Cheeper alternative to SB 800 iTTL

[drew_sutton]

<p>I have a D80 and need a better flash than the pop up. The SB 800 is somewhat out of my price range right now. Is there a less expensive brand that might be comparable? I read something about the Nissin Di 622 iTTL flash, any thoughts?</p>

[john schroeder]

<p>If you don't care about the wireless part Promaster makes a nice flash for $200.00 The 7500EDF is not as well made as the OEM units but will get the job done for less money.<br>

http://www.promaster.com/products/products.asp?CatID=150&CatSM=&SubCatID=3&CatName=Electronic%20Flash&SubCatName=Digital%20TTL%20&sm=sm2_1503&dir=&page=PROD&product=7500EDF</p>

<p >Specifications:</p>

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<td width="97%">• Guide Number: 138 (ISO 100, 105mm)<br /> • TTL Auto Range: 2’-99’ (ISO 100)<br /> • Motorized Zoom: 24mm-105mm<br /> • Power Source: 4 AA alkaline or PROMASTER rechargeable NiMH batteries<br /> • Recycling Time: 0.3-10 seconds<br /> • Angle of Coverage:<br /> 92° H 75° V (with diffuser):<br /> Covers 17mm lens on 35mm camera or 12mm lens on digital format SLR<br /> 78° H 60° V (without diffuser):<br /> Covers 24mm lens on 35mm camera or 17mm lens on digital format SLR<br /> • Bounce Angle: -7° to 90°<br /> • Swivel Angle: 0° to 180°<br /> • AF illuminator for autofocusing<br /> • Front and rear flash-ready light<br /> • LCD display panel<br /> • Full digital auto TTL dedication<br /> • TTL Auto, Manual, Multiple, Modeling, Slave<br /> • Flash upgradeable by your PROMASTER dealer<br /> • Available to fit Canon, Nikon, Pentax, Samsung, Sony, Olympus</td>

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[tri-x1]

<p>I have the SB600 which is considerably cheaper than the SB800 but has most of the features of the more expensive modelk.</p>

[d_syd]

<p>What about the SB600? It should be a good $100+ less than the SB800 (somewhere in the $220 - $240 range in the USA I would think- I got mine for about CA$250 in Canada) and is still a good flash. Unless the alternative is waaayyyy less money, I prefer to stick with the manufacturer's accessories. And although I didn't know this would be the case when I bought my SB600, I'm really diggin the wireless slave option. I've found I can do a lot of different lighting arrays with using the on camera flash to trigger the off camera flash in different positions (mainly for portraits, but I think there's many other situations where it would some in handy).</p>

<p>I myself get tired of hearing the same old line all the time about buying cheap off-brand stuff, but it really does prove to be true time after time. I'm no authority here but I think Nissin is mostly low end stuff you see on ebay. So if I was to go off brand I'd prefer to look at Sigma, which is probably close to the same price of the SB600 in which case I'd stick with the Nikon without a doubt, or *maybe* the Nikon compatible versions of Metz or Sunpak.... just do your research, google will set you free ;-)</p>

[ShunCheung]

<p>The iTTL flash is one item you probably don't want to buy third-party. At least according to Thom Hogan, all third-party iTTL flashes have comptibility issues. If you really cannot afford the SB-800, try the SB-600.</p>

[errol young]

<p>the 600 is great. I have both and find that the 600 is a bit easier to ues.</p>

[chris_werner]

<p>I have both SB 900 and SB 600 flashes and would echo the recommendations for the SB 600. Not only for iTTL, but to retain the flexibility to use the flash off camera with the camera set to Commander Mode, which your D80 can do. The SB 600 will run you a bit more than that Nissin, but I'm confident you will find it well worth it.</p>

[ramon_v__california_]

<p>last month i got a second sb-600 from adorama for US$172.00. you might run into compatibility issues with non-nikon flash units especially with iTTL.<br>

you are better off with older nikon flash units that your d-80 manual recommends with auto and manual settings.</p>

[paradoxbox]

<p>if you're going to buy a flash you may as well buy something cheap and keep it used off camera and use it in manual mode ala strobist.<br>

if you really need the TTL then save up for an sb800 as it really is worth it.<br>

otherwise go buy a used sb26 or sb28 in good condition for 80$, or buy 2 or 3, and have fun with lighting!</p>

[Ray House]

<p>I also have a D80 and use a Metz 48 AF-1, it has a higher guide # than SB600 and the head zooms to 105mm. I have had no compatibility issues even as a wireless remote. I paid $200. at Calumet. You should be able to get an SB600 for about $175.</p>

[luca_stramare2]

<p>Metz is the only non OEM flash I can speak well about for a Nikon Camera. I have found friends happy with Sunpack but the fact that back in 1997 I destroyed a Nikon F70 after I attached an universal flash on it, makes me stay on the safety side.</p>

[kohanmike]

<p>Another vote for the SB600. I have two I use with a D70s and commander mode is great.</p>

[paul_b.1]

<p>Another vote for Metz :<br>

<a href="http://www.metz.de/en/">http://www.metz.de/en/</a></p>

[andrew_fedon]

<p>This is interesting. I didn't know about these independent brands working with the new Nikons. Can we clarify a few things ? Are these made specifically to be dedicated to Nikon digital FX, or Dx, or for Canon digital say ? I mean, do I have to get the 'Metz 48'-eg, for a Nikon, or a Metz 48 for a Canon etc ? The zoom heads work, and proper i-TTL with those models works ? So what are the compatibilty issues ?</p>

[luca_stramare2]

<p>Those are dedicated flashes, much like the dedicated lenses that Tamron and Tokina make for Canon and Nikon AF cameras...<br>

<a href="http://www.metz.de/en/photo-electronics/mecablitz-models/system-flash-units.html">http://www.metz.de/en/photo-electronics/mecablitz-models/system-flash-units.html</a><br>

The compatibility issues I have been reported by experience of friends, were with the SCA units:<br>

<a href="http://www.metz.de/en/photo-electronics/mecablitz-models/sca-flash-units.html">http://www.metz.de/en/photo-electronics/mecablitz-models/sca-flash-units.html</a><br>

Those are the ones in which the flasgun is the same and you only change the SCA module, i.e. the interface between the flash and the camera. In other words, you use the same flash for a Canon and a Nikon camera, but a SCA module dedicated for Canon and one for Nikon.</p>

[peter_gilbert3]

<p>I have a Metz 40-MZ2 flash with the Nikon SCA that works in TTL mode on older film cameras (N65 in my case) but not with my D700 which uses the new iTTL. It will work in A and M modes however on the D700.<br>

There are rumors (or hopes?) that Nikon will soon update the SB600 - maybe worth waiting until after PMA in a month to see what eventuates.<br>

Peter</p>

[bms]

<p>SB600 all the way - buy online, I have seen it in stores as high as $250!!. Although I am awaiting a Metz 45 CL-4 digital to use with another (film) cameras and it is supposed to work with Nikon's iTTL. It would be bigger than your D80, though....</p>

[ian_packman1]

<p>it's 600 from me too :) you'll save in the long run.</p>

[kevjohn_on_mm]

<p>I just bought my first flash online yesterday. Picked up the SB600 for my D80 for about $160, after debating between that, the 800, and the 900. I figured that even if (when) I get an 800/900 down the road, I can still use the 600 as a slave.<br>

If I could have found a resonably priced 800 though, I would have gotten that instead. But as much as they're going for, from what I've found, you might as well get a 900 for two or three Jacksons more. Get the 600, or wait a month or two until you can save up for a 800/900. I couldn't wait. heh</p>

[andrew_fedon]

<p>You know, here I was, and others, bemoaning the fact that our older flashguns such as the SB-26 was useless on the D700 etc, and that we had fork out serious green stuff for something like a SB-800, but thanks to this wonderful thread I find out that there are fully dedicated indi flashes for our camera, and at fraction of the price. I am seriously looking into these as a viable flash alternative for my D700. I also found the Vivitar DF400MZ listing all the dedicated functions for the D-Nikons, at between $90 - $140. TEMPTING ! Maybe we could collate a list here of whats available, basic specs and price range for some kind of comparisson ?<br>

Shun, of course someone like Thom Hogan is going to recommend only Nikon stuff, ok for a professional and where money is no problem, but for others that want a cheaper alternative to the SB-800 and 900's, how bad can they be ? We are talking big flash names like Metz and Vivitar, with the dedicated functions such as auto zoom and i-TTL made specifically for those cameras, and at a 1/4 or 1/3 of the price of the Nikon equivalent.</p>

[luca_stramare2]

<p>Andrew, I have friends that are professional wedding photographers and use only Metz. They claim that on the long run, Metz is more reliable.</p>

[shuo_zhao]

<p>The SB-600 is actually quite good. It should be a good choice for what you want. The SB-800 and SB-900 are obviously better and more full-geatured; but that doesn't mean the SB-600 is bad.</p>

[frank_skomial]

<p>". I also found the Vivitar DF400MZ listing all the dedicated functions for the D-Nikons, at between $90 - $140. TEMPTING ! Maybe we could collate a list here of whats available, basic specs and price range for some kind of comparisson ?" - creating that list would loose any sense after stating the first one: - Vivitar is not compatible with Nikon CLS/iTTL yet.</p>

<p>To help you understand analogy, a little story:</p>

<p>The Napoleon Bonaparte liberated a little city of Lowicz, and there were no cannons salute fired on his victory entry to the city. He asked the welcomming city major: "Why you did not fire any cannons to salute me?" The major answered: " We have 22 reasons why we did not fire. The first one is that we do not have any cannons. The second reason is..." at this point Napoleon interrupted... "THAT IS ENOUGH!"</p>

<p>The same story is with incompatible flashes. You can have dozens of feature to compare, but how that matters ?</p>

[ndt_photo]

<p>SB-600 - amazon has it for $204 w/free shipping. You may want a remote cord to make it an off-camera flash, actually scratch that. You will want the cord, and depending on your needs look at the Nikon sc-28 or sc-29.</p>

[eric_arnold]

<p>the metz sounds like a good 3rd party option, but nikon's flash technology is even more proprietary than their lens/body tech. Ray House, did i read you correctly that it works with CLS just like a 600?</p>