Spec me a Nikon TTL flashgun

James J · 29 Aug 2011 at 23:29

Getting seriously confused with the flashguns that can be bought for nikon DSLRs. Need one for nightclub and event photography at my university and TTL is essential so I don't have to stand there tweaking flash settings all night instead of taking photos. My budget is fairly flexible as I'll be buying it early october, yet are the nikon range, specifically a SB-700, worth well over £100 more than cheaper offerings from third party manufacturers?

Has to be a bounce flash and able to have a diffuser fitted to it also.

Ksanti · 30 Aug 2011 at 00:02

Yongnuo YN-565. I have a 560 (manual) and it's a great bit of kit. Basically a Canon 580EX with Yongnuo's electronics (they're not as good, but then again the 560 is £50, the 565 is £110).

Comes with a built in bounce card and a stofen as well

James J · 30 Aug 2011 at 00:59

Ksanti said:
Yongnuo YN-565. I have a 560 (manual) and it's a great bit of kit. Basically a Canon 580EX with Yongnuo's electronics (they're not as good, but then again the 560 is £50, the 565 is £110).

Comes with a built in bounce card and a stofen as well

Ooooo, sounds like it fits the bill. I'll have a look at some reviews and see what they turn out to be like. The reports of the jessops flashguns setting on fire really didn't inspire confidence in their range, even though they are priced well lol. Best place to buy a Yongnuo YN-565 from?

Ksanti · 30 Aug 2011 at 01:13

Well basically the 565 is a merging of the YN-468 and the YN-560. 565 reviews might be low on the ground but basically if you read 468 reviews and focus on the ettl and screen and 560 reviews and focus on the build and actual flash performance you get the idea

I buy my stuff straight from their 'bay store, (you need to find it on the US website, then just change .com to .co.uk in the url to get UK prices) and have no complaints, there might stocks closer than Hong Kong on other sites though so it's down to you. I can't guarantee that with other stockists they'll have all the extras (cover, flash stand, stofen) but you should be able to check the description.

Just make sure you buy the appropriate flash for your DSLR as they make a couple of different Canon versions as they have different ETTL systems, you might find the same with Nikon.

Dunks · 30 Aug 2011 at 01:22

Awesome, didn't realise the 565's were out!

Been waiting for a while, time to get some pennies together

James J · 30 Aug 2011 at 01:49

Ksanti said:
Well basically the 565 is a merging of the YN-468 and the YN-560. 565 reviews might be low on the ground but basically if you read 468 reviews and focus on the ettl and screen and 560 reviews and focus on the build and actual flash performance you get the idea

I buy my stuff straight from their 'bay store, (you need to find it on the US website, then just change .com to .co.uk in the url to get UK prices) and have no complaints, there might stocks closer than Hong Kong on other sites though so it's down to you. I can't guarantee that with other stockists they'll have all the extras (cover, flash stand, stofen) but you should be able to check the description.

Just make sure you buy the appropriate flash for your DSLR as they make a couple of different Canon versions as they have different ETTL systems, you might find the same with Nikon.

Nikon use an iTTL system which is what I'm keen to capitalise on with my flash photographer, especially in the nightclub I've been assigned to. I've got a manual flashgun at the moment which is nearly older than I am off of my dads old SLR camera and it works with my DSLR and I've taken some good photos with it, but I cannot control the flash power at all with it so get varied results.

Snapshot · 30 Aug 2011 at 07:50

Having just had a good rummage on the bay, it looks like the YN-565's hot-shoe is Canon only so it won't work as an iTTL on-camera flash for Nikon, only as a wireless slave.

Have a look at the Sigma EF 530 DG ST as that seems to have all you're after except a diffuser and it's around £130 retail in the UK.

bigredshark · 30 Aug 2011 at 10:11

If you can at all afford it the SB-700 is an exceptionally good unit, not perfect (lacking in power maybe) but very good indeed if you'll be using it frequently. If it's just an occasional thing and you're short of cash the third party ones will do the job but the Nikon's are worth the extra if it's for everyday use.

bigredshark · 30 Aug 2011 at 12:24

There is an SB700 on the MM for a fairly reasonable price currently.

James J · 30 Aug 2011 at 14:06

Noticed, although I won't be buying until early october. I'll save for a sb-700 then if it'll do exactly what I need.

bigredshark · 30 Aug 2011 at 14:08

Depends on your exact needs, only real advantages of the SB-900 is more power, external battery pack and a pc-sync port. I'd probably shell out for the SB900 myself for those reasons but it's a physically very big unit. The built in wireless triggering of the Nikon units, though it's light based rather than radio, can be useful on occasion.

Ksanti · 30 Aug 2011 at 14:43

Oh right my bad then. Sorry for wasting your time

James J · 30 Aug 2011 at 14:46

bigredshark said:
Depends on your exact needs, only real advantages of the SB-900 is more power, external battery pack and a pc-sync port. I'd probably shell out for the SB900 myself for those reasons but it's a physically very big unit. The built in wireless triggering of the Nikon units, though it's light based rather than radio, can be useful on occasion.

Not sure I can save enough for the SB-900 before I really need to start using it though sadly. Looks like I'll be doing freshers week at uni using my manual flashgun which I've had to practise using like mental so I know the ideal range of settings I should be using so I don't end up with crap images lol -.-

bigredshark · 30 Aug 2011 at 16:32

James J said:
Not sure I can save enough for the SB-900 before I really need to start using it though sadly. Looks like I'll be doing freshers week at uni using my manual flashgun which I've had to practise using like mental so I know the ideal range of settings I should be using so I don't end up with crap images lol -.-

Fair enough, I'm not saying get it, flash features wise the SB700 is pretty much identical and is a nice unit, I'm just saying those are the reasons I'd get the SB900 instead. There are good reasons not to get the SB900 too (like it's absolutely huge for starters).

James J · 30 Aug 2011 at 16:50

How do you rate the older SB-600 and 800 respectively? I know both was replaced in 2010 by the 700 and 900. Seems that the 600's can be picked up around £160 ish after some heavy searching.

James J · 30 Aug 2011 at 17:10

Hmmm after an afternoons worth of reading, the old flashgun I'm using at the moment could fry my camera based on the voltage it uses to initiate firing :S Thats not good news for me at all as it means I'll have to either completely do without one for the first week or twos worth of work, which isn't gonna go well, or risk using it -.-

For reference, its a hanimex TZ2500 and a few websites are saying its using 180v~ on firing initiation :S Not the news I wanted at all lol

bigredshark · 30 Aug 2011 at 17:22

James J said:
How do you rate the older SB-600 and 800 respectively? I know both was replaced in 2010 by the 700 and 900. Seems that the 600's can be picked up around £160 ish after some heavy searching.

I've had and used both, they are capable but not much fun to use is the bottom line for me.

The SB600 is more powerful than the SB700, with all the same headline features and truly the worst interface I've ever seen on a flash. The SB800 is to the SB600 as the SB900 is to the SB700 - more power, external battery pack, pc-sync socket.

I got rid of my SB600 on the grounds of the interface alone, it frustrated me doing basic stuff like changing modes (when you're handling multiple flashes it's unintuitive setup is a real pain). But it was powerful and did what I needed once set up, it worked nicely as an on camera ittl flash too.

You could do far worse on a budget though and as always, depends on your style. I'm not a big user of flash but conversely when I do I kinda need it to be quick and easy to throw together a setup. The SB600 in particular didn't fit the bill for me, if you have a few minutes to think through and setup though then it could be just fine.

James J · 30 Aug 2011 at 17:39

bigredshark said:
I've had and used both, they are capable but not much fun to use is the bottom line for me.

The SB600 is more powerful than the SB700, with all the same headline features and truly the worst interface I've ever seen on a flash. The SB800 is to the SB600 as the SB900 is to the SB700 - more power, external battery pack, pc-sync socket.

I got rid of my SB600 on the grounds of the interface alone, it frustrated me doing basic stuff like changing modes (when you're handling multiple flashes it's unintuitive setup is a real pain). But it was powerful and did what I needed once set up, it worked nicely as an on camera ittl flash too.

You could do far worse on a budget though and as always, depends on your style. I'm not a big user of flash but conversely when I do I kinda need it to be quick and easy to throw together a setup. The SB600 in particular didn't fit the bill for me, if you have a few minutes to think through and setup though then it could be just fine.

Thanks for the input. I won't have a few minutes to think of the settings which is why the iTTL and a quick recharge are at the top of my list at the moment. The SB-900 seems to be exactly what I need when it comes to literally everything so I'll try sort something out financially, even if it means a buy now pay 6 months 0% interest credit agreement so I don't potentially lose my new job over the fact I don't have a flashgun lol.

Would also be perfect for whats planned around next June time where we'll be doing some studio stuff and the 900 gets some glorious reviews when it comes to that also.

An Exception · 30 Aug 2011 at 18:35

^^^
The main issue with the 900 is that the thermal management isn't so good and it shut's down allot sooner and you have to wait quite along time for it to cool before you can continue shooting, add to the fact the power difference between the 700 and 900 is like 0.3 stops difference once you put it into a light modifier, so power difference isn't that big of a deal, sure it's 30% more powerful which sounds great, but that 30% more power = a tiny bit brighter, which = meh.

The best thing about the 900 imo is the zoom range if your using it on camera, and shooting your subject with direct flash, however personally, someone would have to put a gun to my head before I lit my subjects with direct bare flash.

Tooks · 30 Aug 2011 at 21:13

Have you thought about a Nissin Di866 if you're looking at SB-900 money?

I have two, and I'd never go back to my SB-600's, mainly for the interface issues bigredshark mentions above, but also because they're a a lot of cash for what they are.

The interface on the Di-866 is very easy to use, lots of icons and pictures, right up my street!

Powerful too, and i-TTL works perfectly, as do the wireless functions.

Worth a look.