Alternate Brand Flash

[jaymichaels]

.

So the bank is drained by buying a new camera ( D500 ) arriving in a few days.

I need a flash unit to go with it as there's no built in flash. I primarily use flash as a fill in harsh shadow lighting conditions.

The cost of a Nikon Speedlight is out of the question right now. I've come across this:

Neewer 750II TTL Flash Speedlite with LCD Display for Nikon

 

selling new for $ 50.00. The reviews I found praised the unit.

Think It's worth wild to get while waiting for a Nikon unit down the road?

 

[burchanda]

Used Nikon SB800 for less then $200, New SB700 $350. Do you want to risk cooking your D500 electronics.

[rodeo_joe1]

"Do you want to risk cooking your D500 electronics."

- Scaremongering twaddle! The chances of that happening are pretty much zero.

 

The SB-700 has half the light output of an SB-800 or the Neewer 750.

 

Neewer stuff is rebadged YongNuo or other makers' gear. Better to buy without Neewer's intervention IMO.

 

I was extremely impressed with the performance and build quality of a YN560 iii, but that's a purely manual flash.

 

I also have some Godox "Ving" V860N speedlights that are fully i-ttl and CLS compatible. These take a high capacity Li-ion battery that allows extremely fast recycling to full power. Another unit worth considering, at just a slightly higher price than the Neewer.

 

Do NOT be tempted by a Meike 910, it has a pathetically low output!

Edited August 18, 2017 by rodeo_joe|1

[Sandy Vongries]

Metz for Nikon, any model. I don't use flash much but the little 24 AF 1 is TTL & works a treat on both DF & D 750. Larger modelss are more powerful.

[bebu_lamar]

I use a bunch of different brands flashes on my Nikon DSLR. None of them support TTL but all support A mode which is fine for me.

[Wouter Willemse]

I've got a pair of Yongnuo YN568ex, and for the money it's really quite alright. I do prefer my SB700, even if it's slightly less powerful, but it's easier to use and more consistent than my Yongnuo's but indeed it costs a fair bit more. The YN568 has iTTL.

[heimbrandt]

Cheaper flashes may very well be alright, but if you want to make sure that there is no colour cast (mostly relevant for fill-flash) and that the illumination is (mostly relevant for FX) I would recommend a Nikon or a Metz.

 

If you are on a budget, consider used flashes. I know some advice against it but I do not. I would rather get a used Nikon or Metz than a new flash from another manufacturer. The Nikon SB-800 is quite cheap and these days and work with most Nikon SLRs ever made. The SB-600 is even smaller and cheaper. Both offer iTT, CLS (the SB-800 can double as a master and trigger other flashes) and AF-assist. If you do not like it, resell it.

[bebu_lamar]

I have a Metz 60CT4 and it works well but it's kinda bulky. I used to have 60CT2 and 45CT1.

[tholte]

The top of the line Yongnuo's are great and are around $110. If you feel better spending $500-$700 for the top of the line Canon or Nikon, nothing wrong with that.

[SCL]

I've used Metz flashes on my Nikon digitals & Leicas for years...IMHO they do a great job. I don't bother with TTL anymore,

[rodeo_joe1]

" I don't bother with TTL anymore,"

 

- And why would you?

The i-TTL pre-flash introduces a delay of about 1/10th second, which may well be enough to lose a good expression.

 

I've found that Auto-Aperture mode is utterly reliable for on-camera flash (if you must!) and more consistent than i-TTL. It can easily be used for fill by setting the flash AA aperture a couple of stops wider than the shooting aperture on the lens. Or setting the flash ISO higher. Either works to give a weaker flash than ambient.

 

Non i-TTL Nikon speedlights with AA mode can be got for a fraction of what's asked for a used SB-800.

The SB-24, 25, 26, etc. are all just as powerful as an SB-910 and IMO have better build quality plus a much simpler UI.

[rick_jack1]

I.agree, Metz flashes are very good. Why not simply use the built in flash? If your planning on doing some serious work, the way to go is off camera flash on a flip bracket and I would recommend Quantum or Metz with a Stroboframe bracket. Forget the hot shoe Nikon strobes. Give the built in flash a chance and save your money for a good flash setup if the majority of your work is with flash.

[ben_hutcherson]

I've found that Auto-Aperture mode is utterly reliable for on-camera flash (if you must!) and more consistent than i-TTL. It can easily be used for fill by setting the flash AA aperture a couple of stops wider than the shooting aperture on the lens. Or setting the flash ISO higher. Either works to give a weaker flash than ambient.

 

My first SLR came with a Vivitar 283, and for a while I used it in full blown manual mode using the handy GN calculator dial since I didn't quite understand how "auto thyristor"(as Vivitar called it) worked. Of course, that method has some big disadvantages in that the 283 has no manual control over the flash output(although it can be accomplished using the thyristor from the 285) and you blind folks, run down the battery, and have to wait for recycle if you do a full dump on every exposure. Once I figured out Auto Thyristor, though, I was thrilled-just set the ASA on the calculator dial then adjust the camera aperture and flash output to match and it just works. The only caveat, of course, is that you have to account for filter factors.

 

I ended up investing a fair bit in the Vivitar "system" as it is(all used of course). Among other things, Vivitar made a cable that allows you to locate the flash off-camera but keep they "eye" on the camera so the exposures remain correct. I think the old Metz "potato mashers" use the same set-up. You can even use additional strobes provided that they're relatively low in output compared to the main flash.

 

Of course, my first flash had a trigger voltage of well over 300V so I don't trust it for modern use directly triggered by the camera. I have newer ones with 6V triggers, however.

 

I now mostly use a Metz shoe mount flash on older cameras as it has a bounce/swivel head and is brighter than the 283, but it works and gives perfect exposures every time. Metz made shoes to couple to virtually every brand camera, although I've not gone looking for them and just use the plain shoe., I also mostly use a Canon 299T with FD mount cameras as it can communicate the set aperture to the camera(I think it still works on current Canons), but it works on the same principal. I have the 300TL that's specific to the T90, but it gets sidelined now in favor of a 580EX that works fine on the T90 also.

 

In any case, since I still play with some first gen DSLRs, I tend to use auto on my SB-800 or Metz a fair bit in auto mode since dTTL is a pretty poor system. The FinePix S3 Pro(N80 with a Fuji SuperCCD) only supports dTTL, for example. I get good results with iTTL and plain old TTL, but agree that iTTL has its issues also.

 

Still, as you suggested, the 1970s "Auto" technology still works great for many situations.

[rodeo_joe1]

" Why not simply use the built in flash? "

 

- Because the D500 doesn't have one!

[mike_halliwell]

I've got 4 YN560 mk IIIs and they have all been very well behaved with various of the manual RF controller modules...RF605n or somesuch.

 

I tried a YN658 i-ttl and the user interface is dire....

 

I'd love to afford Nikon stuff, but it's hugely overpriced.

[CvhKaar]

" Why not simply use the built in flash? "

 

- Because the D500 doesn't have one!

o_O:(:D