sB 400 and a sb600?

[mommy22]

Is there ANY reason I need them both? I bought myself a SB 600 about 6 weeks ago and in the mail today comes a SB 400 that my husband bought for me for Christmas (he is deployed). I love my SB600 and don't know that I have any use for the 400 unless there is some thing I don't know...Is there anything special I could do with both of them?

Khristina

 

[MrRamonG]

You could use the SB 600 wireless while having the sb 400 in the hotshoe.

 

[mJs]

with the d-80, you can put your pop up flash in "commander mode", and have your sb600 in "remote mode" at a separate location. Meaning you could put your sb600 on a flash stand or tripod by itself off to the left or right of the subject, and the pop up will trigger it. You can set up multiple flashes like this to do many different effects. Unfortunately I don't know if the sb400 has this feature though, but I'm sure someone here will be able to tell you. (maybe you could trade in for another sb600?)

*or what MrRamonG said* :lmao:

 

[mommy22]

Really? You can do that? Hmm...like what would I shoot with that many flashes?

 

[mJs]

Check this site out:

Strobist

lots of tutorials etc... helped me out alot...

 

[TJ K]

With that many flashes? Check out some strobe stuff and soon 2 will seem like you don't even have a light but if you're just going to leave it on the camera return the sb600/400 the 400 just doesn't swivel so if you aren't doing portraits keep the 400 and get back like 250 or w.e. on the 600.
TJ

 

[PhotoXopher]

I had 2 SB-600's at one point and sold them both, I still have (and use) my SB-400.

 

[iBats]

ill buy the sb-400 off you if you dont have any use for it lol, im in need of an external flash, although to be honest the two flashes would be nice if you were doing any kind of portrait shooting as well as some simple macro flower shots, as long as you had some diffusers

 

[DScience]

ill buy the sb-400 off you if you dont have any use for it lol, im in need of an external flash, although to be honest the two flashes would be nice if you were doing any kind of portrait shooting as well as some simple macro flower shots, as long as you had some diffusers

The sb-400 can't be used as an external flash, I believe. If you mean on the hot shoe, then yes. But when I think about external I think off of the camera, triggered wirelessly.

 

[chip]

Don't know what Nikon body you have. If it is a cheaper model the body may not have a commander function. The SB400 cannot function as a commander or a slave. It is a nice little flash that can bounce. It's limited power may not allow you to bounce unless ISO is cranked way up. Still a nice little flash that is well made. I have one and I use it from time to time. The SB600 can function as a slave flash but not as a master. If your camera body cannot function as a commander, you wouldn't be able to use the SB600 in a slave mode anyhow. It has more power than the SB400 and can bounce and head rotates so it is pretty nice. If I were you I would return the SB400 assuming you have a D40, D60, D3000, D5000 etc. that already has a built in flash. Use the built in flash for close up subjects and SB600 for subjects further away. The SB600 will be more flexible and powerful.

 

[KmH]

With an inexpensive ($50, incl shpng) set of eBay radio triggers you can fire both the SB-600 and the SB-400 when they are off the camera. ISHOOT PT-04 C Wireless Flash Trigger PT04—2 Receivers - eBay (item 270395680462 end time Jan-17-10 20:17:10 PST)

The transmitter mounts on your D-80's hot shoe and there would be a radio signal receiver on both speedlights.

 

[rocdoc]

SB400 CANNOT to my knowledge act as the commander in the hotshoe. Neither can it be a slave without additional hardware that likely costs more than the flash itself. I too have both. On rare occasions when I want to travel very light (ie a small prime on my D90) I will take the 400 with me. It can be used as fill flash and to bounce vertically. That's it. It's portable, but that is its only quality. Otherwise it adds nothing to the SB600 you already have. But it's inexpensive so I don't think you get enough for it if you sell it to get anything more useful. If you ever want to be very light and stick it in your pocket for the rare need of a stronger filler, keep it around.

 

[iBats]

ill buy the sb-400 off you if you dont have any use for it lol, im in need of an external flash, although to be honest the two flashes would be nice if you were doing any kind of portrait shooting as well as some simple macro flower shots, as long as you had some diffusers

The sb-400 can't be used as an external flash, I believe. If you mean on the hot shoe, then yes. But when I think about external I think off of the camera, triggered wirelessly.

naw i just meant a flash that isnt pop-up

 

[KmH]

Neither can it be a slave without additional hardware that likely costs more than the flash itself.

Actually, it can be used as a remote with a $30 ebay radio trigger set. The $50 set I linked to includes 2 receivers so there is onefor the SB-600 too.

Last I checked a new SB-400 was over $100.