SB 400 alternatives

In my opinion, this is where the SB-400 shines - casual indoor candids. Granted, it's only marginally more powerful than the on-board of my D3100, but the ability to bounce off the ceiling makes for a significant upgrade over the on-board flash or a P&S. The quality of my indoor candids got much better after I installed the SB-400. No more washed out faces & furniture.

Recharge time depends on the batteries used. I can't comment on how it compares to a bigger flash - I suspect the fact that the SB-400 uses only two batteries means that it recharges slower. On the other hand, this does reduce travel bulk somewhat - I usually just carry an extra pair of rechargables.

Now, I didn't by my DSLR for indoor shooting. I'm more interested in landscape & travel, so an SB-600+ just felt overkill for me. No doubt if I do get serious about flash photography I'll upgrade - it's clear the higher end flashes give much better control & creative capabilities - but even if I do I suspect I'll still use the SB-400 for more casual shooting, as others have stated.