behind the z c

 

 

 

 

SPOY 2007 Prize #2: (2) Nikon SB-800 Speedlights

I have said it before, and I will say it again: The Nikon SB-800 Speedlight is, IMO, the best small flash available today. Or ever, for that matter.

Consider the capabilities:

1. Full Nikon CLS compatibility, either as a commander unit or a remote. If you shoot with any recent Nikon dSLR for which the pop-up flash acts as a CLS commander, a pair of these puppies will rock your world.


("But wait, Dave," you say. "I shoot Canon/Pentax/Sony/Pinhole/Etc...")

Hold your horses, Spanky. Look at what this thing will do with your camera:


2. Full manual control -- down to 1/128th power -- in 1/3-stop increments.

3. PC jack, for easy external sync with Pocket Wizards. (Heckuva combo, BTW.)

4. Built-in, super-sensitive slave (see how to enable it here) for easy triggering from your other flash.

5. Built-in modeling light -- very useful for small-scale light painting.


So, what could be better than an SB-800?

Two SB-800's of course. Essentially, even if you are not a Nikon shooter, (not that there's anything wrong with that) two SB-800's turn your one off-camera flash into three synched off-camera flashes.

And if you are a Nikon CLS shooter already, well, you just moved into Mr. McNally's neighborhood. Gear-wise, anyway.
_____________________


Big CLS, full-manual, super-slave thanks to Geoff at Nikon for making it happen. To learn more about the Cadillac of Flashes, (as they say in Get Shorty) hit the folowing links:


:: Nikon SB-800 Specs Page ::
:: Nikon CLS Multi-Flash Virtual Demo ::

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