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Compatible Cameras for New Nikon Speedlight SB400
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I get asked regularly about dedicated Flash Guns for various cameras. So I’m doing some research on the new Nikon SB400 Speedlight Flash Gun. Nikon’s various web sites and their press release just mention that the flash is compatible with “Nikon i-TTL Cameras”.
While which camers this means may be obvious to some I found it frustrating that there was no actual listing of compatible cameras. After much searching I came up with a definitive list. According to kenrockwell.com the SB400 “works perfectly on the D40, D50, D70, D80, D200, and D2X. I’m unsure if it will work on the film cameras or the older D100 and D1x cameras. They used a different flash system (TTL or D-TTL).”
The SB400 is a dedicated flash that doesn’t swivel, but does tilt. Might be worth a look for the owners of the above cameras.
Prices for the various flash Nikon Speedlights are: SB800 – approx ?450, SB600 – approx ?300, SB400 – approx ?200.
Hmmm wasn’t aware of the SB400. I just got the SB800 a couple of weeks ago.
Mark
The SB800 is a stunning flash gun. I have one myself, but it’s price, and the price of the SB600 put a lot of newbies off. It seems the SB400 is aimed at hobbyists who want to get better quality flash shots. And about time too!!!
I’ve got the SB800, and it does have some remarkable features,
such as the ability to be used wirelessly off-camera,
controlled by the D200’s pop up flash (which is quite useless for anything else).The camera can control multiple flash units, arranged in up to 4 groups;
The only thing that stops me experimenting with lighting set-ups like this
is the multiples of ?450 required to add extra flash units to my collection.Pro cameras (the D2’s) need to use an SB800 on camera to act as a commander unit;
in this respect they are similar to the Canon’s wireless system,
which also requires an additional piece of kit
to wirelessly control external flash (on the 1dsMKII)However, although not directly comparable to some of my other flash units
(due mostly to the sophistication of the SB800)
I do find it lacks raw power, for Nikon’s current flagship flash unit;
less than half the power of my old Olympus T32 with a 24mm lens, for example,
and I sometimes have to forego the sophistication altogether,
and revert to the CT45-
for static subjects especially,
and for balance and fill,
you just can’t beat the high guide numbers.Though I’m willing to be persuaded otherwise-
Should anyone have a bag of SB800/600s to experiment with-I’d love to give that a go-
j
jb7 wrote:
Though I’m willing to be persuaded otherwise-
Should anyone have a bag of SB800/600s to experiment with-I’d love to give that a go-
j
I have a 600 and an 800 – what’s the chances of lot’s of us getting together for a few hours one day and combining all our flash power to see what can really be done with the CLS.
Sounds like an excellent Idea-
Have to think up a project for it now-obviously, in an interior situation, they’d just act like bare light bulbs-
And whereas this would be my usual subject matter,
(and I’d like to give that a go)
maybe it’d be better to think of an exterior shoot,
mixed with daylight-Ciaran, you use one of the D2 cameras,
so you need a SB800 to act as commander, right?ciaran wrote:
what’s the chances of lot’s of us getting together for a few hours one day and combining all our flash power
get together for a bit of flashing. sounds very iffy to me.
cairain do you like my new donkey?
Are we to assume that you’ve picked your best side? :D
Good avatar PaddyJoe,
Keep up the good work-j
jb7 wrote:
Ciaran, you use one of the D2 cameras,
so you need a SB800 to act as commander, right?Yup, the D2X doesn’t have an on camera flash, so I have to use one of the speedlights as the commander. I think the SB600 can be used as a commander too? Must look that up.
PaddyJoe wrote:
cairain do you like my new donkey?
Yup Paddy.. it looks great! Bet it doesn’t look a bit like you though ;)
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