On a budget sb400 or sb600?

Borealis · Dec 4, 2009

Since you plan to use it with a D60, SB-400 might suit you better.

SB-600 is too big for D60. You might want to go to a shop and have a look at both the flashes. SB-400 is much smaller in comparison and suits D60 better. Personally, SB-600 is too big for me to carry around. I'd prefer SB-400.

SB-400 will work as bounce flash fine for your needs.

Richard G T · Dec 4, 2009

For your stated purpose get the SB400. It does a great job for shooting inside and makes for very nice fill when shooting outside. Best of all it's inexpensive and light weight. You will hardly notice it's on your camera.

Best wishes,
Richard

--
Equipment: 1 camera, 1 lens, 38 years
http://www.pbase.com/rgthompson

tem3 · Dec 4, 2009

My MO is to keep my 35mm and SB-400 mounted on my D60 for quick action (family & pet shots). When I know I might be doing more serious shooting I mount my D90 with the appropriate lens and SB-800 if I think it is needed. If I am packing a flash "just in case", it is usually the SB-400.
--

Nikon D60, D90, SB-400, SB-800, Nikkor: 16-85mm, 60mm Macro, 70-300mm, 50mm 1.8, 18-55, 55-200, 35mm 1.8, Sigma 10-20mm, Lensbaby2

WFulton · Dec 4, 2009

hydromojo said:
Hello - I'm on a budget here. Need some advice on whether I should settle for the sb400 for now and later upgrade to the 600. I have a d60.
I could stretch for the 600, but is that such a leap over the 400 ?

Price makes it a hard choice, but specs make it be easier.

Based on the published guide numbers, the SB-400 is 1.4 f/stops stronger than the D60/D90 internal flash.

The SB-600 is 0.6 stops stronger than the SB-400 at 24 mm zoom,
1.0 stop stronger at 35mm zoom, or
1.8 stops stronger than SB-400 when zoomed to 85mm.
(the SB-400 does not zoom)

One f/stop stronger is the difference in being able to use f/5.6 instead of f/4, or for bounce, ISO 400 instead of ISO 800.

The big difference is that if the D60 had a commander (like the SU-800 would provide), the SB-600 can be a wireless remote flash with it. The SB-400 never can, it can only operate on the hot shoe.

oduncan4 · Dec 4, 2009

Is there an inexpensive cable that allows more flexibility with the sb-400? I am sufficiently happy with my sb-400 not to be tempted by the sb-600 yet, but might like to experiment with some off camera flash, and the op might find such information helpful as well.

Owen Duncan

danm_cool · Dec 4, 2009

I have the SC-28 which is pretty neat to use, the problem is that for action shots, you need to hold the flash with one hand and the camera with the other one, so it gets easily difficult...

The following pictures with are done using the cable SC-28 with a SB400 on the D60:

--

Camera : Nikon D60 with lenses : Nik 35mm f/1.8G AF-S DX - Nik 16-85mm f/3.5-5.6G ED AF-S VR DX - Fisheye AF DX 10,5 f/2.8 D
Tripods : SLIK U8000, SLIK SPRINT MINI II GM

Other Stuff : NIKON => SB-400, ML-L3, SC-28, DK-21M, C-PL II 67mm, L37c, Soft1, ND 8x, No.4T 52mm, CF-EU04 KATA => DC-445

RAL131504 · Dec 4, 2009

They work fantastic, nikon quality, power of the SB900, and you spend a bit more time using the automatic mode, but don't have the likelihood of running up against people that react to the pre flash of the ittl system by closing their eyes in your photos. The automatic and manual modes on these units works super. You can pick them up for $75 to $125 or even less.

myzel · Dec 4, 2009

I use the SC-28 with my SB-400. There might be cheaper third party cables, but with the SC-28 I know that everything works.
The SC-28 supports iTTL and everything just works.

hydromojo · Dec 4, 2009

Thanks a bunch for those exhaustive recommendations. I'm thinking I'll start with the 400 to get my feet wet and then take a call when I hit the upper end of the envelope of the d60-400 combo.

raol
--

masiguy · Dec 4, 2009

RAL said:
They work fantastic, nikon quality, power of the SB900, and you spend a bit more time using the automatic mode, but don't have the likelihood of running up against people that react to the pre flash of the ittl system by closing their eyes in your photos. The automatic and manual modes on these units works super. You can pick them up for $75 to $125 or even less.

Agree. I've been using an SB-24 in non-TTL Auto mode with my D90 and I'm very pleased with the results.

--

'Outside of a dog, a book is man's best friend. Inside of a dog, it's too dark to read.' -Groucho Marx

tem3 · Dec 4, 2009

I just ordered one from Buy.com for $116 (for my daughter-in-law) and I believe (I hope) I will be getting some Bling cash back. For the money it is well worth it even if it becomes your "second" flash......

hydromojo said:
Thanks a bunch for those exhaustive recommendations. I'm thinking I'll start with the 400 to get my feet wet and then take a call when I hit the upper end of the envelope of the d60-400 combo.

raol
--

--

Nikon D60, D90, SB-400, SB-800, Nikkor: 16-85mm, 60mm Macro, 70-300mm, 50mm 1.8, 18-55, 55-200, 35mm 1.8, Sigma 10-20mm, Lensbaby2

rubicon · Dec 4, 2009

Hello, I have both flash units and find them excellant for proper use, I use the sb400 instead of the on camera flash, I don't get shadow of lens hood on any lens I have 70 300vr, 24-120vr 300 f4 so if used as a unit instead of the pop-up flash its super if you need more power and more flexability in a flash unit then the sb600, I have a better beamer for mine and use it at zoos to put a catch light in eyes of animals too far for pop-up, price is your choice.

Rubicon:

cyberjock · Dec 18, 2009

danm_cool said:
and the SB400 worth all the pennies. On a D60, the SB600 balances very bad, it is very heavy and the grip of the D60 so small, so after 2 minutes of usage your hand will be completely exhausted. Anyway, beside that, the SB400 advantages, like the excellent wide angle lighting quality and the fact that is bounces the flash on the roof are very handy and useful for most applications.

Don't let yourself troubled by professional photographers, for amateur usage SB400 is enough in 99% of the situations.

The SB400 works great even with a fisheye lens:

...

danm_cool said:
and perfectly couple with a 35mm 1.8

...

danm_cool said:
One day you might want to upgrade your camera, then SB600 will not worth the money, you will surely go with a SB800 or SB900, but till then, take a SB400.

Cheers
Dan

i completely absolutely agree with you, Dan.
... and the SB-400 (bounced) with the 35mm f1.8 is an awesome combination

JMaldonado01 · Dec 18, 2009

Check out the Nissin Di 866, almost same price as SB600, much more powerful and more features...here´s a review:

http://dpanswers.com/rev_nissin_di866.html

Regards
--
JMG

Walkir · Dec 18, 2009

cyberjock said:
i completely absolutely agree with you, Dan.
... and the SB-400 (bounced) with the 35mm f1.8 is an awesome combination

I second that... Got the SB-400 with the Sto-fen diffuser and love it together with my 35mm 1.8

But I actually just ordered a SB-600 as well, just to have something more powerful when I want to bounce off the wall or the ceiling in a large room. But the SB-400 will still be my first choice!

--
http://www.flickr.com/anders_lestander/

Josh Jones · Dec 18, 2009

I have a D60 and went through the same dilemma recently. I ended up choosing the 600 because I really wanted the bounce capabilities and the ability to control wirelessly when I upgrade to a new body (yet that will be a while from now). However, I did not realize how large the 600 was until I pulled it out of the box. It definately took some getting use to (especially when combined with the 35 1.8). I have found in many situations, that the 400 would have been just fine. In addition, you really cant go wrong with it at its price point because it could serve as a good backup/travel flash when you upgrade and dont require the extra capabilities.

JEGG · Dec 19, 2009

The SB-400 with the current lock-down Nikon TTL cord is much smaller and much lighter than the 600. It also recycles faster. With the cord, you can reorient the flash anywhere in a fraction of a second! No holding the unlock button and twisting the head, etc. It's like an attached and non attached flash at the same time! Put it on a collapsed or partially collapsed monopod for additional reach, or even a table tripod. Or just hand it to someone.

Liberating the flash from the camera goes a very long way!

And it is true: the SB-400 is only slightly less powerful than the 600 at the same propagation. In fact, some people prefer the pattern of the SB-400 over the 600 at that angle of projection.

BTW-get the real Nikon current TTL cord with mechanical lock-down.

Absolutic · Dec 20, 2009

Well, I bought SB600 right away and never thought about SB400, I was coming from Canon and SB600 was similar to Canon EX430 in size and price, and I thought SB400 was about as powerful as in-camera flash, so I never paid much attention to it. Plus with my D300, it is already pretty big, with or without SB600....

However, I do have a little D40..and I typically don't SB600 on it, due to the fact that when I want to bring D40, it is because I want something small and light, so putting SB600 on it would defeat the purpose.

Is SB400 that much smaller/lighter than SB600?
How many shots per set of batteries?
Does it twist, i.e., can it be bounced above and behind, or only up to vertical?

--
Nikon D300- Nikon D40- Panny ZS3- Sanyo E2
Previously owned DSLRS: Canon 40D, Nikon D40x

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On a budget sb400 or sb600?

Borealis

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Richard G T

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tem3

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WFulton

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oduncan4

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danm_cool

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RAL131504

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myzel

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hydromojo

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