alternative to nikon SB800

[leonard_forte1]

Is there a good (cheaper) alternative to nikons SB800 flash? I notice there are

some chepaer ones from SIgma...etc but will they function exactly the same? I

dont want to spend the money for a sb800 if I dont have to.

[Matt Laur]

Function exactly the same in what regard? As a controller or off-camera slave in the CLS system... or just as a bounceable on-camera TTL strobe? The SB800 is very sophisticated. The SB600, which costs less, comes fairly close in a lot of important ways, but even that speedlight - made by Nikon and intended for use in their integrated system - falls short in important ways for certain applications. If you need what the SB800 can do (ALL of what it can do), there is no substitute. You didn't mention what camera body you're using, how you expect to use the unit (off-camera? cabled? wireless? in a group of units? with an external power pack? etc), so it's a little hard to further qualify my response. Not knowing all of that other info, I'll say that your other choice - while maintaining much of what is good about the SB800 - is the SB600. Beyond that, it all depends on things you need to clarify.

[leonard_forte1]

Sorry, I want to use the flash off camera in TTL (or i-TTL - not sure the difference) mode with a diffuser or as ceiling bounce and get good exposures indoors or as fill flash.

I'm using a D200

[Jerry_]

If you have invested in a D200, you would have more useful features with a SB-800 for off-camera situations.

[kipling]

what about the sb600? or du you need something that it doesn't deliver?

[Peter_in_PA]

SB600 will work off camera just fine with the D200 if you want to save money. I have NO

complaints about mine. It's great!

[Ed_Ingold]

You can buy something larger or smaller than the SB-800, more powerful, cheaper. However, you can't buy a flash that's better coordinated to a Nikon camera, nor with more functionality. Nikon is without equal in flash integration.

 

The little diffusion cap that comes with the SB-800 will fill the room with light and nearly eliminate shadows. What more could you want? If I need more or better-directed light, I use a Q-flash or a set of monolights (and a flash meter).

[jc5066]

No. There isn't another "good" alternative to the SB-800. Well the SB-600 is a great unit. A tad less power and loss of a couple controls.

 

I really advise you not to use third party flashes to save a couple dollars on a speed light. You'll end up wishing you would have spent the extra couple of dollars on the Nikon flash units.

 

Keep in mind, you might not need the features it has now, but if you do, you'll have them.

[stwrtertbsratbs5]

I never bother with TTL - flashes work very well in manual or auto modes. And for off-camera use, I use PocketWizards.

[nickwhite]

If you don't need the extra power of the SB-800 (about 1 stop), or to be able to use it on camera as a 'commander' (you have that facility built in to your D200), then go for the SB-600; it is more compact and lighter than it's big brother, but still packs a good punch. IMO the controls are better laid out than on the SB-800 too. Budget for a Stofen diffuser as well for a great package.

[photo5]

I bought my SB-600 for $150 from a friend, even came with the Sto-Fen Omnibounce attachment. A bargain! I love this flash and it has yet to disappoint me.

[frankie_frank1]

The difference between SB800 and 3rd party with similar features is less than $100. I have bad experience with 3rd party flash, and the precious moments will never come back! I would skip couple of fancy dinners, exciting gams, ... for a Nikon SB800.

[lex_jenkins]

Sunpak offers a few flash units that claim TTL compatibility with most current Nikon dSLRs.

 

I tried a Sunpak TTL flash on my D2H a couple of years ago. I don't recall the model, tho'. It worked fine from the hotshoe. I didn't test it as a remote, from my SC-29 cord, etc. It felt a bit less rugged than the SB-800 but might be a reasonable alternative.

[larry_chrisman1]

I looked at it this way. I invested in my Nikon body because of the quality. Why settle for anything less in a speedlight?

[stwrtertbsratbs5]

Complex speed lights are more likely to break. I just dropped a Nikon 80-DX in the trash last week - it started zooming continuously and the menu disappeared.

 

So I've decided that simple inexpensive lights are the best option for me. Other folks prefer fancy features to make using flash easier. But I find that sometimes that can make it more difficult to really learn how light behaves.