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Nikon announces SB-910 high-end Speedlight

Nov 30, 2011 at 04:01:00 GMT
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Nikon has announced the SB-910, the flagship flashgun in its Speedlight range. Replacing the SB-900, the 910 gains the simpler graphic user interface (GUI) of the less powerful SB-700. Its more advanced thermal protection system slows the flash recycle time, rather than it simply shutting down to prevent overheating. It comes with hard filters for matching fluorescent and tungsten lighting and automatically switches the camera's white balance to match the filter. Similarly it adjusts the available zoom steps to suit the body (FX or DX) that it's attached to. The SB910 will be available from mid-December, priced around $549.95.

THE NEW NIKON SB-910 SPEEDLIGHT HARNESSES POWERFUL FLEXIBILITY AND CONTROL FOR THE REVOLUTIONARY CREATIVE LIGHTING SYSTEM

New Nikon SB-910 Speedlight Offers Advanced Flash Technology and Intelligent Features

MELVILLE, N.Y. (November 29, 2011) – Today, Nikon Inc. announced the addition of a new flagship speedlight, the powerful and capable SB-910 speedlight. Building on the versatility of Nikon’s Creative Lighting System (CLS), the SB-910 incorporates an enhanced intuitive operating system and graphic user interface (GUI). The SB-910 speedlight comes equipped with a wide zoom range covering the most popular focal lengths as well as FX/DX-format identification that optimizes zoom settings based on the camera body. This new speedlight also provides more efficient battery usage as well as an enhanced Thermal Cut-Out function.

“As Nikon’s new flagship speedlight, the SB-910 provides exceptional high performance and versatility that users have come to value in Nikon’s Creative Lighting System,” said Lisa Osorio, general manager of marketing at Nikon Inc. “By addressing the needs of photographers that work in challenging lighting scenarios, the SB-910 delivers a new level of portable lighting functionality, with performance and intelligent features that adapt to a wide range of lighting challenges.”

The SB-910 speedlight is designed to provide easy operation and menu navigation, with its enhanced operating system featuring illuminated function buttons, a dedicated Menu button with quick access to custom settings and an improved LCD screen graphic user interface. Whether the unit is used as an on-camera flash, wireless commander or remote, the SB-910 speedlight will provide dependable and consistent flash exposure. Engineered to address the creative lighting challenges faced by today’s photographers, the SB-910 speedlight includes quick on-demand performance and the ability to adapt seamlessly to nearly any possible lighting scenario.

Additionally, the new SB-910 incorporates a new Thermal Cut-Out function, which offers protection against damage to the flash panel and body from overheating during continuous flash use. Now, the flash recycling time is automatically delayed if a significant rise in temperature is detected, rather than ceasing operation to protect the unit. For additional durability, heat-resistance and ease-of-use, the SB-910 uses new hard-type color compensation filters for fluorescent and incandescent color temperature balancing. When using these filters, the flash automatically recognizes which filter is being used and adjusts white balance accordingly on the connected Nikon D-SLR camera. Additionally, the AF-assist illuminator of the SB-910 is compatible with the complete line of AF systems used in Nikon D-SLR cameras.

The SB-910 speedlight features three illumination patterns (standard, center-weighted and even) which are designed to match almost any shooting situation when utilizing the speedlight. The “standard” pattern will cover all conventional, standard flash coverage. The “center-weighted” pattern provides larger guide numbers than other light distribution types at the same focal lengths. This illumination pattern is ideal for subjects such as portraits, in which the light falloff at the image edges can be disregarded. When “even” is selected, the light from the flash will cover a subject from the center to the edges without light falloff. This pattern is applicable for shooting group photographs indoors. For coverage with a variety of lenses, the SB-910 speedlight incorporates a multi-step power zoom range that covers a wide 17-200mm angle of view, and can automatically detect Nikon FX and Nikon DX formats to help select suitable light distribution.

The SB-910 speedlight includes support for Nikon’s advanced wireless TTL operation and can function as a wireless commander with control over three separate groups of speedlights or as a remote speedlight triggered by other SB-910 speedlights, SB-700 speedlights, SU-800 Wireless Commander or the built-in speedlight set to Commander Mode on compatible Nikon D-SLR cameras. The SB-910 incorporates a high-speed recycling time of approximately 2.5 seconds for full power with NiMH batteries, and approximately 3.0 seconds with AA Alkaline batteries.

Optional water guards will be available for select cameras to protect the connection between the flash and camera, allowing users to utilize the flash when weather conditions are less than ideal. The SJ-4 Color Filter set provides a Warming, Red, Yellow or Blue filter for adding color to the background, foreground or just to accent the scene. The SB-910 will come equipped with the AS-21 Speedlight Stand, SW-13H Diffusion Dome, SZ-2FL and SZ-2TN hard type Color Compensation Filters and SS-910 soft case.

Price and Availability

Nikon’s new flagship speedlight, the SB-910, will be available in mid-December 2011 for a SRP*of $549.95. For more information, please visit www.nikonusa.com.

*SRP (Suggested Retail Price) listed only as a suggestion. Actual prices are set by dealers and are subject to change at any time.

Comments

Total comments: 117
12
f8pc
By f8pc (Nov 30, 2011)

Should have been named the SB-901.

7 upvotes
Rule 34
By Rule 34 (Nov 30, 2011)

I got "the buttons light up and it won't melt" as the new features.

6 upvotes
VivaLasVegas
By VivaLasVegas (Nov 30, 2011)

My friend's SB-900 burnt a few of his client's eye brows and nose hairs. Hopefully, this has been addressed.

Comment edited 32 seconds after posting
1 upvote
bob elkind
By bob elkind (Nov 30, 2011)

They needed trimming, no doubt.

0 upvotes
DezM
By DezM (Nov 30, 2011)

Good one :D

0 upvotes
Chaitanya S
By Chaitanya S (Nov 30, 2011)

I am happy with my SB-700

2 upvotes
Nikon_Guy
By Nikon_Guy (Nov 30, 2011)

Its' a shame they didn't use higher tech like that in the SB-700 and built around that, Oh well.

0 upvotes
SuisseNikon
By SuisseNikon (Nov 30, 2011)

new case and new filters, wow this is huge! They couldn't even add the SB-700 rear controls at least??

2 upvotes
bob elkind
By bob elkind (Nov 30, 2011)

The SB-910 rear panel controls are different (slightly) from the SB-900. The announcement intro says:

"the 910 gains the simpler graphic user interface (GUI) of the less powerful SB-700."

Comment edited 2 times, last edit 4 minutes after posting
0 upvotes
cruser2469
By cruser2469 (Nov 30, 2011)

solve the overheating by slowing it down, now that's technology!!! nice job Nikon!!

15 upvotes
Dirk B
By Dirk B (Nov 30, 2011)

I totally agree, a water cooling system in a flash would be innovative. ;-)

0 upvotes
Ranford Stealth
By Ranford Stealth (Nov 30, 2011)

Was there any mention of a guide number? Y'know, like other brands automatically put in the model number? Always useful to know that figure! :-p

0 upvotes
lesman316
By lesman316 (Nov 30, 2011)

I prefer the SB-700 over the 900, not putting the 900 down its great but for what I do the 700 is much easier to use. Quick question... Should I buy a D7000 or D700 ?... Money is not a problem

0 upvotes
Rob Spanjaart
By Rob Spanjaart (Nov 30, 2011)

Buy both!

1 upvote
Digital_Photon
By Digital_Photon (Dec 1, 2011)

I hope this drives the price of the SB-900 down! I'm planning on getting two of them soon.

0 upvotes
ashwins
By ashwins (Dec 1, 2011)

Hey lesman,

If money is not a problem, why don't you just buy a D700 and I'm happy to trade it then for my D7000... :)

0 upvotes
Louis Dallara
By Louis Dallara (Dec 2, 2011)

Please fix my SB-900 :(

0 upvotes
Total comments: 117
12