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Nikon adds Speedlight SB-300 flashgun to its arsenal

Aug 6, 2013 at 04:01:00 GMT

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Nikon has added an entry-level Speedlight to its external flash lineup. The company says the SB-300 can 'fit comfortably in a shirt pocket' and weighs 120g (4.2oz) with its two AAA batteries installed. It has a guide number of 18 meters and can tilt upwards by as much as 120 degrees. The SB-300 covers 18mm with a DX-format camera, and 27mm with FX-format. You'll be able to pick one up for yourself later this month for around $150.

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Press Release:

NIKON’S NEW AF-S DX NIKKOR 18-140MM F/3.5-5.6G ED VR LENS AND SB-300 SPEEDLIGHT HELP PHOTOGRAPHERS CAPTURE THE BEAUTY IN EVERY SHOT

Versatile New DX-format Zoom Lens and Compact Speedlight Help Photographers to Creatively Capture with Clarity and Precision

MELVILLE, N.Y. (August 6, 2013) – Today, Nikon Inc. announced the new AF-S DX NIKKOR 18-140mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VRlens and the compact SB-300 Speedlight, both versatile and exciting tools to help capture amazing images and HD video. Ideal for shooting everything from portraits to landscapes, the 18-140mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR presents a great zoom lens option for DX-format D-SLR users. Sporting Vibration Reduction (VR) image stabilization, users will be able to capture sharp handheld photos and videos in a variety of shooting scenarios. The SB-300 provides a compact and easy-to-use adjustable Speedlight option for photographers who want to explore creative lighting at an affordable price point.

“Nikon’s system accessories are designed to let the user capture their memories in vibrant detail and tell compelling stories through imagery and HD video,” said Bo Kajiwara, Vice President of Marketing, Planning and Customer Experience, Nikon Inc. “While the new 18-140mm lens presents a versatile and powerful lens option for DX-format shooters, the SB-300 Speedlight introduces the benefits of flash photography to a wide range of users, specifically those who use either Advanced Performance COOLPIX or D-SLR cameras.”

The 18-140mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR: A Versatile Zoom Lens for DX-Format Shooters
A valuable and practical asset for everyday photographers and enthusiasts, Nikon’s newest lens features a 7.8x zoom range that helps capture beautiful images and HD video from a variety of focal lengths. Whether shooting portraits, landscapes, travel or architecture, the 18-140mm offering delivers astounding image quality when shooting wide-angle or far-away telephoto. Equipped with VR image stabilization, the lens also features four stops* of VR image stabilization, helping to ensure sharp photos and video even in low-light situations or while handheld.

The AF-S DX NIKKOR 18-140mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR lens is built upon core NIKKOR technologies designed to render photos and HD video with the utmost clarity and color reproduction. Constructed with one ED glass element and one aspheric lens element, the 18-140mm lens sports a seven-blade diaphragm for natural image blur and a Silent Wave Motor (SVM) that provides quiet and precise AF operation. Additionally, photographers can operate the lens using one of two focus modes, M/A (AF with manual override) and M (manual) for complete control.

The SB-300: Illuminate Creative Possibilities
The SB-300 Speedlight is small enough to fit comfortably into a shirt pocket yet it is built for the user looking to take flash photography to the next level. Providing more power and coverage than a built-in flash, the versatile and portable SB-300is a simple and valuable lighting accessory compatible with both Nikon D-SLR and Advanced Performance COOLPIX cameras. This new Speedlight covers a wide-angle 18mm in DX-format and operates via simple on-camera controls, making it easy for beginner photographers to use light to their advantage.

The SB-300 tilts up 120 degrees, allowing for the use of creative bounce flash to soften shadows and diffuse the flash, resulting in more flattering portraits and even exposures. For additional convenience, the firmware is upgradable through supporting D-SLRs, and this Speedlight is powered by two AAA batteries. Additionally, the SB-300features thermal cut-out protection to prevent overheating when capturing rapid flash images in succession.

Price and Availability
The AF-S DX NIKKOR 18-140mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VRlens will be available in late August 2013 for suggested retail price (SRP) of $599.95**. The SB-300 will also be available in late August 2013 for a suggested retail price (SRP) of $149.95**. For more information on NIKKOR lenses and accessories as well as other Nikon products, please visit www.nikonusa.com.

*Based on CIPA Standard. This value is achieved when DX-format compatible lenses are attached to a DX-format digital SLR camera and zoom lenses are set at the maximum telephoto position.
**SRP (Suggested Retail Price) listed only as a suggestion. Actual prices are set by dealers and are subject to change at any time

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ACCESSORY NEWS FLASHGUN NIKON SB300

Comments

Total comments: 46

"Although the SB-300 is priced pretty low at $149.95, I would still recommend to get a third party flash unit for those that want to have more options for the same or less money. You can get a TTL flash from Vivitar, Nissin, Bower, Sunpack and Bolt under $150 and those flashes will do way more than the SB-300 ever will." -Seen on the net

No side tilt.
No manual flash power. (AF-S lens; TTL compensation, only)
Lower power????
Not very compact.
Mainly... SLOW recycle times! WTF(fart)?

Just further proof of marketing departments; that do not know photography! I suspect the real, wise, designers/engineers, are getting the shaft.

Sadly, we should forget TTL (a shame) and get affordable speed-lights, with manual power range, and fast reset.

1 upvote

You'd be better off, with your built-in (TTL!) flash, and a piece of white (letter size) paper taped (conical, like a spreading cone) to it; effecting both a "beauty dish"/diffusion (adjust your exposure) and possible a COMBINED white ceiling bounce (Recommend: Custom preset WB recommended; with other warm room lighting(working like a hair back-light) , or warm gel your built-in, to match). This also reduces red-eye; when you need candid. Meaning there can start to be reason, and timing, to when you pull that trigger(shutter). Such as the candid expressions you wanted, to better show the mood. ..or when motion is less, or after a person blinks.

Plus, if you go (low), manual selected, flash power(in your menu), then recycle times are mere seconds (OR LESS, and under a clean ISO, on modern cameras, such as ISO800); with your built-in! Obviously, this is a better option for close (in feet, normal) range, and wide aperture lenses, like the 35mm f/1.8 AF-S!

Comment edited 7 times, last edit 10 minutes after posting

1 upvote

TTL can get more keepers, in some situations; but you may get better pictures overall (that you can't get otherwise), with manual control, such as, with the flash, and it's diffusion.

Not that I don't prefer automatic benefits. They just don't always beat your brain. ...nor are they very affordable. I mean, you can see what your getting (little chimps), with digital, and during the shoot. Use it wisely.

Comment edited 1 minute after posting

1 upvote

Clearly, the SB300 is demonstrative of the forced crippling; that manufacturers are pushing on us, the customer, and for their lower priced equipment. Do you really think Nikon doesn’t know these limitations? This is a primary example, of what's wrong; in the non-competitive camera industry.

How do they not see this destroys the brand!?

Please, stop buying a crappier "mousetrap". Do your homework BEFORE you buy.

Note, that they recognized the Nikon 1 system poor sales. Hmmm, I wonder why? Same issue (for example), and it was not, because of cell phones. Their great mirror-less + phase-detect didn't matter, on that poorly COMPETITIVE (poor color/light sensitivity) sensor. ...and not to mention, "Space 1999", looks. LOL.

Do you think the, "Nikon 1 system" (that sensor), endures folks to its brand????

Comment edited 5 times, last edit 9 minutes after posting

1 upvote

... and you thought f/1.8 primes were just for low light, or else get a speed light, with slow kit lenses. Nope. It's both; but allows lower flash power(fast recycle), and thus, even your built in flash!

Too bad Nikon (and others) have it worked out; where you still need your kit lenses, for 18mm, wide angle, *and* somewhat closer focusing (less expensive than specialty macros), and also a super telephoto zoom (due to cost/value/size, over a huge, wide aperture, super tele). However, neither of those extremes requires a stronger speed-light.

Get the 35mm AF-S; before an external flash. What we then really need, is an off-camera slave flash. A slave flash should come as a kit! LOL.

Plus, why couldn’t a built-in flash be removable, and automatically be a radio slave? ...Just an idea! It's not the WiFi, or GPS, that we need. It's a radio slave!

Comment edited 4 times, last edit 13 minutes after posting

1 upvote

Radio slave hardware is less expensive than wifi hardware.

Why doesn't actual, more usable photography benefits matter to the camera makers?

Don't buy, only to get one new, good, and interesting, benefit. It will not matter, without the whole, and comprehensive camera system.

Comment edited 17 seconds after posting

1 upvote

I was discussing this with a gorgeous blonde at a bar the other night when she told me the price. My eyes flew open and I yelled "A HUNDRED AND FIFTY DOLLARS?!?!?"

5 upvotes

and, how about the flash ;)

0 upvotes

How does it compare to a Yongnuo in the same price range???
This is redicioulus…

Whaaaay overpriced. If you want a real flash go for the SB 700-910 (or older SB800 still great) or buy a YN from E-Bay

0 upvotes

It does seem strange that you have to pay more than SB-400 for this flash even though it is lower power. However I would prefer it over SB-400 for a couple of reasons. First because it allows greater than 90 degree tilt, which is something I use all the time on my bigger flashes. Second it is lighter on its own and combined with the AAA batteries instead of AA the overall package would be even lighter. For me the main use of SB-400 or SB-300 is when I want something smaller and lighter than my Sb-700, so the extra weight reduction over SB-400 is worth the slightly lower GN (18mm vs 20mm).

I would definitely be far more thrilled if it had swivel, but unfortunately a small flash with swivel still remains a dream. It could clearly be done, as shown by SB-N5 (makes me jealous of Nikon 1 system).

Comment edited 3 minutes after posting

0 upvotes

Hmmm... maybe good with my AWESOME P7700. Wait for the refurb though...

0 upvotes

I must say, the major camera makers are just getting obnoxious with their gear pricing these days.

$150 for a toy of a flash? Sad.

-Suntan

1 upvote

That is surely made in the land of Fong. Non merci.

1 upvote

AAA batteries must have improved a lot since the last time I used them.

3 upvotes

Wondering if this SB-300 is a replacement for the SB-400. It certainly looks better, IMO over the flat-lying SB-400. Will both flash units still be produced together?

0 upvotes

Why pay more for this over SB-400? It has slower recycle time, less power, not much smaller than already small SB-400 and use AAA, which is nuisance when AA are used for other speedlights.

1 upvote

It's cute! Should I get one ... though I already have the Metz 44 AF-1 for my D700

0 upvotes

It is the SB-N7!!! Aaarrggghhh. Curses!!

0 upvotes

That's what I thought too when I first saw it!

0 upvotes

No swivel, not interesting.

2 upvotes

He, he, he, Nikon changed the SB-N7 hot shoe to force users to buy 2 of the same flash, (1 for the Nikon 1-series + 1 for the D-SLR's) Incompatability = Profits

6 upvotes

That is so true!!

2 upvotes

Given what mugs most of the target market are (ie: us) this is simply like shooting the proverbial fish in the proverbial barrel.

0 upvotes

Isn't this new Speedlight same model as Speedlight SB-N7 (Nikon 1) ?

2 upvotes

It would have been if Nikon 1 had the normal Nikon hot-shoe, hehe

0 upvotes

Hey, can we send it to Sigma for hot shoe swap? Oh, wait, never mind ...

5 upvotes

The most interesting point for me is if this device is able to run in slave mode?

0 upvotes

compared to the older SB-400 flash this new SB-300 is:
one once lighter (well that's something, I guess)
9 feet less powerful Guide Number
one second slower to recycle

oh, it does pivot up an extra 30 degrees..the older SB-400 only did 90 degrees

1 upvote

It looks interesting just in that it's small, for when I'm trying to cut down weight compared to an SB-600 but still want to have a decent fill flash available. The SB-400 never worked for me for that - it was too short and would cause shadows with lens hoods on moderately wide lenses. If this is easily pocket-able and can work @16mm with a lens hood, it might be worth the few bucks just to have available.

0 upvotes

how does this differ from SB-200? It doesn't even have wireless triggering. Boring release.

0 upvotes

Well it is not as underpowered, and eats refillable batteries, and does mount on the hot-shoe. But this is meant mainly for Coolpix users I guess.
I'd prefer a SB-500 that'd be just like SB-400 plus swivel, manual controls, and CLS.

0 upvotes

Umm,, title is wrong,,, Nikon flashes are 'speedlights' ,, not 'Speedlites'

Comment edited 26 seconds after posting

1 upvote

Fixed, thank you.

0 upvotes

I think I'll wait. Not long from now, Nikon will release a SB-310 due to the thermal cut-out protection being too aggressive ;)

4 upvotes

Thermal cut-out can turn off any time (And it have thermal indicator while you turn Thermal cut-out off), I turn off it in 10 second after received my first SB-900. Why you don't know how to turn it off???

0 upvotes

Can't overheat, there are not enough batteries inside :-)

0 upvotes

@Thanatham Piriyakarnjanakul: Please look at the back of the SB-300 and tell me how to turn off the thermal protection.

@_sem_: LOL!

Comment edited 2 minutes after posting

1 upvote

Now if nikon will come up with an adapter for their nikon 1 camera v1 and V2, accessory port ... I will really be happy and at least i can use my other existing small nikon flashes..

1 upvote

useless, why bother?

0 upvotes

Awesomeness. Bounce flash is so underutilized and when you hold the camera vertically and bounce the light off a wall you can get beautiful portraits. It's great when Nikon comes out with a great product in spite of themselves.

0 upvotes

SB-400 already does this. For Less.

6 upvotes

Can it be used in commander mode i.c.w the build in flash ??

0 upvotes

It doesn't look like it supports the CLS system. Also lower guide number than the SB-400, and it uses AAA instead of AA like other speedlights. All bad. If you want a small flash, get the sb-400 for $119 while they are still around. This new flash is more for less.

0 upvotes

Uh, folks...with batteries it's about 20% LIGHTER than the SB400. The WHOLE flash head tilts up properly and will bounce better than the SB400 ever did. It's a little less powerful, but this is not going to effect most users. On a P7700 or Coolpix A this is a better flash than a SB400. Sure, my SB800 will still stay with my D800, but this baby flash is slick for my little cams and I'm getting one. The fully tilting head alone makes it a superior design. The SB400 pivoting reflector was always a weak spot.

0 upvotes

Hi all,
I am looking for a small and easy to use flash to use with my Nikon D700 (I don't use flash a lot but sometimes I need some indirect flash). I have 3 lenses (28mm / 50mm / 85mm). Is this new SB-300 OK for me ?
thanks in advance

0 upvotes

The D700 really deserves a better flash with a rotating head. Pick up a SB700 or a used SB600.

0 upvotes

Total comments: 46

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