Edumucate me on my choice of flash

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Archived from groups: rec.photo.digital (More info?)

I've read the specs, and am leaning towards to the SB-800 over the
SB-600. Seems like in this case, it's a no-brainer to plonk down the
extra $100.

The only manual flash photography I am doing, at present, is some
backyard macro stuff. Does anyone have any shots they have used this
flash for in their macro work? I'm sold on general TTL photography
with it, but I just wanted to check some manual work...preferrably
macro if you got it.

Thx,

Ben

PS - Is Nikon calculating 125' at f/1.4 on the SB-800 or what?

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.photo.digital (More info?)

Don't know specifics about Nikon flashes, but wouldn't it be better to
get a ring flash for macro work?

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.photo.digital (More info?)

Hi Ben

I have one SB-800 and three SB-600's that I use
with my D70.

All are great.

The 800 has a bit more oomph, and can control
a gang of 800/600 flashes.

The 600 is $100 less, so that's why I fill out my
gang with those.

Best ....

-- stan

 

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Archived from groups: rec.photo.digital (More info?)

Oh, as regards macro flashing:

I've got an older Nikon ring flash, and it's good.

I also use the 800 off-camera (with an SC-28 cord).
That's nice too. And use my gang of SB-600's on
light stands sometimes.

Main thing with macro flashing is playing around,
having fun, paying attention, iterating, exploring the
light and error spaces deeply.

For almost all flashing, I set my D70 to M, and
then have nice control via shutter speed, aperture,
and on-flash flash compensation of all the light
variables for foreground and background.

Thom Hogan's e-books have excellent flash advice,
along with the rest of his best-of-breed Nikon
insights.

-- stan

 

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Archived from groups: rec.photo.digital (More info?)

On 24 Aug 2005 07:03:02 -0700, kombi45@yahoo.com wrote:

> PS - Is Nikon calculating 125' at f/1.4 on the SB-800 or what?

The guide number varies with the zoom head position. With the
SB-800 at maximum power and assuming ISO 100, it gets as high as
56/184 (meters/feet) for 105mm. The guide number is 125 for the
35mm setting. With an f/1.4 aperture that should give you a
distance of 89 feet. You can download a PDF version of the SB-800
manual from Nikon, and page 42 has a table of guide numbers for zoom
head positions from 14mm to 105mm, and for output levels ranging
from full power down to 1/128th power.

 

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Archived from groups: rec.photo.digital (More info?)

ASAAR wrote:
> On 24 Aug 2005 07:03:02 -0700, kombi45@yahoo.com wrote:
>
> > PS - Is Nikon calculating 125' at f/1.4 on the SB-800 or what?
>
> The guide number varies with the zoom head position. With the
> SB-800 at maximum power and assuming ISO 100, it gets as high as
> 56/184 (meters/feet) for 105mm. The guide number is 125 for the
> 35mm setting. With an f/1.4 aperture that should give you a
> distance of 89 feet. You can download a PDF version of the SB-800
> manual from Nikon, and page 42 has a table of guide numbers for zoom
> head positions from 14mm to 105mm, and for output levels ranging
> from full power down to 1/128th power.

Thanks, man.

Ben

 

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On 25 Aug 2005 07:56:55 -0700, kombi45@yahoo.com wrote:

>> You can download a PDF version of the SB-800
> > manual from Nikon, and page 42 has a table of guide numbers for zoom
> > head positions from 14mm to 105mm, and for output levels ranging
> > from full power down to 1/128th power.
>
> Thanks, man.

You're welcome. It took me a while to locate my downloaded copy
of the manual. Eventually I remembered that I had migrated part of
my hard drive's "download" area to CD.

 

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Archived from groups: rec.photo.digital (More info?)

Ben Thomas wrote:

> Did you know that Sigma make a couple of flashes that are compatible with the
> D70, just like the Nikon Sb600 & 800? They are quite a bit cheaper too.

Not to start a flame type war here, but isn't there a good reason Sigma
gear is cheap?

Ben

 

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Archived from groups: rec.photo.digital (More info?)

kombi45@yahoo.com wrote:

> I've read the specs, and am leaning towards to the SB-800 over the
> SB-600. Seems like in this case, it's a no-brainer to plonk down the
> extra $100.
>
> The only manual flash photography I am doing, at present, is some
> backyard macro stuff. Does anyone have any shots they have used this
> flash for in their macro work? I'm sold on general TTL photography
> with it, but I just wanted to check some manual work...preferrably
> macro if you got it.
>
> Thx,
>
> Ben
>
> PS - Is Nikon calculating 125' at f/1.4 on the SB-800 or what?
>

Did you know that Sigma make a couple of flashes that are compatible with the
D70, just like the Nikon Sb600 & 800? They are quite a bit cheaper too.


--
--
Ben Thomas - Melbourne, Australia
The essentials: Kodak DX6490, Nikon D70, Canon i9950, Pioneer DVR-109,
Hitachi W37-PD2100, DGTEC 2000A, Harmon/Kardon AVR4500, Denon DVD-2800,
Whatmough Synergy, Sony Ericsson K700i, Palm LifeDrive.

Disclaimer:
Opinions, conclusions, and other information in this message that do not
relate to the official business of my employer shall be understood as neither
given nor endorsed by it.

 

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Archived from groups: rec.photo.digital (More info?)

In article <1125293101.802548.198840@o13g2000cwo.googlegroups.com>,
<kombi45@yahoo.com> wrote:

> Not to start a flame type war here, but isn't there a good reason Sigma
> gear is cheap?

Oh no. It's just as good as OEM gear. They don't cut corners. They pay
licensing fees so that the lens you buy today will work with the camera
you buy tomorrow. And their digital cameras? The best damned 3.42MP
kiddie toy you can find.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.photo.digital (More info?)

kombi45@yahoo.com writes:

> I've read the specs, and am leaning towards to the SB-800 over the
> SB-600. Seems like in this case, it's a no-brainer to plonk down
> the extra $100.

> The only manual flash photography I am doing, at present, is some
> backyard macro stuff. Does anyone have any shots they have used
> this flash for in their macro work? I'm sold on general TTL
> photography with it, but I just wanted to check some manual
> work...preferrably macro if you got it.

I've used an SB-800 on a D70. I'm lukewarm about the camera, but
in my warped Canon opion, the SB-800 is majik!


--
Paul Repacholi 1 Crescent Rd.,
+61 (08) 9257-1001 Kalamunda.
West Australia 6076
comp.os.vms,- The Older, Grumpier Slashdot
Raw, Cooked or Well-done, it's all half baked.
EPIC, The Architecture of the future, always has been, always will be.

 

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Ben Thomas wrote:
> kombi45@yahoo.com wrote:
>
> > Ben Thomas wrote:
> >
> >
> >>Did you know that Sigma make a couple of flashes that are compatible with the
> >>D70, just like the Nikon Sb600 & 800? They are quite a bit cheaper too.
> >
> >
> > Not to start a flame type war here, but isn't there a good reason Sigma
> > gear is cheap?
>
> Of course, but I'd say the difference in quality is not equal to the difference
> in price. What I'm trying to say is that the Nikon stuff is overpriced and the
> Sigma flashes and even their lenses, are more than adequate and certainly not
> rubbish. I've no doubt that the Nikon SB800 is an excellent flash, but proof
> that is is overpriced is the fact that it retails for close to $700 in
> Australia, which is about half the price of the D70 with kit lens.

Well, does it mean that since I can get the SB800 for $309 at B&H that
it is now _not_ overpriced?

http/www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?A=search&Q=&b=2&shs=&ci=2609&ac=&Submit.x=10&Submit.y=8

Price varies all over the world, this doesn't change the quality of the
product. Good thing I don't live in Australia!

 

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Archived from groups: rec.photo.digital (More info?)

Ben Thomas wrote:

> If it's still close to half the price of an extremely significantly more complex
> piece of equipment such as the D70, then I still consider it overpriced. I'm
> afraid I can't check right now because I've run out of WWW quota.

No need to check, I'm right. Anyway, photography is an extremely
pricey hobby/profession/avocation/whatever. Much like golf, it'll hit
you in the wallet for a lifetime - might as well have good equipment!

> The climate is certainly safer than on the other side of the pond.

Well, it can't be much safer than California. However, the northeast,
midwest and southeast are indeed prone to VERY shitty weather
outbreaks.

Ben

 

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Archived from groups: rec.photo.digital (More info?)

kombi45@yahoo.com wrote:

> Ben Thomas wrote:
>
>
>>Did you know that Sigma make a couple of flashes that are compatible with the
>>D70, just like the Nikon Sb600 & 800? They are quite a bit cheaper too.
>
>
> Not to start a flame type war here, but isn't there a good reason Sigma
> gear is cheap?

Of course, but I'd say the difference in quality is not equal to the difference
in price. What I'm trying to say is that the Nikon stuff is overpriced and the
Sigma flashes and even their lenses, are more than adequate and certainly not
rubbish. I've no doubt that the Nikon SB800 is an excellent flash, but proof
that is is overpriced is the fact that it retails for close to $700 in
Australia, which is about half the price of the D70 with kit lens.

--
--
Ben Thomas - Melbourne, Australia
The essentials: Kodak DX6490, Nikon D70, Canon i9950, Pioneer DVR-109,
Hitachi W37-PD2100, DGTEC 2000A, Harmon/Kardon AVR4500, Denon DVD-2800,
Whatmough Synergy, Sony Ericsson K700i, Palm LifeDrive.

Disclaimer:
Opinions, conclusions, and other information in this message that do not
relate to the official business of my employer shall be understood as neither
given nor endorsed by it.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.photo.digital (More info?)

kombi45@yahoo.com wrote:


>>Of course, but I'd say the difference in quality is not equal to the difference
>>in price. What I'm trying to say is that the Nikon stuff is overpriced and the
>>Sigma flashes and even their lenses, are more than adequate and certainly not
>>rubbish. I've no doubt that the Nikon SB800 is an excellent flash, but proof
>>that is is overpriced is the fact that it retails for close to $700 in
>>Australia, which is about half the price of the D70 with kit lens.
>
>
> Well, does it mean that since I can get the SB800 for $309 at B&H that
> it is now _not_ overpriced?

If it's still close to half the price of an extremely significantly more complex
piece of equipment such as the D70, then I still consider it overpriced. I'm
afraid I can't check right now because I've run out of WWW quota.

>
> http/www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?A=search&Q=&b=2&shs=&ci=2609&ac=&Submit.x=10&Submit.y=8
>
> Price varies all over the world, this doesn't change the quality of the
> product. Good thing I don't live in Australia!

The climate is certainly safer than on the other side of the pond.
--
--
Ben Thomas - Melbourne, Australia
The essentials: Kodak DX6490, Nikon D70, Canon i9950, Pioneer DVR-109,
Hitachi W37-PD2100, DGTEC 2000A, Harmon/Kardon AVR4500, Denon DVD-2800,
Whatmough Synergy, Sony Ericsson K700i, Palm LifeDrive.

Disclaimer:
Opinions, conclusions, and other information in this message that do not
relate to the official business of my employer shall be understood as neither
given nor endorsed by it.