External Flash for D90


jlee1974

New Member
Apr 20, 2010
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Hi,

I plan to take some beautiful shots for my son's birthday party, and thought i will probably need an external flash to get the best effect.

Any recommendations on the Brand and Model (budget aside).

I am looking at something reliable, easy to use, and have all the required features for long term use.

I am using Nikon D90
 

Hi,

I plan to take some beautiful shots for my son's birthday party, and thought i will probably need an external flash to get the best effect.

Any recommendations on the Brand and Model (budget aside).

I am looking at something reliable, easy to use, and have all the required features for long term use.

I am using Nikon D90

SB600,SB800 or SB900...
 

Hi,

I plan to take some beautiful shots for my son's birthday party, and thought i will probably need an external flash to get the best effect.

Any recommendations on the Brand and Model (budget aside).

I am looking at something reliable, easy to use, and have all the required features for long term use.

I am using Nikon D90

SB900 is Nikon top of the range for flash at the moment, think it will last u a long time, budget aside and if u can make do with the weight.. else SB600 at almost 1/2 the price of SB900 minus the power/functions/master capabilities etc..
 

thanks....but i need something not too big.

sorry for my ignorance, but are these flash units removable from the hotshoe and can triggered out out of the camera?

i read about Nissin somewhere in this forum. Are those good enough? I am a novice, so unlikely to know how to use some advanced features. Still, i dont want to buy something, and realised i could have pay a little more for another model months down the road.

thanks for your advice.

btw, what are master capabilities for?
 

thanks....but i need something not too big.

sorry for my ignorance, but are these flash units removable from the hotshoe and can triggered out out of the camera?

i read about Nissin somewhere in this forum. Are those good enough? I am a novice, so unlikely to know how to use some advanced features. Still, i dont want to buy something, and realised i could have pay a little more for another model months down the road.

thanks for your advice.

btw, what are master capabilities for?
you wanna trigger the flash off-camera, and yet you say you won't use the advanced functions....? errrr.... wireless flash is considered one of the advanced functions :)

D90's built-in flash has commander mode. It has i-TTL capability with Nikon Speedlights SB600, SB800, SB900, and Nissin Di866 (or so I've heard). Probably there are other 3rd party flashes that are i-TTL capable, but I'm not up to date.
 

thanks....but i need something not too big.

sorry for my ignorance, but are these flash units removable from the hotshoe and can triggered out out of the camera?

i read about Nissin somewhere in this forum. Are those good enough? I am a novice, so unlikely to know how to use some advanced features. Still, i dont want to buy something, and realised i could have pay a little more for another model months down the road.

thanks for your advice.

btw, what are master capabilities for?

SB800 and SB900, put on-camera, can trigger other SB600/800/900 wirelessly as a group.
That's 'master' capability.
 

thanks....but i need something not too big.

sorry for my ignorance, but are these flash units removable from the hotshoe and can triggered out out of the camera?

i read about Nissin somewhere in this forum. Are those good enough? I am a novice, so unlikely to know how to use some advanced features. Still, i dont want to buy something, and realised i could have pay a little more for another model months down the road.

thanks for your advice.

btw, what are master capabilities for?
I would go with Nikon brand, it would be a shorter learning curve for you and not have to worry about fully compatible and having all the features supported etc...
 

go str8 for SB-900 no nid upgrade for long time.

comes with softcover, flip charts, diffusers. lcd screen.
 

if you know sb600, sb800 and sb900 are too big, you have obviously done some research. why don't you be more specific and ask about nissin instead of putting people on wild goose chase.
 

actually tried macro and realize that the low profile built in flash will cast a shadow when used with telephoto and raynox.

so it make sense for a taller flash tat is not obscured by the extended lenght of the lens.

.
 

thanks :)
 

i see....thanks for the input
 

if you know sb600, sb800 and sb900 are too big, you have obviously done some research. why don't you be more specific and ask about nissin instead of putting people on wild goose chase.

i only read about the nissin after i post my question.

I appreciate all help from the other contributors. i notice instead of offering advice, you are only interested in criticising. really not appreciated.
 

i only read about the nissin after i post my question.

I appreciate all help from the other contributors. i notice instead of offering advice, you are only interested in criticising. really not appreciated.

if you have googled "external flash D90' you would have gotten your answer.
 

i only read about the nissin after i post my question.

I appreciate all help from the other contributors. i notice instead of offering advice, you are only interested in criticising. really not appreciated.

Your only choice for CLS wireless flashes are:

SB600
SB800
SB900
Nissin Di866

The nissin is currently retailing for around 400, which is more ex than SB600.

If you want smaller than SB600, you can get the SB400, but that can only bounce up in landscape orientation. and it does not have wireless CLS compatibility.

Easy decision for you, because you only need to consider among 5 models. If you only want to buy new, you only have 4 models to consider. If you even want to do wireless CLS, you only have 3 models to consider. And among the 3 models, you only need to consider about pricing.

Also, if you do more searches on the Nissin, you will know there are some problems sometimes. So for complete compatibility and hassle free operation, you only 2 models to consider. So it comes down to SB600 and SB900. Now, it really comes down to your budget and how powerful you want your flash to be. To take pics of family setting, a SB600 will suffice. I even shot a wedding with SB600 and found it sufficient.
 

thanks...its normally used for family portraits etc..

i will check out the prices for sb600 and sb900, and decide which is more appropraite.

other than power, any usable differenced between sb600 vs sb900? thanks dude
 

thanks...its normally used for family portraits etc..

i will check out the prices for sb600 and sb900, and decide which is more appropraite.

other than power, any usable differenced between sb600 vs sb900? thanks dude




:mad2:

read below.
SB800/900 can be master flash for CLS.
SB600 cannot.


SB800 and SB900, put on-camera, can trigger other SB600/800/900 wirelessly as a group.
That's 'master' capability.
 

thanks...its normally used for family portraits etc..

i will check out the prices for sb600 and sb900, and decide which is more appropraite.

other than power, any usable differenced between sb600 vs sb900? thanks dude
Difference is in the throw distance (power=GN) and SB900 can act as Master Flash whereas SB600 can only be a Slave in a group CLS.
 

:mad2:

read below.
SB800/900 can be master flash for CLS.
SB600 cannot.

not to mention the pretty and very user friendly LCD interface menu on the back. the gap in the price is covered by many technological features which i feel is fully justified.

i struggled a bit when choosing my sb900 and sb600 on my D90, i got the sb900 and never look back. like many said, you probably wont never need to buy any other flash again until it failed.