USED D70 and flash system

[david_cedeno]

Hello and thank you for all the information you have shared with me in the past

year and a half or so. My motto has been, "when in doubt, check photo.net".

 

Previous equipment: Canon AE-1,Contax Aria, Yashica A,Mamiya RZ II.

Lighting Technique: available light 98% of the time.

 

I am looking at a used D70 w/ 18-55mm Nikon Dx lens, Sigma 55-200mm lens, and

possibly a new SB-600 or used Sunpak 622.

Reason for the camera and lenses is price. As for the flash units; the Sunpak

is, aside from a somewhat sluggish recycle time, in good working condition.

What I plan to do with this equipment is events for the holidays. At this point

I am not sure if less is more or more is...more.

I don't like the look that mounted camera flashes have.

 

Is it better to have the more powerful flash to build around or is iTTL more

important?

 

Once again thank you.

 

DC

[frank_skomial]

It is better to have the iTTL flash.

 

However, thanks to the combination of electronic/mechanical shutter design, D70 is capable to synchronize practically at all shutter speeds (with some limitations). You could use Sunpak 622 flash in Auto mode, and camera in Aperture priority auto mode, and get automated correct exposure., as well as automated fill flash in the high level ambient environments. (sunny days).

 

With iTTL flash exposure will be determined iTTL (Through The Lens), while with Sunpak 622 it will be Auto thyristor mode using sensor on the flash and camera will not participate in auto flash exposure determination. Some people claim Auto Thyristor mode provides near the same exposure quality.

 

Sunpak 622 is much more powerful flash comparing to SB-600. If the Sunpak 622 is slow recycling, you can always get the Sunpak high voltage external battery pack. I believe it provides 510 VDC. (Nikon external high voltage packs for SB-800 use 325 VDC).

 

SB-600 does not allow external battery pack, has no high voltage socket, so you may need to consider SB-800 instead. All depends how you intend to use your flashes.

[walterh]

"All depends how you intend to use your flashes."

 

If I may add to this: I was not fond of using flash (except for macro) in the past. However the iTTL system and my SB800 work so well that I use flash more often than I thought I would. One reason is that the system works so well that I am tempted more and more to use it fairly often like fill flash in situations where I thought in the past it was not worth the trouble to determine the exact exposure. Another reason is that even with the best flash system it is often hard to predict the effect, especially in mixed light situations. Here the digital advantage of immediate peeking helps a lot.

[elliot1]

Take a look at a D40 (not the D40x) - much better image quality, monitor, viewfinder, low noise performance, etc. than the D70. Prices have dropped again. Stick with a newer Nikon 'SB' flash.

[briany]

I disagree about the D40 in this case, b/c I'm pretty sure it can't do iTTL wireless flash. The D70 is a great camera. If price is your concern, and you know the D70 is in good shape, the 18-55, and the SB-600. You can set the flash on the camera, or if shooting a family event indoors, put the SB600 on a shelf and let it bounce off the wall/ceiling. You'll get great, natural looking light.

[david_cedeno]

Thank you all for responding to my question. I'll have to take a second look and see if the SB-800 would be a better buy than a second lens.

[frank_skomial]

The topic here was about flash system, keep that in mind...

 

Then... D40 is not appropriate body if you will ever venture into more advanced usage of the Nikon CLS flash.