Need a cheap 2nd flash for D300 :)

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SuperCNJ

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I'm considering getting a second flash unit to use remotely alongside my SB-800. As I won't be using this second flash all the time I don't want to spend too much on it.

I'm thinking that one of the old nikon flashes may work like the SB-80DX but I'm not 100% sure so thought I best check with you guys. If it doesn't work very well then I may have to bite the bullet and get a 2nd hand SB600.

I'd be mainly using it for taking still shots of cars and people with the flashes positioned in different angles. Any recommendations on this?

Thanks

SuperCNJ
 
i use a nissin speedlite which comes Nikon compatable, very easy to set as a slave and the price has dropped below £100 or is that above budget?
 
I've just bought a couple of SB 600's for for some extra strobing. I wanted to be able to use TTL so spent a bit extra (you can get them for around £150 each but photo gear is going up at the moment, especially lenses!

You might want to look at some Nikon SB 24, 25 or 26's though if you're not bothered about keeping TTL and going full manual. They're hard to find though at the mo but if you can should be around £50 each I think...
 
Thanks for the ideas guys. I would love a SB600 to accompany my SB800 but I prefer not to spend that much if I can help it as I don't think I will use it much.

The nissin is still a bit dear for me, I've seen the SB80DX go for about £50 as said which is about what I'd like to spend. Problem is I don't know if this will work wirelessly with my D300 and SB800? :shrug:

Or are there any wireless ones I can get for around the same price?
 
I'm not goign to pretend that I know alot about flashes etc. but I have been following the prices on ebay for a couple of weeks now, if you are going to go for an old SB-24 -> SB-28 the current average prices are:

SB-24 -> £70 - £85
SB-25 -> £50 - £65
SB-26 -> £80 - £90
SB-28 -> £90 - 100

These prices are based up until about 14/1/09. IF you like I can re-do my data to include some more up to date prices.
From what I've seen the SB-25 always goes for consistently lower than the others. The other thing to watch out for is if you do do a search on E-bay include worldwide sellers. I narrowly missed out on an SB-28 for £50. The secret is to look for the guys who don't have an international shipping price listed and message them to ask.

Heres a link for the SB-26 at strobist that might help
http://strobist.blogspot.com/2006/05/for-few-dollars-more-nikon-sb-26.html

and one for the SB-24
http://strobist.blogspot.com/2006/04/steal-this-flash-nikon-sb-24.html

Have a look through the article and comments. There might be something to help. I don't know though cause frankly I'm somewhere below a novice at lighting (but I'm tight as a ducks bottom on saving money). Since I'm already looking at flash prices, I could send some promising looking numbers from fleabay...
 
SuperCNJ said:
Thanks for the ideas guys. I would love a SB600 to accompany my SB800 but I prefer not to spend that much if I can help it as I don't think I will use it much.

The nissin is still a bit dear for me, I've seen the SB80DX go for about £50 as said which is about what I'd like to spend. Problem is I don't know if this will work wirelessly with my D300 and SB800? :shrug:

Or are there any wireless ones I can get for around the same price?
Click to expand...

I *think* the SB 26 has a built in slave cell that will fire the flash when it sees another flash go off, so will work wirelessly aye. Could be wrong though - I gave up on looking into the SB 24,6,8 etc when I saw how hard they seem to get now, and the prices have gone up as indicated above.
 
Heres the Price Info for 07/01/09 -> 18/01/09

Make = Average - Highest - Lowest

SB-24 = £61.25 --- £75 ------ £45
SB-25 = £50.44 --- £65 ------ £25
SB-26 = £74.30 --- £102 ----- £26
SB-28 = £82.28 --- £150 ----- £43
SB-28DX = £45 There was only one during time frame (in UK)
SB-80DX = £95.65 -- £120 ---- £88.24

These figures DO NOT include postage. This can often add significantly to the cost of a purchase. Some of these figures include internation sellers (mostly the SB-28 and SB-26)

For reference, I manage to pick up an SB-28 and an SB-24 for £100 (not including postage) and £130 including postage. I have some more info that includes postage but thats at home.

Hope this helps...
 
Thanks for all the information. The prices of flashes do vary so much. I think you have jsut got to watch ebay and try and find a bargin. I have been looking out for a second flash but havent found any absolute bargins yet.

Will
 
Forgive my ignorance but could you not just get any old flash and use it with one of those separate slave modules?
Or do the older Nikon flashes offer some advantages?
 
f1charlie said:
Forgive my ignorance but could you not just get any old flash and use it with one of those separate slave modules?
Or do the older Nikon flashes offer some advantages?
Click to expand...

Yes you could, ideally it needs to be one where you can adjust the power output though
 
Do you mean manually or from the camera? I've got some Sunpaks where there is 5 step power adjustment in manual mode.
 
Manually - if you're using optical triggers then you won't be able adjust the flashes from the camera. In your case you could only do that with a flash that works with Nikon CLS - like the SB-600/800/900
 
If your just looking for manual control then the Vivtar 283 has manual adjustments (if it has the vario unit, VP 1 I think its called) but you'll need another way of sinking it. Cheapo ebay triggers will do the job. Couple things to watch out for though.

1) The vario unit: Not all 283's come with this. This is bad in the sense that you can't vary the power, but good cause they tend to go for less money with out the adjustments. There are plent of fairly simple DIY methods of making a variable power control where you acn have total control (basically a linear potentiometer) or you an go for stepped control (ie a clicky dial with each point set to a fixed power.

2) Watch the trigger voltage of the flash. Some of these things have huge trigger voltages. Hence why I've heard them refered to as the Japanease Death Flash (I think thats because the 'made in Japan' ones have the large voltage, but I could be wrong. However this goes for a lot of manual flashes.
Follow below to see some info on various voltages.
http://www.botzilla.com/photo/strobeVolts.html
so be careful you don't fry your camera (it also affects what type of trigger you can use).

Here's a link to a wiki page with more info on different flashes (I think it also links to a more complete list of flashes with variable output)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flash_Comparison

If I'm wrong on any of the above, please let me know. ;)
 
koomber said:
If your just looking for manual control then the Vivtar 283 has manual adjustments (if it has the vario unit, VP 1 I think its called) but you'll need another way of sinking it. Cheapo ebay triggers will do the job. Couple things to watch out for though.

1) The vario unit: Not all 283's come with this. This is bad in the sense that you can't vary the power, but good cause they tend to go for less money with out the adjustments. There are plent of fairly simple DIY methods of making a variable power control where you acn have total control (basically a linear potentiometer) or you an go for stepped control (ie a clicky dial with each point set to a fixed power.

2) Watch the trigger voltage of the flash. Some of these things have huge trigger voltages. Hence why I've heard them refered to as the Japanease Death Flash (I think thats because the 'made in Japan' ones have the large voltage, but I could be wrong. However this goes for a lot of manual flashes.
Follow below to see some info on various voltages.
http://www.botzilla.com/photo/strobeVolts.html
so be careful you don't fry your camera (it also affects what type of trigger you can use).

Here's a link to a wiki page with more info on different flashes (I think it also links to a more complete list of flashes with variable output)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flash_Comparison

If I'm wrong on any of the above, please let me know. ;)
Click to expand...

All 283s will fry a dslr as will most 285 and 285HV flashes. Only the "new" made in China 285HV model is dslr safe and they've been discontinued for the moment....
 
thanks for clearing that up. Better to be corrected than defibrillate a camera. :bonk:
 
thanks guys but can anyone confirm whether the SB-80DX will work wirelessly with the D300, like the SB800 does?
 
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