Nikon Flash???

wilsnunn

wilsnunn

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I have broken the pop up flash on my D40 (I use the camera way too much for what it was intended for :bonk: apparently 15,000 shutter releases in 9 months and getting dropped quite a few times is bad for such a cheap camera :shrug:) and was wondering which flash would be best to get:

1) SB-400 (new)
2) SB-600 (new or 2nd hand)
3) SB-800 (2nd hand)
4) SB-900 (new or 2nd hand)

Out of all of these flashes which would you consider the best for just daily usage but nothing pro such as weddings (yet :D) or would you suggest an off brand flash instead? :thinking:
 
Hi there i have a SB400+600 400 is nice and portable not good for portrait's can't tilt up but can bounce on landcape. 600 is good for portrait's and landscape and is more powerful.:)
 
You maybe able to fix your D40 flash.

http://www.vimeo.com/3141400

If not then either the SB400 if you want something easy to use or the SB600 if you want to get a bit more power.

The SB800 & SB900 not really worth getting for the D40.
 
How on earth have you managed to drop your D40 several times?

Seriously, before spending £300 on a flash learn how to stop dropping things - seriously, an SB-600 / SB-800 won't survive it.
 
Can i ask why you keep dropping your camera :thinking:
 
puddleduck said:
How on earth have you managed to drop your D40 several times?

Seriously, before spending £300 on a flash learn how to stop dropping things - seriously, an SB-600 / SB-800 won't survive it.
Click to expand...

Just beat me to it andy :)
 
Well, when I say quite a few times I mean twice. Once on a tripod in a tiled kitchen, my rampant cat ran into the tripod while on a long shutter release photo and it hurtled towards the floor breaking my 18-55mm (good excuse for a replacement, I hated that lens) and also smashing my flash open and leaving the bulb exposed, and the second time had lent it to a friend to do some work with and he dropped it onto a car park, he broke his lens that time :P and after that, the flash never worked :thinking: , and thanks Wilky76 I will look into it :)
 
Read what you will into the wisdom of this chap, but it'll give you some pointers for sure : SB400
 
Ah Ken, I love that man, I have read through all of his flash articles, and was still unsure which was why I came here. The thing is that I am a bit sceptical about what he has to say about the cheap Nikon cameras, he seems to adore the D40 and think that it is the best thing since sliced bread, I on the other hand hate my D40 and I am silently waiting till the day it decides to relieve me of itself and I can have an excuse for a nice pro camera. And by the way, the cat has been taken care of, and the friend now has his own DSLR which has yet to be dropped, I am a little suspicious! (he was very jealous when I got my D40)
 
Too late for current problem. but Might be worth in investing in some accidental damage insurance cover?
 
I have the SB400 and it is very basic, but it does the job and is a million times better than the on board thing. And as flash opens up a whole new world of its own I'd suggest that as a starting point it'll teach you everything you want to know without the bells and whistles of the bigger guns. Personally I think it only really lacks one thing for basic flash work and that's the ability to rotate 90 degress for shots in portrait. It's a pity there's no such thing as the SB500 - which is the SB400 with vertical and horizontal rotation, coz that would be the one.
 
sb600 if you can, i had the 400 and the problem is it wont tilt for portraits.
 
Hi wilsnunn - jsut wondering if you made a decisionon on which flash?

be interested in what you went for in the end and your thoughts on it, I'm looking at making a similar decision (apart from not looking at SB400)

cheers
 
I have the 800 and my dad has the 900. The only real difference is a slightly more friendly interface on the 900. And its slightly bigger. The 800 is fine for just about anything, ive shot weddings with mine. However if you dont mind dishing out the extra cash then the 900 certainly wouldnt be a bad investment.
 
r_enhy said:
Hi wilsnunn - jsut wondering if you made a decisionon on which flash?

be interested in what you went for in the end and your thoughts on it, I'm looking at making a similar decision (apart from not looking at SB400)

cheers
Click to expand...

I am yet to make the decision, but i think that i do not like the idea of a SB-400 and i am being lent a 900 soon so il see what i think of it...
 
wilsnunn said:
i am being lent a 900 soon so il see what i think of it...
Click to expand...

You should enjoy using the 900, just make sure you don't drop it :D
 
I've got both SB900 and the SB800 units, but to be honest, if you're doing stuff at reasonable distances, the older SB80dx would still be fine (and I carry one in my spares bag, just in case) - there was nothing wrong with it 5 years ago and it's still a good flash unit...
 
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