Nikon Speedlights SB800 & SB600 Product Review

Like a professional photographer I've been making use of Nikon Speedlights for about ten many years now. Previously, that is prior to I switched to all electronic, I utilised a Bronica Medium format video digital camera and Sunpak, "potato-masher" type flash for editorial and marriage assignments.

Due to the fact I switched to all digital in 2000, I've got utilized Nikon DSLRs plus the Nikon Speedilights, SB800 and SB600. They're both rugged minor flash units with plenty of energy.

The SB800 is slightly much more impressive than the SB600 having a guidebook variety of 125 at ISO 100 versus 118 to the SB600. Nonetheless the manual amounts do fluctuate with the degree of zoom utilised. I get F8 out of my SB800 at ten feet and ISO hundred aided by the zoom set to 50mm at full strength. When I add the SB600 at 50 percent strength, I get F9.

The SB800 and SB600 are really virtually the exact same sizing and excess weight at two.8x5.1x3.7 inches and 350grams to the SB800, and 2.7x4.9x3.5 ins and 300 grams for your SB600. Plus they equally have virtually every one of the same characteristics and controls.

Due to the fact I specialize in portrait images, I use the Speedlights when doing work on site. I actually appreciate the gentle bodyweight and small measurement with the models, as each and every ounce counts when carrying a total gear bag alongside a stretch of seaside for a 50 mile, or hiking up a mountain path to acquire for the locations!

What I really like about these flash items could be the way they've a created in diffusion/ zoom method. As all pro photographers know, the smaller the light source, the harsher the lgt and more challenging the shadows. However with these small buggers, employing the SB800 as my crucial light-weight, plus the SB600 for fill, I am capable of replicate identical appear as I get in my studio utilizing a 30x40 inch softbox on my key light-weight and a 4'x6.5' scrim in entrance of my fill lgt!

Usually I will zoom the SB800 to 50mm, and established the SB600 to 24 or 35mm. The outcome is usually a lovely soft gentle with mild transitions from highlights to shadows. Properly, actually they do produce specular highlights on noses and cheeks, but with just a little air brush in Photoshop, the effect is stunning, soft lighting.

I'm an "aged university" photographer, and like to control my products myself in lieu of let the products inside devices control publicity, so I operate every thing in manual mode. Having said that, the Nikon Speedlights have a very constructed in remote set off technique that also sees the light-weight output and would make adjustments. This function is referred to as the Resourceful Lighting Program, or CLS.

Perusing the manuals and attempting to utilize the CLS was not as successful for me as I'd have liked. We've been unable to figure out how you can use the CLS with all the flash units in manual so I can manage the output, even though I pair the lgts with Nikon cameras. Nevertheless, you can find other people who tell me they have been ready to try and do just that.

My main grievance in regards to the CLS is always that it is an inferred centered process, and thus the 'slave' flash(es) have to see the inferred beam coming through the 'Master' unit, and also the sensor is located on a person part with the flash. Like a consequence, the items should be in line of sight of the other person. And, due to the fact the grasp flash sends out a signal pre-flash, then computes the info ahead of firing the 'precise' flash, it delays the publicity. And in portrait pictures a lag amongst pressing the shutter discharge and creating the exposure is just not a great thing!

Read more information about Nikon SB-600 on the digital camera buying guide