SB-600s to SB-900. Worth upgrading?

GFWilliams

GFWilliams

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I've currently got 2 SB-600s in my kit bag and use one of them on every shoot I do, but normally leave the other in my kit bag and it doesn't get used.

I shoot cars professionally and am wondering if the difference in power is that noticeable between the SB-600 and SB-900.

Also, what's the user interface like on the SB-900? can you set it up quickly when required? I'm alright with learning how to use technology, but would quite like it to be quick to use.
 
Worth a read

I sold my sb-900 a couple of months ago and even though the sb-900 is easy to use with nicer knobs and dials etc. I guess I just rather wanted to release the cash to get some better glass. I still have my sb-600 and use it regularly. Maybe worth a look at the sb-700's after Christmas?
 
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SB-900 is probably about a full stop more powerful than the 600 but i guess if you need that depends on if you find yourself using full power frequently on your SB600. The 900 also allows a lot more control of the shape of the light coming out of the flash head.... you can choose between a wide beam and narrow beam (or in the middle) as well as the normal flash zoom. Pretty easy to set up.... dedicated buttons for main functions like zoom, power, mode selector, exposure compensation, and a scroll wheel to go into the menu for the less frequently touched settings.

The Nikon CLS system works well on it too but i guess most of your work is with the flash off-camera in manual mode, so in that regard maybe an SB800 would be a cheaper alternative (about 2/3 stop more power than a 600).
 
Just out of interest George, when you're using it on 1/1 power, what ISO and settings are you generally getting.

Up the ISO and you'll get more flexibility - plus quicker recharge and lower battery use - so you can effectively push more light into the shot.

Say, if you're shooting on ISO 100 and only just getting enough from the flash, push that incredible sensor in the D700 up to say 1600 and you've given yourself four stops of light plus (if I remember rightly) an more power from the flash because it's not having to work so hard. Then it gives you options to add light modifiers light softboxes without much of a loss of light.

This should be good for you because, if I remember from seeing your work, you generally work outdoors so that flash also has to work hard against the ambient.

Hope this helps
 
I change the settings depending on how I want to balance the flash with ambient. This goes up to the point where the sync speed means I can't up the shutter speed any more. More power would mean that in bright conditions I could balance the flash with ambient on a car better (remember that I've got to light a whole car which can often be quite absorbent of light and is quite big)
 
By settings I meant are you generally going for big f numbers for maximum DoF. Obviously dropping those will give you more light to play with but then again, you'll end up with fast shutters and a crap ambient balance.

Yeah, the problem with FP and high shutter speed is going to be the loss of power, which will be no good for a big subject.

Apologies too, I was only thinking statics and not motion shots.
 
I think an SB900 would help over a 600. For a car you can set beam to wide and with the full stop of extra power you'll stand more of a chance in daylight.... if you dont want to spend extra any reason you can't fire both your SB-600's at the same time side by side to double your power output? Both can be triggered together by the D700 pop up flash
 
Did that change at the start of the year. Great decision. 900 is more powerful and better for me, has much better controls on the back. Far easier to use. I say get one!
 
Have you thought of using the money to get an extra sb600 if you are only using cls?
 
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