DPanswers

Nikon Flash Models

Table of Contents

1. Introduction
   • How to read the tables
2. Nikon Dedicated Flash Models
   • Usage notes
   • Review Links
3. SB-600 vs. SB-900
4. Review Site Links

1. Introduction

This note lists dedicated flash units for Nikon's CLS system that are made by Nikon.

Disclaimer: I have not tested all the units discussed in this note myself. The data have been copied from various sources, such as Nikon's web site, private communica­tions, manuals, discussion forums, and other sources. I've included it here “as is”. The information may not be complete or correct, and corrections are welcome.

For corrections, or if you want to share a review about one of these units, or just would like to comment, please user the blog (public) or the feedback form (private).

How to read the tables

• Model is the model designation you'll find for the unit on the manufacturer's homepage. For dedicated third party units, any part of he model designation that signifies system dedication has been removed.
• Coverage is given in focal lengths (f) for an FX-sized sensor.
• GN (guide number) is given in meters, for ISO 100. For guide numbers in feet, multiply by 3.3. To convert to a different sensor speed, multiply the ISO 100 GN with the square root of the ISO ratio. For flashes with a zoom head, the guide number is listed for with the zoom set to 35mm, 50mm and maximum zoom (assuming an FX-sized sensor), with a “centre weighted” illumination pattern.
• WL indicates if the flash is capable of wireless operation. The letters “m” and/or “r” in this column indicates whether the unit can be used as a AWL master and/or remote unit. The letter “s” in this column indicates if the flash has a built in plain optical slave function (called SU-4 in Nikon's literature).
• Cost is what you may expect to pay. Prices are collected from the web pages of leading retailers at irregular intervals. Prices goes up and down all the time, so only treat this column as a rough guideline.

Note that if you are use GNs for doing comparisons, note that the guide number you'll find in most manufacturer's literature is for the zoom head at its maximum setting (e.g. f=105mm). This makes it difficult to make direct power comparisons with flash units from other manufacturers, who may list use another zoom setting as reference for GNs. For zoom head flashes, I try to list the GN for three different settings of the zoom head (35mm, 50mm, and maximum).

The notion of an illumination pattern was introduced by Nikon with the SB-900. The SB-900 zoom head can be set to three different illuminations patterns (“standard”, “centre weighted” and “even”). This option is not available on any of the older models. However, if you examine the illumination pattern emitted by the older Speedlights, it does not resemble the “standard” pattern of the SB-900, but the “centre weighted” one where the corners may be up to 2 stops darker then the centre. The same goes for third party flashes. As a result, to facilitate the most fair comparison between the SB-900 and other flash units from Nikon and others, I've opted for quoting the GN for “centre weighted” illumination pattern.

2. Nikon Dedicated Flash Models

The tabulated summaries above only lists some of the features of each flash. If you want to know all the technical details and features, please see Nikon's specification sheets. You'll fin them on Nikon website.

Notes:

1. AWL Speedlight Commander SU-800. LCD. Infrared control of SB-R200, SB-600, SB-800, or SB-900.
2. Macro flash. No LCD. AWL remote unit only. Cannot be attached to accessory shoe, but use a special mount around lens rim.
3. D90 built-in pop-up flash. GN in i-TTL mode. As far as I know, the built-in flash on all current Nikon models have similar GN and coverage, but the built-in flash on Nikon's entry level bodies do not offer commander mode.
4. No LCD. Tilt (4 steps), no swivel. No zoom. No AWL. Manual mode can only be selected via a custom setting in a menu on a compatible camera. This setting is only available on D40/D90/D300 and their successors. All five contacts must be connected to a Nikon body to fire.
5. GNs taken from p. 35 in the manual.
6. Discontinued 2008. Also Non-TTL auto. PC socket. GNs taken from p. 42 in the manual.
7. Also Non-TTL auto. DX/FX aware. Firmware can be updated. PC socket. GNs taken from p. F-18 in the manual, centre-weighted illumination.

If you plan mixing Nikon Speedlights with third party flash using plain optical slave triggers, see our notes on compatibility.

Usage notes

Nikon's older zoom head flashes SB-600 and SB-800 do not take the sensor size into account when zooming. This is not a problem with Nikon compact cameras because their interface seamlessly convert actual focal lengths to FX FOV – but it wastes power when the flash is used on a DX digital camera by zooming out too wide. The SB-900 is designed to be DX/FX-aware to compensate for this.

The SB-800 have a fifth battery option for those that want shorter recycle times. It is a hassle to install the holder for the fifth battery (see below), and my SB-800 works well enough with just 4 NiMH batteries. However, if you want to fit the holder for fifth battery on the SB-800, here's how:

1. Open the cover as usual and then firmly continue the rotation past 90°. Do not twist the cover since you will induce stress fractures on the tiny plastic knobs that will break it off eventually.
2. Fit the holder for the fifth battery in the place of the lid.

You use the same procedure to remove the holder and re-install the lid.

Review Links

• SB-400:
  • Ken Rockwell
• SB-600:
  • Ken Rockwell
• SB-800:
  • Edwin Leong
• SB-900:
  • Thom Hogan
  • Strobist

3. SB-600 vs. SB-900

The AWL Speedlight Commander and macro units are clearly not mainstream units.

The SB-400 has no zoom or swivel, and does not support AWL. I think that this puts it into a class of its own, for those that want a lightweight no-frills shoe-mounted flash with i-TTL.

The SB-800 is discontinued.

This means that the two Nikon units most buyers consider is the SB-600 and the SB-900. The table below gives a detailed comparison between the two (GNs for SB-600 taken from p. 35 in the manual. GNs for SB-900 taken from p. F-18 in the manual, center-weighted illumination.):

1. With 4 NiMH 2600 mAh batteries. The figures assume that every flash is a full discharge. Note that these figures does not mean that the SB-900 will give you fewer flashes than SB-600 during normal i-TTL operation. They simply reflects the fact that the SB-900 outputs more power at each full discharge.
2. Firmware update via compatible cameras (e.g. Nikon D3, D3x and D700) is possible.
3. Not compatible with CLS.

4. Review Site Links

• FredMiranda.com: User reviews
• Photo-Tips-Online.com: Reviews
• The-Digital-Picture.com: Flash and Lighting Accessory Reviews

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