2009 Best Camera Flash Store

Description

Professional i-TTL Speedlight compatible with Nikon FX and DX format SLRs, and part of the Nikon Creative Lighting System. This powerful Speedlight offers photographers extensive creative opportunities for their flash photography. Three illumination patterns - Center-weighted, Even and Standard - provide total control over flash coverage and it covers a class-leading auto zoom range of 17-200mm in just 1.2 seconds.Advanced features include a booster circuit that enables high-speed recycling using four AA-type batteries and a built-in thermal protection system to warn of excessive heat build up. The SB-900 can automatically detect the presence of a fluorescent or incandescent color filter and transmit this information to the attached camera's white balance setting, and its firmware can be upgraded via the camera body.

The SB-900 i-TTL Speedlight leads the Nikon Creative Lighting System by delivering the portability, power, and versatility to support any photographer's creative lighting imagination. The SB-900 works as a wireless standalone flash, or you can use it as a commander or wireless remote light source. In commander mode, the SB-900 controls up to three remote Speedlight groups and an unlimited number of compatible Speedlights, with four wireless channel options helping you manage wireless conflicts in multiple photographer environments. The flash also offers streamlined controls and menus, including a rotary select dial that sets key flash functions quickly, along with a prominent master and remote control switch to simplify wireless operation. Photographers working on zoom photos will appreciate the SB-900's expanded auto power zoom coverage, which ranges from 17 to 200mm in the FX format to 12 to 200mm in the DX format. Photographers also have the choice of three light distribution patterns: standard (for general illumination), center-weighted (for portraits), and even (for groups or interiors). Finally, the SB-900 automatically identifies mounted color gel filters and adjusts the camera's auto white balance setting (available with select Nikon digital SLR cameras). Other details include automatic FX/DX format identification; user-friendly firmware updating; flash tube overheat protection; and a drip-proof mounting foot cover. Technical Specifications Guide number: 34 meters/111.5 feet (ISO 100), 48 meters/157.5 feet (ISO 200) Electronic construction: Automatic Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistor (IGBT) and series circuitry Flash exposure control: Slow sync; red-eye reduction in slow sync; front curtain sync; rear curtain sync; rear-curtain slow sync; auto FP high-speed sync; FV lock flash Lens coverage: 17 to 200mm (FX format, automatic mode); 12 to 200mm (DX format, automatic mode); 12 to 17mm (FX format, automatic mode with built-in wide-angle panel deployed); 8 to 11mm (DX format, automatic mode with built-in wide-angle panel deployed) Bounce function (tilt): Flash head tilts down to -7 degrees or up to 90 degrees, with click stops at -7, 0, 45, 60, 75, and 90 degrees Bounce function (rotate): Flash head rotates horizontally 180 degrees to the left and right, with click stops at 0, 30, 60, 90, 120, 150, and 180 degrees Minimum recycling time: 4 seconds with alkaline-manganese (1.5 volts); 4.5 seconds with lithium (1.5 volts); 3 seconds with Oxyride (1.5 volts); 2.3 seconds with Ni-MH (2,600 mAh) Flash duration: 1/880 second at M1/1 (full) output; 1/1,000 second at M1/2 output; 1/2,550 second at M1/4 output; 1/5,000 second at M1/8 output; 1/10,000 second at M1/16 output; 1/20,000 second at M1/32 output; 1/35,700 second at M1/64 output; 1/38,500 second at M1/128 output Required power source: 4 AA-type batteries in the following types: alkaline-manganese (1.5 volts), lithium (1.5 volts), or Ni-MH (1.2 volts) ISO range: 100 to 6,400 Optional power supply: SD-9 high-performance battery pack, SD-8A high-performance battery pack, or SK-6 power bracket unit Ready light: Yes Minimum number of flashes: 110 with alkaline-manganese (1.5 volts); 230 with lithium (1.5 volts); 190 with Ni-MH (2,600 mAh) Wireless flash modes: Off, master, master (repeating), remote, and SU-4 Wireless communication channels: 4 Wireless groups: 3 Dimensions: 3 x 5.7 x 4.7 inches (W x H x D) Weight: 14.6 ounces Supplied accessories: AS-21 Speedlight stand, SW-13H diffusion dome, SJ-900 color filter set, SZ-2 color filter holder, SS-900 soft case

Features

• High-quality flash for standalone use or as part of a comprehensive lighting system
• Commander mode controls up to 3 Speedlight groups or unlimited individual Speedlights
• 4 wireless channel options; prominent master and remote control switch for wireless operation
• Auto power zoom coverage ranges from 17 to 200mm (FX format) to 12 to 200mm (DX format)
• 3 light distribution patterns; measures 3 x 5.7 x 4.7 inches (W x H x D) and weighs 14.6 ounces

Reviews

I'll start off by saying that the only reason I'm giving this product a 5 star rating is because of the option to turn off the overheating shut down. I've shot probably 25+ weddings with SB-800's and never had a single overheating problem, but had my SB-900 overheat while shooting a reception on the VERY FIRST wedding I ever shot with it. I purchased this flash in January 2010 so obviously the overheating thing is still an issue regardless of what you've read. If I didn't have the option to turn off the safety features, this thing would be going straight back to Amazon. On the plus side, the controls are a HUGE improvement over the SB-800. They have a spinning dial similar to the dials that the non touch screen ipods use. I'm able to adjust flash on the fly much faster than I could before. I guess this doesn't mean a whole lot to those of you who use TTL ;0) So far this is the most insight I can give since I've only done one wedding. I look forward to being able to zoom to 200mm on portrait sessions & weddings in the near future! Phil

This Flash was meant to be used by professionals and is suppose to substitute the older version SB-800. I use it a few times in a baby birthday party and it get heat very easy. Then you have to wait 10 minutes without use it. I tried to slow my shots to avoid this. A friend of mine told me: you cannot shoot pointing the head of the flash up, because that causes the heat faster, you cannot use the diffuser because it will heat faster, you cannot shoot all power because it will heat faster. So if you're a professional you want to be creative and do your work without being restricted by your tools. I prefer to get the SB-600 and improve my camera to D3S to shoot higher ISO, and improve the lenses to F2.8 and VR to avoid using a lot of power or buy the SB-900 and deactivate the temperature system.

I hesitated to buy this flash. The SB-600 was dated and no replacement was rumored, and I really wanted to buy one flash one time and not have to think about it. I purchased it thinking I was a non-professional and I would not run into the thermal shutdown issue. I purchased ENELOOP NiMH batteries and I started shooting. I've only experienced thermal shutdown twice - and that was with bounce flash + a very dark room + iso 200 photography with a 70 or 80 photos in a row. If you set your camera to iso100 in a dark room and really push the flash, you can hit this really quickly but is that realistic? I am disappointed that there is such a cloud of controversy surrounding it. It may hurt resale. My experience was that when the temperature gauge hits it's midpoint, you will quickly get to thermal shutdown in the next couple of photos. The batteries were not even warm when taken out, nor was any part of the flash that I could touch. Once shutdown occurs, you can not turn on the flash and get into the menus to turn off the thermal protection circuit until the unit cools down. Plan accordingly. Either turn off thermal shutdown protection before and monitor the temperature frequently or plan to wait about 5 or 10 minutes for the unit to cool down. If you are a pro, you probably have more than one flash anyway and can swap them though this is inconvenient. All in all, it is a powerful excellent flash. It helps me make fantastic memorable photos. If you can't afford a $2000+ full frame camera to shoot low light and high ISO, then having the best flash is the next best alternative. Plus as you grow your photography skills and upgrade equipment, this flash will continue to serve you well. The flash has the nikon CLS (creative lighting system) so you can put the flash off-camera and shoot from different angles, or use an umbrella to get nice diffuse light. It also comes with a ton of extras -- nice storage case, some gels for coloring the light coming out of the flash, a diffusion dome, a white bounce card. I definitely recommend this flash though I hope some day soon, Nikon issues a firmware fix or services these very expensive flashes and rids us of the temperature issues.

I generally agree with most of the reviews here. This flash has some really nice features. The controls are much easier to use than the SB-800, especially the CLS settings. Expanded zoom and 3 light distribution pattens sound interesting, though I didn't get a chance to use them. I'd read the reviews, including the caveats about the "Flash Tube Overheat Protection". I assumed that the relatively few who mentioned this problem were far more demanding of the flash than I ever would be. It happened that I got my flash just before I'd agreed to photo a church service for a family member, so I'd get to try out the flash in a realistic but non-critical situation (i.e. a non-paying gig). The flash worked well until it shut down as I popped a series of shots of an assembled group. I used the flash on and off for about 2 hours. The shut down occurred after taking 47 flash shots in 19 minutes after a fairly long session of shots without using flash. In those last shots I started shooting at f/2.8, ISO 400, bouncing off a low ceiling. I went to f/ 3.5 when I needed a bit more depth of field, and ended with 12 shots at f/4.5 in an area with a very high ceiling, flash angled up with the diffusion dome. Those last 12 shots were more rapid, ~12 in the last 3 min before shut down (about 15 sec. between shots) These last shots may have been at or near full power due to the high ceiling and my efforts to avoid direct flash shadows. Many have pointed out that flash shut down is usually preferable to damaging the flash, pointing out that the SB-800 manual also cautions against too many full power flashes in sequence. After considering the facts, I returned the flash for the following reasons: (1) I could purchase it again anytime, but I had 15 days to return it(!); (2) Like many others, I'd never had a shut down or damage to my SB-800's in years of use; (3) Even SB-800 warns of burning yourself on flash tube and/or batteries after a rapid series, but tube/batteries were barely warm to the touch immediately after shut down in the SB-900. (4) I looked for some leftover stock of SB-800's; they're listed on Amazon for $899! I really didn't think the thermal shut-down issue would be significant, at least for me, but I'm going to wait and see if Nikon can come up with a solution (though I suspect they'll do it quietly if they do). I gave it 3 stars because it seems to be a great flash if you don't do events that require at least a moderate frequency of flash shots.

Excellent flash, works well does a better job than my SB800 covers more area and produces more light. Flash is a lot easier to use and settings are very easy to change and adjust on the fly. I plan to by another SB900 to add to my collection.