SB600 or SB800 Flash unit?

could anyone give me any advice as to which unit is 'best'

i will be covering my daughters wedding soon

and will want to use the flash with diffuser for that but i will also use it for many other situations.

in the future i may use multi flash set up for some stuff but only for fun type stuff.

i have a canon flash unit which i may use as a slave (with an optical slave unit if they exsist)

i don't understand all the difference between the sb600 and sb800.
power is one difference but...

thanks for any advice

Also

If I have this correct with the sb800
you get lots more accessories,

Diffuser & battery pack

So this would erode the price difference between the two units if I am correct.

Here are the features that the SB-600 does not have:

1. Less powerful (GN 30/98 vs 38/125)
2. Less zoom range (17-85 vs 17-105)
3. No diffusion dome
4. No reflector (very easy to create)
5. No RPT mode (repeating flash)
6. No external power terminal
7. No TTL multiple flash terminal
8. No sync terminal
9. No fifth battery option
10. Manual mode power range 1/1 - 1/64 vs 1/1 - 1/128
11. Cannot be master unit in CLS system, only a remote

Recycle times are faster with the SB-600, but remember that is a less powerful unit.

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Please not this information was posted March of 2007 and I copy and pasted here for you to look at. It should help you decide

--
Sam
http://www.samjsternphotography.com

Take a look here !
Kind regards.
http://www.softstonegroup.com/sb-800.html

One big advantage of the SB-600 that nobody ever mentions is that you can buy two almost as cheaply as one SB-800. That second light trumps almost all of the SB-800's advantages.

Bruce

True, but if the OP is interested in multi-flash set-ups, then the SB-800 merits more attention.

To the OP, check out these sites:

This is dedicated to off-camera flash.
http://www.strobist.blogspot.com

For the CLS, the following has much info:
http://www.flickr.com/groups/nikoncls/

Haruna

BruceEvans said:

One big advantage of the SB-600 that nobody ever mentions is that you
can buy two almost as cheaply as one SB-800. That second light trumps
almost all of the SB-800's advantages.

Bruce

Click to expand...

--
Haruna

Haruna said:

True, but if the OP is interested in multi-flash set-ups, then the
SB-800 merits more attention.

Click to expand...

Only if the OP uses the SB-800 in its commander mode.

Bruce

Thanks every one for the advice.

i have just ordered a sb800

it was £230

a sb600 would have been £180 inc diffuser

so only a £50 difference

and you get more accessories included with the 800

now i just need to lear how to use it

You made a wise decision!
Kind regards.

thanks

i though i have spent a gran on a camera so why mess about over £50!

I am a flash guy. I have had a bunch of them since I started shooting in '70. In a flash you want two things. You want it start it's flash and you want it to quite it's cycle. That's the basics. In doing this you want the most powerful flash you can get.

All the other features are just gravy.

So it's the SB800 for me. It is interesting that almost all flashes of that price range have the same power. From the Metz (my old favorite) to the Vivitar of yesteryear to the Sigma to Canon to Pentax. All have about that same power output as the sb800.

Get the biggest you can. I will also say that the Sb 800 is one of the finest flashes I have ever used. In my Film days I was sold on the Metz line. But in the Digital they were a bit behind in developing compatable flashes.

For years I used the big 60 series and the 45 series of Metz.

Since you mentioned that you expect to use diffusion then you want that extra power as diffusion and bouncing eat up power pretty quickly.

Speaking of bouncing. Check out this site

http://www.abetterbouncecard.com/

One of the simplest and best bounce devices available. And you make it yourself in about 5minutes for about $1.00

dave

The main difference is that the SB800 can also be used as commander flash - to control all the other slave flashes within the cls-system. The SB600 can only work as slave.

The build in flash of the D300/D200 can also be used as command flash - so you need only the SB600 as slave.

If you want to use a larger number of slave flashes I recommend you the SB800 because it works better as the build-in flash of the camera bodies.

if i am using the diffuser dome, would it be best to use the 14mm wide flash aapter of the sb800 as well?

would this give a softer light?

my main focus, in a months time, is my daughters wedding.

so most shots will be 6 feet away or so.

just ordered some (20 = 4 sets) rechargable NiMh batteries for faster recyling times.

The SB-800's are wonderful flash units. I own several. The CLS of Nikon is way advanced beyond what other camera makers have to offer for lighting. You will not be disappointed, but you will soon order more flash units!
--



If I Say Anything To Offend, I have Made Available This Video Apology Especially For You:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m7mIy97_rlo&feature=related

If You Are Still Ticked At Me, Not Accepting My Apology, This Video Is Just For You:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=_O-QqC9yM28&feature=related

These videos make me laugh, I hope you enjoy them. Personal history and equipment list in profile.

RE: the difuser dome.

Just to make sure you know: The process that gives that soft lighting is precisely the dome but the fact that the dome spreads out the light into a larger light source, like the ceiling and walls etc.

The harshest light source would be a point source of light, like the sun in a vacuum. The reason folks bounce the light off the ceiling or wall or off umbrellas etc is to form a larger light source.

that is the reason for the "a better bounce card" from the iink I gave above. For years photographers would put an index card on the back of the flash unit and aim the flash straight up to the ceiling. Most of the light would bounce off the ceiling giving that large source of light and yet some would be bounced off the card stuck to the back of the head. That is why Nikon has included a pull up card in the head itself.

What the Better Bounce Card does is forms the card out of that spongy soft paper. This is easy to form around the head with a rubber band and can be shaped to give the desired bounce.

I find this method much more desireable than the dome which cuts down on the amount of light more then the better bounce card does.

Peter Gregg is an accomplish photographer and has given this tutorial of its use

http://www.abetterbouncecard.com/

dave

Where did you find it for $230?

Thanks

Not $230 USD

but £230 UKP, that will be about $400 i think

from previous post:
Thanks every one for the advice.

i have just ordered a sb800

it was £230

a sb600 would have been £180 inc diffuser

so only a £50 difference

and you get more accessories included with the 800

now i just need to lear how to use it

I just (today) received my SB800 and tried it out on my kids and dogs for fun. Easy to use in TTl and TTL BL without any problems. Read the manual - I thought mine was bad out of the box because I tried to turn it on without reading the manual (didn't work since I didn't hold the on/off switch for 3 seconds . I think I'm going to really like this flash. I also bought the Better Beamer but haven't tried it yet.
--
Oscar



http://www.flickr.com/photos/22388579@N08/

I have both units - they both have their purpose...I don't think you can go wrong with either, but if you are unsure and have the $$, then the choice is easy - get the 800. If you need remote units, etc... - then grab a 600 as well.

I highly recommend the Demb Flip-It as a bounce unit. The "Big Flip-It" fits nicely on the 600 or 800 and for $30, it was one of the best investments I've made in camera gear.

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-Ken
Nikon D300 / D80