nikon sb 600 not fast enough, any suggestions?

I currently have the Nikon sb 600 and use it with my Nikon D70...BUT....Ive been shooting weddings and it's just

too slow!! I keep missing the shots that I want. What do you recommend I get to shoot with my D70 and that will

be compatible with any future Nikon I might purchase? Thanks for your imput.

I use the SB800 with the "extra, 5th battery holder" and can usually operate as follows. I install 5 fresh batteries before the wedding. I can usually shoot pre-ceremony, and entry through exit all on that one set. With rare exception (usually fast-moving processions) the flash cycles fine. Hint: you probably do this, but it is always good to coach the bride, groom, and attendants to TAKE THEIR TIME coming down the aisle. Some photographers ask them to stop, although I don't prefer to do so. A gentle hand gesture sometimes helps slow couples down, but more often has them stop dead, making the photo look more posed and less "in time."

 

As soon as the exit is complete, and I've taken whatever impromptu / press style photos I can before the guests clog the area, I change batteries. This gets me ready for the formals.

 

For a very long formal session, and/or with big wedding parties, I may replace the batteries again prior to the reception.

 

At the reception, if I have not changed batteries, I'll do so following the meal just before guests and the wedding party take the dance floor.

 

The SB800 isn't a screamer with the 5 alkalines, but it really serves my style well. I shoot very small, very large, 4-hour up to 8-hour weddings, and it's done great.

 

Someone else will probably suggest an external pack for this flash, which I'm sure helps the recycle time tremendously. These can be a bit pricey, but if you do a lot of fast photography, well worth the investment. Forgive me, I don't have the information at hand to comment, perhaps someone else will.

 

Just my opinion.

 

Good luck!

well, you could get a stronger flash like the 800 or 900 so you wouldn't use as much charge per shot permitting faster

recycle.

 

or you could use the Nikon HV pack (or does that only work w/ the 800?)

 

or get a better flash like the quantum ($$$$$)

You might consider using a faster lens (or use the same lens, wider open). That will allow you to get the same shot with less output from the strobe. You might also consider getting closer, and using a wider lens (but not so wide that the SB-600 can't cover the angle). Close to the subject means, again, less light needed from the strobe. When the strobe can fire at a smaller fraction of its capacity, it will cycle faster, get less hot, and give you more life from the same set of batteries. Of course, you can also bump up your ISO a bit, and that will help, too - until you hit noise levels you can't tolerate.

1. You'll want an SB-800, which will accept a high voltage battery pack for fast recycling times.

 

 

2. Only a high voltage battery will give you the kind of instant recycling you'll want to get multiple images of the bride and groom coming up the aisle. When I was shooting events a few years ago, I quickly broke down and bought Quantum Turbo batteries. Unfortunately, the QT's cost $400+.

 

 

A less expensive route is Nikon's high voltage pack for the SB-800, the SD-8A. At $140, its a fraction of the cost of a Quantum Turbo. Shun mentioned to me that he uses these and could comment on them:

 

 

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/146171-REG/Nikon_4729_SD_8A_Battery_Pack.html

While you got great advice how to improve flash shooting speed for SB-800, the SB-600 does not have the socket

for any external power source.

 

Those external power packs most likely apply high voltage directly to the SB-800 capacitor, making fast flash

recycle possible.

 

There is one vendor who makes external batteries for SB-600 that is just use a 6 VDC level strong lead-acid sealed

battery of high capacity, and feeds the cable into the SB-600 battery compartment, replacing the 4 AA batteries that

would normally go there. However, this mostly extends the shooting time and not necessarily recycle speed, since

the battery does not drop voltage so quickly like AA batteries would. The limitation of the speed here is in the

internal voltage converter in the SB-600 that even if it gets stronger battery, cannot operate any faster, but can

operate much longer at that slower speed allowed by SB-600 circuitry.

 

External high voltage battery packs have more heavy duty voltage converters and do faster voltage conversion from 9

VDC to 225 VDC for SD-8A (or from 12 VDC for SD-9A, or whatever case it may be), allowing recycle as fast as 1

second with SB-800. At this speed flash overheating is real possibility, as many experienced that, including case of

blowing up flash xenon tube. SB-900 has built-in better thermal protection of the flash tube...that is what they say...

Should be 9 VDC to 325 VDC for ...

I use an SB-800 with the SD-8A - It's a great combination and allows fast shooting. I sometimes use my SB-600 in

combination, putting it on a lightstand and using it in conjunction with the SB-800 when I want a quick two light set-up

without having to plug in. Unfortunately, you can't shoot quickly this way. When I bought my 600 I didn't realize that it

couldn't use the SD-8A. If I were doing it again, I'd buy another SB-800.

 

Rich Quindry www.Quindry.com