Newbie wana try using external flash

[curley-wurley]

Hi all,

Im a nikon D40 user, for abt a year ++ already & now wana try using external flash..
i know nikon has the following external flashes:-

1) SB400
2) SB600
3) SB800
4) SB900

i think to start off with, the sb400 is limited in a great way if compared to the sb600 functions.
So with the model SB600 & SB800, I think would be a great start for me & furthermore i'd be upgrading to a d90 soon.
Has anyone checked the prices of the sb600 & sb800 or bought item recently?
Hw much is a new set??
How/what to check when buying 2nd hand flash??

All inputs greatly appreciated.
Thanks all


Have a nice day.

curley-wurley.

 

[SnapSniper]

Hrm...

Heard of the Nissin Series? Really newb friendly, and cheap!

The Di622 just set to TTL and blast away. All you need to worry is the basics on how to bounce and diffuse light. $210
http://www.nissindigital.com/en/Di622.html

Or wanna something bigger? A high out put DI866 flash with colour LCD and manail contol to play with once u get used to Auto TTL. I recall the price for this is about $400
http://www.nissindigital.com/en/Di866-1.html

Prices taken from
http://www.reddotphoto.com.sg/ecommerce/cat_viewproducts.php?catid=10

 

[curley-wurley]

Hrm...

Heard of the Nissin Series? Really newb friendly, and cheap!

The Di622 just set to TTL and blast away. All you need to worry is the basics on how to bounce and diffuse light. $210
http://www.nissindigital.com/en/Di622.html

Or wanna something bigger? A high out put DI866 flash with colour LCD and manail contol to play with once u get used to Auto TTL. I recall the price for this is about $400
http://www.nissindigital.com/en/Di866-1.html

Prices taken from
http://www.reddotphoto.com.sg/ecommerce/cat_viewproducts.php?catid=10

Thanks for the info bro..

Anyone here used these flashed b4?
care to share??

 

[aprilmoon92]

i've used nissin di466 and di622 before... both larger than their nikon equivs (622 and 600 is slightly diff, but 466 and 400 is big diff). 466 has same functionality (exactly) as 622, but without swivel head. its also marginally more compact. 2nd hand prices for 466 (100) and 622 (150) are 2/3 and 1/2 2nd hand prices for 400 and 600. definitely worth using if on budget. both worked fine for me, both as slave and on-shoe flash. get sb400 if you want compact, but i think di622 is better than sb600 unless you want very complex lighting setups, then sb600 wireless is better than di622's optical slave, which can be blocked.

 

[curley-wurley]

i've used nissin di466 and di622 before... both larger than their nikon equivs (622 and 600 is slightly diff, but 466 and 400 is big diff). 466 has same functionality (exactly) as 622, but without swivel head. its also marginally more compact. 2nd hand prices for 466 (100) and 622 (150) are 2/3 and 1/2 2nd hand prices for 400 and 600. definitely worth using if on budget. both worked fine for me, both as slave and on-shoe flash. get sb400 if you want compact, but i think di622 is better than sb600 unless you want very complex lighting setups, then sb600 wireless is better than di622's optical slave, which can be blocked.

Thanks bro..
Jst a lil qtn, wat do ya mean by "both as slave and on-shoe flash"??
u heard of reviews for the i866??

 

[wdEvA]

Hi all,

Im a nikon D40 user, for abt a year ++ already & now wana try using external flash..
i know nikon has the following external flashes:-

1) SB400
2) SB600
3) SB800
4) SB900

i think to start off with, the sb400 is limited in a great way if compared to the sb600 functions.
So with the model SB600 & SB800, I think would be a great start for me & furthermore i'd be upgrading to a d90 soon.
Has anyone checked the prices of the sb600 & sb800 or bought item recently?
Hw much is a new set??
How/what to check when buying 2nd hand flash??

All inputs greatly appreciated.
Thanks all


Have a nice day.

curley-wurley.

can check the prices from HERE

as for what to check for 2nd hand flash, check for burnmarks, and test to fire off the flash at full power to see if there's any distinct smell.

 

[aprilmoon92]

Thanks bro..
Jst a lil qtn, wat do ya mean by "both as slave and on-shoe flash"??
u heard of reviews for the i866??

slave means optical slave. the flash will fire when it 'sees' your on-camera flash fire. this is impt for product photog, portrait etc when you need light from a diff direction. on-shoe means its on your hot shoe and functions as a normal ttl flash, for things like event coverage when you no time to make fancy lighting setups.

nope sry ive never needed the pro-grade functionality before

 

[curley-wurley]

OIC..
U mean flash synchronization rite?? As in one main flash mounted on ur cam & the other (slave)from a different direction mounted somewhere else..
hmm..
can the nikon sb600 do the same too??
or can the di866 be sync wif the nikon flashes or nikon can only sync wif nikon & nissin can only sync wif nissin?

 

[curley-wurley]

can check the prices from HERE

as for what to check for 2nd hand flash, check for burnmarks, and test to fire off the flash at full power to see if there's any distinct smell.

Thanks bro..
Seems like not much recent updates for Nikon Flashes xcept for SB-900..

 

[curley-wurley]

hmm..
Qtn jst popped up in my mind..
Would it be wise lets say i have a budget for SB-800 but go for a nissin i866??
Anyone came to his situation b4?

 

[ZerocoolAstra]

why not? You save money...
Face it, in such tough times, saving money is always a wise decision...

 

[curley-wurley]

why not? You save money...
Face it, in such tough times, saving money is always a wise decision...

Bro, u mean dun buy the external flash or get the nissin one (cheaper)??

 

[Dark Matter]

Suggesting as a newbie: you should get atleast the sb600. will give you more room for play(improvement) down the road. forget about the sb400. Occassionally I will use it off camera to create light source from other angle, sb400 cannot.

 

[ZerocoolAstra]

Bro, u mean dun buy the external flash or get the nissin one (cheaper)??

I mean.. Can consider buying the Nissin one to save some cost.
The difference between flash and no-flash is significant.
The difference between Nissin and Nikon flash may not be so perceptible. The cost difference is definitely noticeable...

 

[ZerocoolAstra]

Suggesting as a newbie: you should get atleast the sb600. will give you more room for play(improvement) down the road. forget about the sb400. Occassionally I will use it off camera to create light source from other angle, sb400 cannot.

Can... with remote cord
SB400 + remote cord is cheaper than SB600 Of course there are still more limitations

 

[curley-wurley]

Suggesting as a newbie: you should get atleast the sb600. will give you more room for play(improvement) down the road. forget about the sb400. Occassionally I will use it off camera to create light source from other angle, sb400 cannot.

Yeah, narrowed my choices to nissin i866 or sb600..

 

[curley-wurley]

I mean.. Can consider buying the Nissin one to save some cost.
The difference between flash and no-flash is significant.
The difference between Nissin and Nikon flash may not be so perceptible. The cost difference is definitely noticeable...

Yeah,
Im considering the Nissin i866, read the review tt it has a sub flash on it so that the main flash can still be bounced off to brighten backround & yet have the main subject nicely lit wif the sub flash..
Pricing wise, sb600 is almost equivalent to that of the i866..
Hmm, still searching to compare specs of the SB600 & Di866..

 

[litewing]

Hi,

I faced the same dilemma as you before, was contemplating betw 430exII, 580exII and i866. Honestly if you had all the money in the world, 580exII would be the best choice, since it would be the most powerful, and you can select the flash power in finer stops too. Choosing betw 430exII and i866, I chose i866. i622 felt plastic-ky whereas i866 felt solid-built. i866 can be master whereas 430exII cannot. 430exII has a lower GN than i866 as well. Still using i866, very contented with it =)

 

[ZerocoolAstra]

Hi,

I faced the same dilemma as you before, was contemplating betw 430exII, 580exII and i866. Honestly if you had all the money in the world, 580exII would be the best choice, since it would be the most powerful, and you can select the flash power in finer stops too. Choosing betw 430exII and i866, I chose i866. i622 felt plastic-ky whereas i866 felt solid-built. i866 can be master whereas 430exII cannot. 430exII has a lower GN than i866 as well. Still using i866, very contented with it =)

Hello friend... read the thread first leh....

Nikon D40 can pair with Canon 580exII meh???
I suppose it will fire la... but... you know what I mean....

 

[ZerocoolAstra]

Yeah,
Im considering the Nissin i866, read the review tt it has a sub flash on it so that the main flash can still be bounced off to brighten backround & yet have the main subject nicely lit wif the sub flash..
Pricing wise, sb600 is almost equivalent to that of the i866..
Hmm, still searching to compare specs of the SB600 & Di866..

Di866 is MUCH more powerful than SB600...
I'm thinking of getting Di866 as well, to pair with my SB600 as a remote slave.

If anyone owns this combo, it'd be good to help me allay my doubts about whether the AWL thingy works with iTTL functionality when Di866 is onboard and SB600 is remote.
I've asked reddotphoto and OP, and both claim that it's possible.