dan_brown4 Posted March 19, 2003 Share Posted March 19, 2003 I used to have a N90s and SB-26, and that was a great combo. The N90s is long gone and now I have a D100. Question, which Nikon flash is the best one for this camera. SB-28 or SB-80 (or other)? Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jim_gifford Posted March 19, 2003 Share Posted March 19, 2003 You need a speedlight with a "DX" in its model name to be able to take advantage of the digital TTL flash feature of your D100 digital body. The SB-28 comes in both plain and DX flavors. All SB-80 flashes are DX capable. You also could use the SB-50DX on your D100... less expensive and less powerful than the -28DX or -80DX speedlight, and uses lithium batteries rather than AA batteries. You ask which is best for the camera, and I think it's pretty much a tie between the SB-28DX and the SB-80DX. There may be some advantage to the newer SB-80DX as its later introduction allowed the engineers more time to get the digital TTL function right. Have fun, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark_scheuern Posted March 19, 2003 Share Posted March 19, 2003 The metal foot and nice locking lever on the SB-80DX are significant improvements over the SB-28DX, in my opinion. I think the SB-50DX has those features as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rick_gray Posted March 19, 2003 Share Posted March 19, 2003 Go for the SB-80DX; it can do it all and is transferable to a Nikon digital camera i.e. D100. Cheers! Rick Gray Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dan_brown4 Posted March 19, 2003 Author Share Posted March 19, 2003 Thanks, I'll get the '80. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hal_bissinger Posted March 19, 2003 Share Posted March 19, 2003 Yup, I would recommend the '80DX. Even though the '28DX is a redesigned '28 for use with the digital bodies, it has been reported that it does have some problems in that area that the '80DX takes care of. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dougs Posted March 19, 2003 Share Posted March 19, 2003 remember you can use the on camera flash together with the external flash, i get good results with my D100 and SB-50DX flash unit. for what its worth to you Doug Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
janet_zinn Posted April 1, 2003 Share Posted April 1, 2003 I have a similar query--I have an SB-28 (non-DX) which I use with my F100; I'm looking to purchase a D100 in the next couple of months. Is the SB-28non-DX compatible with the D100? What functionality would I lose? Ug, I figured in the extra costs for memory, batteries etc etc but I am sure hoping I won't have to buy a new flash, at least not immediately! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jim_gifford Posted April 1, 2003 Share Posted April 1, 2003 Janet, for use on a D100 the SB-28 is pretty severely restricted. I believe the scenario plays out like this: The D100 won't allow your regular SB-28 unit to function in any of its TTL modes (regular TTL, TTL Matrix or 3D Matrix Balanced Fill Flash). All you'll have is manual and Auto modes, roughly the equivalent of a humble Vivitar 283 flash. The camera will just tell the flash when to fire. The rest of the calculations wind up being handled by you (manual flash mode) or by the flash's own light sensor (auto flash mode). Sorry to bear bad news! The technical term for this is "a bummer." I also have an SB-28 and I'll need to factor in the cost of the current equivalent (an SB-80DX) to get the same sort of flash performance whenever I buy a D100. Or I suppose I could get some other -DX series flash, possibly with less power or fewer features or an appetite for those pricey lithium batteries... or whatever. Then of course there's the cost of flash cards, and photo handling software, and probably a new computer that will be happier with fast transfers of big fat digital files... See why I haven't jumped yet? If I were shooting 200 rolls of film a year (or more) and could balance that recurring cost against the purchase of a D100 with all the requisite goodies, it'd be pretty easy to justify the switch. Since I'm more of a one-roll-a-week kind of guy, the costs of moving to digital would take rather a long time to amortize. Probably long enough that Nikon would have a shiny NEW body with tasty new features and lots more megapixels. With my luck, some time after I chuck the SB-28 and get an SB-80DX the Nikon folks will start selling affordable digital bodies that work just fine with older speedlights. Have fun, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
janet_zinn Posted April 2, 2003 Share Posted April 2, 2003 You're right, there's only one word for this-- BUMMER!! :-( I'm going to have to rethink---the cost of a new flash obliterates any savings I thought I was recognizing with Nikon just dropping the D100 price by $300. And like you, I'm definitely not a 200 roll a year type. It will take a lot of rationalization to justify (although I'm good at that!) Sigh. Just one more question--if I break down and buy a DX-capable flash, such as the SB-28DX, is it fully compatible with my F100 and N90s? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jim_gifford Posted April 2, 2003 Share Posted April 2, 2003 <<if I break down and buy a DX-capable flash, such as the SB-28DX, is it fully compatible with my F100 and N90s?>> Yes, fully compatible with both. The SB-80DX also would be. Some folks have reported that the SB-80DX is the better buy because it apparently has a more successful implementation of the digital (D-TTL in Nikon parlance) flash technology. Have fun, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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