoming harder to find, thus driving the prices up, your choices are likely going to be SB-400 vs. SB-700.

In my research I found that the SB-400 wasn't much more powerful than the pop-up flash on my D3100 and will only rotate 90 degrees up. I was able to find a barely used SB-600 and I am not sorry I did. Go with the 600 if you can find one. Be careful that you don't pay as much for it as you would an SB-700.

 

[KmH]

.... just wondering: if I take something like a white index card and angle it in front of my camera's built-in flash is that a simple/lazy way to bounce the flash?

Built-in pop up flash units don't have a lot of power.

1. A lot of light will be lost right on the white index card because it is not 100% reflective.
2. Even more light will be lost because whatever you bounce the remaining light off of will not be 100% reflective, and if the bounce surface is not white, the light pickups a color cast from the non-white surface.
3. Even more light will be lost, because it will be going to place you don't need it after it bounces.
4. Even more light will be lost because of the Inverse Square Law, which notes that light loss is a square function of distance. If you double the distance, only 1/4 as much light gets to the subject.

There is the additional porblem that bounced light comes from such a high angle that the shadows it creates are not very flattering, which is why a bounce card is used with hot shoe mounted flash units to direct a substantial portion of bounced light straight forward at the subject(s).

 

[Geaux]

Anything BUT the sb400

 

[jwbryson1]

I own the SB-400 and just got the SB-700 about 1 week ago. I like the 400 but the 700 is leaps and bounds above the 400. I'd get a new 700 before I got a used 600. The 700 at Adorama was only $325.

 

[KmH]

For about the same $325 I'd get 3 Vivitar 285HV Auto Professional Flash

And 2 radio trigger kits (so you have a spare trigger and a spare receiver)

StudioHut 4 channel Wireless Radio Hot Shoe Flash Trigger Kit for Canon EOS, Nikon, Olympus & Pentax Flashes with 2 Receivers

TTL flash is inconsistant, even when used by pros who understand it well. So most pros use flash in manual mode, not TTL.

 

[cgipson1]

I agree with the rest... skip the 400, a waste of time!

the 700 if you want TTL..... the Vivitar 285 or a Yongnuo equivalent if you want to shoot manual flash (which is much more consistent, once you learn how to use it)

 

[Derrel]

Anything BUT the sb400

Diz-actly!!!!!! Anything EXCEPT the SB-400!!!

 

[KmH]

The Vivitar285HV is not a manual mode only unit.

The 285HV has 4 auto f/stop settings for controlling depth-of-field and maximum auto flash range (70 ft).
The 285HV has an easy-to-read lighted calculator dial so you can work under most lighting conditions, and it accepts optional high-voltage power sources for faster recycle time and more flashes.

Plus, I know where you can your hands on some used but like new 285HV's - http://www.thephotoforum.com/forum/buy-sell/257294-three-vivitar-285hv-flash-units.html