sb-900 user experience?

I have three sb-800's and have had a love hate relationship with them. The flash units are great once you have them set up but the user interface is a disaster.

Does anyone have experience wit the sb-900? Is the UI better?

Thanks

--
She-ying

I have 1 sb800 and 2 sb900's.

The sb900's are a lot easier to navigate but, the sb800 is more reliable due to not being prone to overheating like the sb900 is.

My suggestion, keep the sb800's and write a simple set of instructions on a card the size of a business card and laminate it. Punch a hole in the corner and keep it on a lanyard. This helps me when I am doing a job requiring flash as I usually have a lanyard with the event pass hanging off my neck anyway.
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Warm regards, Dave.
Australian NPS member
http://www.dksphotography.smugmug.com

Have two of them. Love the sb-900 for light duty use. Prone to overheating under heavy use. Ended up getting a Quantum Trio.

I have two SB-900's and have used them for receptions and parties and haven't had any problems with them overheating yet. I don't repeat the flashes like you might if you were at a fashion shoot or something like that though. So, for me, it's totally fine and the navigation is a big plus! It also has a feature that will shut the flash down if it does get too hot unlike the SB-800, which will fry itlsef and then require service or replacement. Some people don't like this feature, but I do.
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http://www.flickr.com/photos/thewenzels/

I use 5 - 800s, 1 - 600, and a su-800. I keep two 800s for two different cameras at events, and then the others are pretty much left in remote mode. I don't find the interface a problem at all.

I bought a 900...for a really good price even. Shot a wedding and a couple of portraits. TOTALLY didn't like it.

Little things make big differences in our line of work. The 900 is enough bigger that it caused my flash bracket arm to swing around more awkwardly. It didn't fit in my flash bag as well either. Nor my pocket for when I would occasionally need to take the flash off and stick in my pocket.

And, as trivial as it may seem, pulling the bounce diffuser was more awkward to extend and even retract. There were a couple of other little flukes I didn't like about it...and saw no apparent improvement on the quality of the images. So I decided keeping it for the small improvement of changing the flash mode was not worth it.

Instead, I got the su-800 for better range and to more easily leave a studio setup on a 3rd camera. This has worked ok...but am planning getting the new radio poppers in the next few weeks.

But to me, 800 vs 900? Nikon definitely got it right with the 800. Wait for a later generation of the sb-### and see what they do to it.

--
Drew
http://drewloker.com about.htm (me) (Equip list in Profile)

Don't like to hear that the SB 900's overheat, my melted SB 800 is testament to that, so how do you like the Quantum's as i was thinking that may be the way i'll go. I shoot wildlife so was wondering how they compare in power to the Sb 800 for power and recycle
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http://www.raincoastphoto.com

If you use enelope batteries or regular AA's you probably won't have any overheating issues. So, overheating is not the norm unless you're firing over and over like a baboon with a camera. You will probably never reach the thermal cutoff and I've used mine extensively with multiple shots and never had it cut out. I personally can't see a reason to shoot continuously with the flash so much that it would get to that level of heat.

Don't be worried about it unless you shoot at continuous high speed every shot and use and external battery pack and expect the flash to shoot a ton of high speed continuous shots. I know how to pace my flash and have never seen a situation where I'd need to pop the flash that often.

Don't dog the SB-900, it's not that bad and I think it's an improvement over my old SB-800.
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http://www.flickr.com/photos/thewenzels/

Once you use the SB 900 you will never use the SB 800 again.
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Philip

I have 3 SB-900's and use them with a D3 and Fuji S5 Pro. No problems with overheating even with D3 at it's fastest shooting speeds. The UI is awesome. Multiple flash with the i-TTL system is a piece of cake. The heft hasn't been an issue for me. They are the best flash units I've ever used!
--

The laws of physics and the rules of photography haven't changed .... but the tools for
capturing, editing and displaying have evolved!

Just got it. I'll be giving its first real workout next weekend. It isn't as powerful as the SB-800. Using the normal reflector, 50 mm, guide number at ISO 200 is 150, SB-800 is about 200 at 50 mm. Pricey at $875 plus you need a Quantum Turbo battery add another $400 to $500. The beauty of the Quantum is youcan hammer the unit and never overheat it, and the light output is great. Recycle time at full power using Turbo 2 x 2 is 1 second, using Turbo SC or Turbo Compact, 1.5 sec.

If you shoot wildlife and greater than 135mm on FF, get the telephoto reflector, guide number is 322 at ISO 200.

If you want more power, an extra stop, get the T5DR.

Stusteelhead said:

Don't like to hear that the SB 900's overheat, my melted SB 800 is
testament to that, so how do you like the Quantum's as i was
thinking that may be the way i'll go. I shoot wildlife so was
wondering how they compare in power to the Sb 800 for power and
recycle
--
http://www.raincoastphoto.com

Click to expand...

I do use Enelope batteries, and I don't appreciate comments like that. I do use an external battery pack, and shoot event type photography in rapid shooting, not in high speed continious shots. The SB-900 is good for light to medium duty, but I would not trust it at a wedding.

mayonaka said:

If you use enelope batteries or regular AA's you probably won't have
any overheating issues. So, overheating is not the norm unless you're
firing over and over like a baboon with a camera. You will probably
never reach the thermal cutoff and I've used mine extensively with
multiple shots and never had it cut out. I personally can't see a
reason to shoot continuously with the flash so much that it would get
to that level of heat.

Don't be worried about it unless you shoot at continuous high speed
every shot and use and external battery pack and expect the flash to
shoot a ton of high speed continuous shots. I know how to pace my
flash and have never seen a situation where I'd need to pop the flash
that often.

Don't dog the SB-900, it's not that bad and I think it's an
improvement over my old SB-800.
--
http://www.flickr.com/photos/thewenzels/

Click to expand...

Thanks Brian,

I'll have to check out the 5dr, I always find it interesting when people criticize your shooting style and gear requirements. Given that my SB 800 is melted i think it is fair too assume the SB 900 might be a problem too. And lets face it getting the shot is what it is all about not waiting for the flash to cooldown.



--
http://www.raincoastphoto.com

No shote, they are fun to use again, fast setup and control within seconds. Ittl when ever I use it, Nikon is in the lead hands down on Ittl or dttl.

One thing, the Trio can be shoe mounted, and has the radio and QTTL built in. The T5DR has to be mounted on a bracket, and if you want QTTL needs the TTL module. For the Nikon D700 that is the D22wR. It's extra for radio capabilites for the T5DR. I plug in the FW7Q into my T5D and control it from the Trio.

I agree with you. As an event photographer, getting the shot is paramount.

Stusteelhead said:

Thanks Brian,
I'll have to check out the 5dr, I always find it interesting when
people criticize your shooting style and gear requirements. Given
that my SB 800 is melted i think it is fair too assume the SB 900
might be a problem too. And lets face it getting the shot is what it
is all about not waiting for the flash to cooldown.



--
http://www.raincoastphoto.com

Click to expand...

I for got to mention, no HSS with T5DR, only the Trio has that.

Stusteelhead said:

Thanks Brian,
I'll have to check out the 5dr, I always find it interesting when
people criticize your shooting style and gear requirements. Given
that my SB 800 is melted i think it is fair too assume the SB 900
might be a problem too. And lets face it getting the shot is what it
is all about not waiting for the flash to cooldown.



--
http://www.raincoastphoto.com

Click to expand...

I shot an event outside in the sun and needed fill flash. In this situation I was continually waiting for the 900's to cool down. My client was pacing around and the models were getting restless while we all waited up to 5 minutes between a burst of maybe 4 shots....not a lot of shutter releases but, the 900's were competing with the sun. The 800 I was using didn't miss a beat nor did it feel as warm as the 900's.
--
Warm regards, Dave.
Australian NPS member
http://www.dksphotography.smugmug.com