Two SB-600's vs One SB-800?

I need more light!

 

I currently have one sb-800 and one sb-600. I'm always on the go and need a light weight and versatile lighting

system.

 

I can buy two sb-600's for the price of one sb-800. The only time I will use 4 or more speedlights is when I'm

shooting outdoor weddings, outdoor team photo's, and occasional on location portraits. Versatility and price are

important to me.

 

Question. Should I buy two sb-600's, or another sb-800?

 

Or, is there an affordable and portable lighting system in that price range that would do the job as good or better?

 

thanks....Joey

I've not had good luck with the Nikon CLS outdoors in the daytime. If you have, then I'd go for more points of light and that's two SB-600 from the choice you gave. I have a very flexible and portable light system. I have ten Nikon SB-28 flash that I fire using Elinchrom Skyport triggers. These have 400-600 ft. range. It's all manual of course, but I get the flash for $100 and the triggers are about the same.

 

 

Kent in SD

I decided on two 600 units rather than one 800 so I could have more light, and put money towards a medium size tripod bag, 2 stands,

umbrellas and stand adapter, and trigger them remotely with a D70s. Works great for me.

The SB-600 is not quite a "smaller SB-800." You have a little less power, the lack of a white-card, and the SB-600 has but two modes: i-TTL and Manual. And down the road, if you have to sell a used SB-xxx unit, your return on the SB-800 may be better.

Also bear in mind that the SB-600s don't have PC ports, so if you ever plan on moving away from CLS and onto Pocket Wizards/other wireless triggers then you'll need to also factor in the cost of a hotshoe-to-PC adaptor for each SB-600 that you have.

And don't forget that the SB800 can be put in to "SU-4" slave mode, where it will optically slave to ANY other observed strobe... which means you can use it to slave to monolights or to anything else that's being fired by a radio remote within sight. I've used that a lot more often than I thought I would, and it's something you'd have to buy more widgets in order to do with the SB600. Just one more little thing in favor of the beefier unit.

I just went through the same decision making process and the points above are important ones. A minor point to

consider is that the SB800 comes with a diffuser dome and filters for tungsten and fluorescent light. The SB600

doesn't. The diffuser and filters don't cost a lot - about $37 - but it closes the gap between them a little.

 

I too do flash assisted outdoor photography and the additional power and trigger versatility of the SB800 was

important to me. Also, for indoor event and on location portrait shoots, I find the diffuser and filters useful.

 

My budget, timing, and long-term plans pointed towards another SB800 for me.

I just bought the SB-800 last weekend after owning the 600 for a couple years. I enjoyed the 600 but for outdoor use the 800 is better, especially when using the dome.