Fairly powerful.

Has wireless operation capability, a REALLY nice feature to have if your camera has a Commander mode.

Spins, angles, etc.

Has a built in defuser.

The user interface is a nagging issue: It's poorly organized, has a very cluttered display and its buttons are hard to press and provide very little feedback.

I don't know if it's the Nikon camera or the flash, but shots often has a very "flashy" look to them. I have friends who have Canon cameras, and their pix look much more natural.

Expect strange things to happen when the batteries get weak. Mine makes a 'cycling' sound when I turned it on. It also failed to fire sometimes, or fired 2-3 stops under, though other times it worked fine, without regard to amt of time between shots.

The locking mechanism sometimes fails to fully disengage, making it hard to remove from the camera.

When shooting in Aperture priority, the flash locks the shutter speed at 1/60 of a second. You have to switch the camera to Manual for higher speeds. This is more of a issue that it seems; I normally shoot on Aperture priority, zooming in and out on the fly and turning the flash on and off. But if I turn off the flash for a few natural lighting shots, I sometimes forget its on Manual and ruin a few pix.

I bought this over a year ago and haven't really used it a lot, just enough to write a review.

Overall, it's a powerful flash but it has a lot of strange characteristics that, considering its price, are disappointing.

My constant issue with this flash is its horrible user interface. Its buttons and settings are so confusing that even after a year, I have a hard time figuring out what its current settings are, and this is bad.

On the bright side (chuckle), it's fairly powerful. See below for more details.

Customer Service

Never tried them.

Cost, performance, flexibility, awesome battery life.

None

Great flash for the money. Does everything I need it to very well at a reasonable price. Works perfectly with my D50 not one single problem. If you own a Nikon I don't think you could do better for the same price.

Customer Service

Not needed.

Similar Products Used:

Generic flashes

# 1 is that it works as an optical remote slave directly compatible with most Nikon DSLR's. That is just awesome for a photographer like me who's on a budget.

FAST.

Not too hard on batteries.

Awesome product. Really, really awesome.

Performance, accuracy of exposures, build quality, battery life. Wireless remote multi flash system.

Price, silly price of sync cord.

I got one of these for my Old D2H when they first came out and it has stood me in good stead ever since and has seen off 3 body upgrades and the D200 second body so no complaints as to reliabilit, battery life is awesome. I have a second one now because the remote flash options are so useful, as has been said it's great as an ad-hoc studio. With the D200's built in flash this is a 3 head wireless battery powered set up I can keep in a small gadget bag. You can have as many as you like and even have 2 seperate groups of flashes So for instance to photograph wedding guests as they arrive you could have 2 different lighting moods set up in seconds depending on the type of picture you want and switch according to the subject.

With the 5th Battery recycle times are comparable to quantum packs on a hammerhead but with full TTL and sync speeds up to 1/8000. Its got enough power when you consider it's a 38-125 GN depending on zoom at ISO100 . This was also hammerhead territory not so long ago.

The controls are straightforwards but can be fiddly to get to. I'd like to see a direct position 3 position switch for normal, master and slave modes.

On it's own it performs very well and gives good well illuminated exposures including fill. As part of a wireless group it's sensational and the fine adjustment it allows is great.

If you need these functions and performance you will not be dissapointed, but if all you want is a corded or on camera flash there is better value for money out there and the price of the TTL cord is just a rip off.

Powerful, easy to use

I-TTL BL is great for just slapping it on the camera and shooting, and is very accurate.

Build quality is good, it has a plastic body, but still feels pretty solid.

None so far that I've discovered

After having two SB-600s and using them for portraits, I decided that I needed to get the SB-800 so I could control my 600s and set their power seperately. After already being familiar with the 600s, the 800 was pretty easy to figure out and get it running. Using it on my D70, I get the exposure I want and have had no problems with it.

I also use it on my D1h, and I love the high speed sync already!

The controls are easy to use and see, and the menus are easy to navigate.

I currently mostly use the setup doing product photography as well as portraits. I also wish I had gotten the SB-800s instead of the SB-600s for the features & extra power.

Customer Service

Sent my D70 in for a general check up before the warranty expired, came back quickly. Also sent a flash in to get the bulb repaired, and got it back quickly as well.

Similar Products Used:

2 Nikon SB-600's

Sigma EF-500

Extremely capable and versatile, techologically advanced, excellent system integration, excellent scalability

Learning curve, complicated enough to require rehearsal and practice before a serious shoot, menus sometimes slow to respond to buttons. Something this complicated should have some built-in help screens. A quick reference card should also be included because leafing through the big manual is not "cool" on the job.

After starting in digital with a D70 and 18-70 lens, I decided to get more serious. I was limited in digital to on-flash sensor shooting with my legacy SB-25 and even older Vivitar 285!

Years before I had learned to appreciate the incredible array of functions and capabilities that started with the SB-24, so this was a logical move. Its wireless capabilities, even when controlled with the D70's pop-up, were an unexpected benefit that turned out to be one of the most important features of this flash system.

Along with a second D70 body, I bought a second SB-800. This powerful duo takes over many of the jobs of my Portamaster studio flash system. Power is comparable to the Vivitar 285 and similarly sized flashes from Nikon and others - roughly GN110 with normal lens at ISO100 equivalent.

This one gave me such good service with NiMH batteries, that I decided to sell my Quantum external battery pack, thus saving another potentially tangling cord. I like to use the translucent dome that came with this flash, or one of Gary Fong's Lightsphere variants. I had been a user of Lumiquest light bouncers and soft boxes, but the SB-800 doesn't give you the same real estate for mounting the required Velcro pads. Lumiquest makes a tension strap, but that falls off at the most inopportune times!

I didn't bother with the SB600 because I wanted the extra power and functions, including the built-in sensor. I have found that you can never have too much flash power, especially when using light modifiers as I do.

This makes for a formidable multiflash system with one of the newer digital bodies from Nikon. However, its use is complicated and requires learning -- and practice. There are many more variables than simply setting the auto sensor to an f-stop, as on my Vivitar or my potato-masher Metz 60CT4.

I recommend that serious users also get Nikon's Speed of Light DVD. It shows this system in use, but is not a full tutorial. As of this writing, you're stuck with the manual. I can't overstress the need for test shots and practice to get this creative wireless lighting thing to work, but the effort will pay off.

This flash is largely controlled by menus, unlike the earlier flashes which had more buttons. Sometimes the menus don't come up as fast as I want, which makes me wonder of the buttons aren't working.

Interestingly, I had also been looking at replacing my old radio slave trigger, but that plan is on hold thanks to what the SB-800 an do.

Customer Service

I bought one from my local dealer and my second from B&H Photo, getting good service from both. Price shown is that I paid at B&H.

Similar Products Used:

SB-24, SB-25, SB-16B, SB-23, Vivitar 285

Sophisitication, wireless operation, nice accessories, provision for 5th battery, great versatility/

Hard to toggle between modes, manual is cryptic, takes time to learn.

I got this shortly after buying my first D70. I already had a Vivitar 285 and a Nikon SB-25. The 25 did some of the stuff, but was not a compatible digital flash for the fancy metering. I decided to go all the way for the 800 to be able to have the full range of functions and the max flash power available in a Nikon flash. I have learned in event photography never to compromise on power. I like the capability of the wireless remote triggering, which can be done from the popup flash, or from one SB-600 or 800 to another. That saves me from having to use those radio and optical slaves, which I have always hated. I got a second one to serve as backup and enable me to do double lighting at event jobs. They give my photography a nice sparke and dimension. Once you get to learn this flash and its fancy modes, it is great. But you have to persevere and learn this thing.

Customer Service

Got one locally and one from B&H.

Similar Products Used:

SB-24 and 25

The sb800 is well build. It's perfect in fully automatic mode (TTL) on your D70. It supports manual mode and sb800-sensor controlled "automatic" mode. It can be used in wireless set-ups containing several flashes and utilising TTL measurement. It keeps all of it's settings and preferences while changing modes of operation or removing batteries.

Without some understanding of the different modes of operation, it is a rather complex flash. It's expensive. For straight forward on-camera usage flashes like the Sigma EF500 may well be a fine alternative.

Writing this review, I'm very well aware of the fact that the sb800 is a product that one may love or hate as well. I love it, because I'm used to operate modern high tech devices and need a very flexible flash. I use this flash with my D70 for portrait & model photography. In my little studio I use the flash in a full manual set-up with 3 remote slaves (in so-called SU-4 setup) and 1 master (camera's build-in flash). I also use it connected to my camera as a fill-in flash for outdoor photography in bright sunlight. Furthermore I am going to use it in fully automatic mode (so called advanced wireless) with two slaves at locations outside my studio. At first operation seems a bit complex. This is partially because of the great flexibility, which you may not need. At least to some extend it's also caused by Nikon (as other manufacturers do) defining there own vocabulary. Once you're used to their vocabulary, the sb800 isn't complex to operate at all. One important positive remark: Once you've set-up all parameters regarding each of the modes of operation you will ever use, the sb800 will remember them forever (untill you change them). In my view that is a major difference with the Sigma EF500, which looses it's info after putting it on top of your camera or changing modes of operation or removing batteries. Do you need the wide range of utilisation of your flashes (remote control, automatic, manual, ....) then the sb800 is a very good choice. If you limit usage of your flash attached to your camera, the Sigma EF500 is just as good ......... and quit a lot cheaper.

Customer Service

Not needed yet.

Similar Products Used:

Sunpak 5000AF Sigma EF500 DG Super NA iTTL

Wireless capability (i-TTL) clear layout and controls at back. Accurate. Good backlight useful in dark conditions. small, light and powerfull

The supplied difusser really affects range, but that is true of any difusser. recycle speed could be a little faster. I'ts workable, but if your shooting a lot of action you could miss a few shots.

I really can't fault the flash. I liked it so much I bough another so I have two! A previous review stated he couldn't get the camera to balance to with daylight, not sure what camera he's using it with or what mode he put it in but in standard TTL BL mode this works like a dream! As for the camera automatically setting the shutter to 1/60th. Yes it does, but then to make it faster you just dial in the correct shutter speed as normal. If you want it slower, you have to set the minimum sync speed slower OR, put your camera in slow speed synch mode. Possibly the problems the other chap was having were due to his own admission he couldn't read the manual! Personally I found it OK, it's a bit involved and assumes knowledge of flash photography but it is readable. The flash itself is powerful, accurate, and has more modes and features than most would ever expect to use. The thing I am most enthusiastic about is the wireless flash capability. it allows you to fire the flash remotely for more realistic lighting effects. I use a pair of sb800's together with one set up on a tripod with a brolly and it works like a studio flashhead. Obviously not as powerful but if I want to light a couple indoors in a dark room it's good enough, often giving me F8 at 1/200th from around 6 feet away, plenty. The whole thing works with your cameras meter so you don't even need to use a light meter! As a pair they make the perfect emergency lighting for rainy weddings.

Customer Service

not required.

Similar Products Used:

Minolta 5400HS Cobra 700af-mi

Perfect balance fill flash High output for easy bounce flash Wireless is easy as on camera flash Many different modes Modeling flash Very fast recycle time! Seamless integration with compatible body

Absolutely none found so far.

This flash is simply AMAZING! Well worth the price for this piece of technology. I don't know what happened with "jeff" since we don't know what camera body he used to give this flash such a bad rating, but with my D70 I just set to TTL-BL and it will balance fill flash the exposure perfectly every time. If you need a faster shutter speed just put it in shutter priority and set it and forget it. The flash will adjust output according to shutter speed, aperture, iso speed, focal length and the results from 3D matrix metering to make a perfectly balanced exposure (with cpu lenses which are pretty much the commonplace). With the quick recyling adapter which is included, it recycles instantaneously (nimh batteries)on most occasions. Works just as flawlessly in wireless mode too! Perhaps "jeff" was using a non-cpu lens or a non compatible body with the flash which would require him to go manual. If I could give 10 stars I would. Don't hesitate and get this flash, you won't be dissappointed

Similar Products Used:

SB-80DX