Reading mode: Light Dark

Nikon SB-800 speedlight to be repaired?

Go to last post
Ramon Vaquero

Ramon Vaquero

Veteran Member
Messages
1,247
Reaction score
786
Location
ES
After eight years using it quite a lot, my SB-800 stopped working today. It can be switched on, but it doesn't flash any light from the lamp neither shooting it on the camera nor pushing the test button.

Using it with a D800, is it worth to change it for the newest model, the SB-910 ? Keep in mind that it's been used from 2004...Is it a long time for a speedlight, or maybe not?
 
Last edited:
Not sure but the problem might be corrosion on the battery contacts. A few months ago mine was doing the same thing and a quick clean with Deoxit and it was back to working again.
 
I haven't seen any official Nikon statements on rated lifetime of the flash tubes in their Speedlights, but have seen some Internet posts guessing that 20,000 cycles might be about right. Of course, there are other components (e. g., capacitors) that will also go bad over time, in addition to any number of possible failure modes of the general circuit components. Except for the capacitors and the flash tube, I'd guess that most of the components are not a lot more likely to fail now than they were when the flash was new.

So as a guess, assuming the display panel on the back is working, I'd say if you think the flash has significantly less than 20,000 cycles, you might send it to Nikon (or some other camera repair facility) and see what they'd charge to fix it. If they want more than $200 or so, just get a new SB-910.

FWIW, my SB-800 is about six years old, and still works fine - but it probably has only 10,000 or so cycles on it.


Ray
My blog: http://www.rritchie.com/wordpress
 
For me it would be the perfect excuse to buy a new flash: SB-910 or SB-700.
 
Thank you Ray, I'm pretty sure that my speedlight has far more than 20,000 shots...

The display works ok.
 
Last edited:
I've just been told that the SB-910 is better than the SB-900, but worse than the old SB-800.

Is that true??
 
Last edited:
The flash tubes only last so long and then need replacing. With today's style of shooting through a diffuser, bouncing and indirect lighting, those flashes take a beating. Eventually, the tube burns out and needs to be replaced. Nikon in Canada has a under $200 repair policy, and that includes everything to bring back the flash to spec. I'm on my second tube on my SB800. The first one didn't pass the concrete drop test and the second one burned out through use and needed almost everything to be replaced.

All these flashes were never designed to be used in machine gun mode. The biggest issue with the 900 series is that Nikon introduced a fail safe to prevent the units from overheating when someone uses it in machine gun mode. Of course, those that shoot in machine gun mode, freaked that the fail safe kicked in and then complained that the flashes sucked. Heat is the enemy of electronics, and severely shortens the life span of any flash. Fire 10-20 consecutive flashes and then pull out the batteries and see what happens. I don't know of any portable flashguns that can work in machine gun mode without overheating.

If you've had your flash since 2004, and only now need servicing, consider yourself luck. It would appear your not a chronic machine gun mode photographer. I'm a bounce and indirect flash user, and I can hear the thing pop hard which tells me that one day I'll have to replace the tube again. The SB800 is a great flash and to repair it is under $200, verses the $500 for a new SB9xx. I don't believe that there was any new advances in the TTL technologies to differentiate between the two flashes. Finally, never buy a used flash for the reasons stated above.

Hope this helps.

Paul
 
I have had this happen. Tube is toasted. Get it fixed. Last time it was less than $150.00 and they test it out. You can either keep it as a back up to SB910 or sell it. They are hot commodity and this will offset high cost of SB910. I would not get a SB900. Mine is delegated to back up as even with thernal nanny turned off, I do not trust it. It also decided to lock on to shoe once. After getting it off shoe, it was apparent the cam lock was broken. I took it apart to see what the deal was. Unbelievably cheap plastic parts were broken inside. It is now held on by gaffers tape. I actually prefer he old screw down, The parts in the cam lock are very cheap.
 
Ramon Vaquero said:
Slapbass wrote:

After eight years using it quite a lot, my SB-800 stopped working today. It can be switched on, but it doesn't flash any light from the lamp neither shooting it on the camera nor pushing the test button.

Using it with a D800, is it worth to change it for the newest model, the SB-910 ? Keep in mind that it's been used from 2004...Is it a long time for a speedlight, or maybe not?
Click to expand...
 
Thank you Paul, certainly I'm not a machine-gun-like shooter and I'm happy with my unit working so well for 8 long years...My doubt is about it's a too old unit to keep on working with with trust, even if I got it repaired.
 
Ramon Vaquero said:
Slapbass wrote:

Thank you Paul, certainly I'm not a machine-gun-like shooter and I'm happy with my unit working so well for 8 long years...My doubt is about it's a too old unit to keep on working with with trust, even if I got it repaired.
Click to expand...
 
Ramon Vaquero said:
Slapbass wrote:

I've just been told that the SB-910 is better than the SB-900, but worse than the old SB-800.

Is that true??
Click to expand...
The thermal protection gets less on your way on the SB-910 than on the SB-900. The SB-800 has no issue there at the risk that one may burn the flash if pushed hard.


I've used SB-900 and 800. What I liked most about the former is the ability to switch to slave mode with a simple flick of a switch. This requires digging into menu with the 800. Also the new hard gels (which work on both 900 and 910) are easier to switch than the flimsy plastic films on the 800. The 900 or 910 also do not have the clunky 5th battery thingy found on the 800. What I liked less about the 900 is the size.
 
I had my SB-600 repaired at United Camera Repair for $72, which replaced my broken hot shoe. I would do the same for my SB-800 in a heart beat. Even if it cost $300, still cheaper then buying the bigger and heaver Nikon flash. If I could find a good one I buy another SB-800. Another reason why I don't want Nikon newer flash models is because they don't work very well with my Radio Poppers jrx flash triggers.


Mark
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Keyboard shortcuts

f
Forum
m
My threads
Mobile site
About
Editorial content
Cameras & Lenses
Community
All content, design, and layout are Copyright © 1998–2025 Digital Photography Review All Rights Reserved.
Reproduction in whole or part in any form or medium without specific written permission is prohibited.
When you use DPReview links to buy products, the site may earn a commission.
©GPS Media - Guides, Products, Services.
Back
Top