flash choices

[aloysius]

Just wanting a bit of advice on flash units for my d50. Im wanting to get a dedicated flash unit to go with it...but am finding it hard to decide between sb-800, sb-600 and the sigma ef500 super. I have read reviews of all 3 and am falling on the side of the sb600 for what I want at this stage...but the price difference between all three is negligible so I am having trouble deciding.

I have no real brand loyalty...I like nikon gear but Im really happy with the sigma and tokina lenses I have so that isnt an issue.

I am toying with the idea of getting into wedding photography...so this flash will most likely be used in that situation.

cheers

[sirhc55]

No contest - SB800

[DStrom]

I have to agree ... If you don't think there is much difference in price, get the SB800 ...

[Oz_Beachside]

i went SB600, and regretted it. ended up getting the SB800(s) eventually, and now its pretty much redundant.

the SB800 has much more power, and also very nice recycle time with the 5th battery.

Also, if you later decide to experiment with multiple lights, you can extend your kit nicely, using your SB800 as a master to the others.

That aside, you get a stoffen softcap, and color correction gels with the SB800, which you dont get with the SB600, and that alone is half the difference in price. As someone who has both, I'd say the user interface is better on the SB800 too.

[aloysius]

Cool. No-one rates the sigma at all then? its the cheapest of the lot...and from what ive read seems to sit in the middle?

[aloysius]

i went SB600, and regretted it. ended up getting the SB800(s) eventually, and now its pretty much redundant.

couldnt be convinced to part with your 600 then? a second hand one might be a good way to dip toe in water so to speak.

[Oz_Beachside]

i went SB600, and regretted it. ended up getting the SB800(s) eventually, and now its pretty much redundant.

couldnt be convinced to part with your 600 then? a second hand one might be a good way to dip toe in water so to speak.

No, not worth it really, and I use it somtimes as a hairlight, or effects...

[aloysius]

looking around I can get the sb600 from BH for $252.993 AUD delivered...thats almost half the price of the sb800...and im not convinced that for my needs (not looking to buy more flashes at this stage...so no need for commander mode etc) the 800 is worth the extra pennies.

Ive had good experience buying from the states in the past...and with the way our dollar is at the moment....

[PiroStitch]

Consider it as an investment and get the SB800. Your sanity will thank you later

[Ivanerrol]

Get the 800.

One day you will upgrade from the D50. You will not need to upgrade a 800.

And the old saying proves true - Better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it.

One day you will need a function that the 800 has but 600 doesn't and you will kick yourself.

I use the 800 on Auto mode on my K100d. The 600 can't be used on this camera.

[xorl]

I'd definitely recommend the 800 over the 600. The SB-800 has SU-4 mode which will allow you to use it off camera with your D50 - no extra dedicated flashes required, just the onboard flash. I find this immensely useful. You need to manually set the flash power, but with a little experience it don't take much time and it gives you heaps of control.

The colour correction gels that come with the SB-800 are really useful too.

[Yi-P]

Put another vote on the 800...

I did the same when choosing, but I was soo glad that I got the 800 because now I start to use up on its full feature and I find them to be big plus. I would have rather missed out what I need on the 600... the 800 is simply endless possibility when paired up!

[DVEous]

... Obsolete ...

[gstark]

.but the price difference between all three is negligible so I am having trouble deciding.

The verdict seems to be that the SB800 is the way to go, and by your own words, the price difference is negligible. WHat's the problem?

I am toying with the idea of getting into wedding photography...so this flash will most likely be used in that situation.

A word to the wise .... for wedding photography, when you need your flash, you're going to really need your flash, and the extra power offered to you by the 800 makes this decision a no-brainer. Putting it very simply, you will be kicking yourself after your very first wedding when you were shooting under difficult conditions, and your flash wasn't able to cope, and all you have is a bunch of under-exposed jpgs. (Repeat after me .... raw is my friend)

But that's nothing compared to wha the bride's going to think when you turn up without those critical images. btw .... how many bodies do you have? If you're thinking of doing weddings, I would be looking at at acquiring at least a second body as well, as well as lots of memory.

[barry]

I agree with Gary, you can never have too much light when doing wedding work.

[aloysius]

got 2 bodies. one i will run a 50mm on and the other i am toying with getting the 18-200 for. At the moment I will make do with the 28-70 2.8.

The original statement that price difference is negligible came before i saw poons price for the 18-200vr....now I'm thinking of penny pinching and getting it as well...so the sb-600 or even perhaps the sigma are more on the cards. Whilst everyone here is saying go the sb800 the reasons for why arent that convincing, gels and the stofen aren't really too big a deal to me either, both are expenses I can deal with later on if i feel a need for them.

From what ive read the extra features of the 800 over the 600 are things I can see myself using...the extra bit of light is certainly a draw card...but for $250 its an expensive couple of stops.

No-one has mentioned the sigma at all? is it really that bad? on paper it looks good...and I'm pretty happy with the sigma products i currently own.

[gstark]

...the extra bit of light is certainly a draw card...but for $250 its an expensive couple of stops.

That's not what you're going to say when you see underexposed image after underexposed image after underexposed image. You've asked for people's opinions, and the response seems to me to be pretty much the same. My advice to you is that you remember that you've asked the mob ... you should now trust the mob.

No-one has mentioned the sigma at all?

If you can't say something nice, say nothing at all.

[Ivanerrol]

IMHO

If you are getting into wedding photography there is no sense in penny pinching.

If you are serious I would be looking upward from a D50 also. A better body helps your workflow rate.

[daniel_r]

Can't add much more to what's already said...

I have both the SB-800 (purchased first) and a second hand SB-600. While the SB-600 is a fine flash unit, I always reach for the 800 should both be charged and ready to go in the bag.

The 5 batteries (800) over 4 (600) give a bit of an edge in the cycle times, and the extra grunt comes in handy - once you master the menu system (one of the cases where it's easier to ignore the manual and just keep changing things until you get what you want), the 800 is easier to work with quickly.

I mainly use the 600 as a wireless slave off the 800, or one flash per body depending on what I'm doing.

The main advantage of the 800 over the 600 if you're planning on using it for weddings/occassiona photography is the ability to add an external battery pack to boost recycle times. On the other hand, if you're doing paid work and representing yourself as a professional, you'll need to consider having backup gear / second body+flash combo anyway (not for looks, but so you don't find yourself up a particular creek without second paddle).

I don't think the Sigma is much of a contender on current Nikon bodies - the CLS flash system is one of the notable pluses for Nikon. It's probably a good unit, just who knows how compatible it is with future Nikon bodies or the CLS flash system.

[gstark]

Or just get the new two light studio kit for $350.

[Oz_Beachside]

The 5 batteries (800) over 4 (600) give a bit of an edge in the cycle times, and the extra grunt comes in handy...

...The main advantage of the 800 over the 600 if you're planning on using it for weddings/occassiona photography is the ability to add an external battery pack to boost recycle times. On the other hand, if you're doing paid work and representing yourself as a professional, you'll need to consider having backup gear / second body+flash combo anyway (not for looks, but so you don't find yourself up a particular creek without second paddle).

there is a big______________________________________________________________ GAP between the recycle time in the SB600 (4xAA) to SB800 (5xAA, and likely electronics reasons too).

share with you an example from my experience, one with SB600 ('cause I thought I would save the $200 difference), one with the SB800 (purchased after self kicking). I noticed many of my shots with the SB600, from a todler shoot last year, were either well under exposed, or well under exposed. For some reason, the shutter will fire, regardless of flash charge, leading to under exposed shots, about 20%. In particular, with kids, running all over the place, or not "posing" for us, we may need to reshoot a shot just a blink after eachother, and the SB600 simply could not keep up (dont get me wrong, its a very good flash, but...).

then...

Sunday, shot a portrait session for a family, which included a very special moment for their 8 month old daughter, and I had SB800s with me. I purchased them because I was not ahppy with missing 20% shots (as above) due to underexposure... the SB800, with the 5th battery was able to recharge fast fast fast. I all exposures were BANG ON. shooting an event like a wedding, one could add an external battery pack, later, and you can go a day without a battery change...

what if the money shot was one of the underexposed shots??? I know I hated them, and remember, "the sweetness of a cheap price, is long forgotten when you're enjoying the bitterness of poor quality".

dont kick yourself, get the SB800.

[aloysius]

If you are serious I would be looking upward from a D50 also. A better body helps your workflow rate.

I have always been a firm believer in glass over body...the d50 is capable of doing all i need....and buying a cheaper body has allowed o invest more in glass.

how exactly does body effect workflow?

[daniel_r]

how exactly does body effect workflow?

horses for courses

If the D50 is working for you, that's great!

On the other hand, the D2h shits all over the D70 for some stuff I shoot. AF speed and accuracy is key.

[Mr Darcy]

I found that my SB600 actually proved to be MORE expensive than my SB800.
This is for the simple reason that I grew out of the 600 quite quickly, so the 600 cost the the street price of a 600 + the street price of an 800, while the 800 just cost me the street price of the 800

I now own two 800s and a 600. If I want one flash I grab an 800. If I want two, I grab 2x800. Iff I want three, I grab the 600. Mind you I lust after a third 800.