What Flash? I'm shooting with a Nikon D810 and I need a good dedicated flash for it. I'll be using it for fill flash a lot. Cost is not the issue, but rather ease of use and good value...

jstar Loc: Western MA

I'm shooting with a Nikon D810 and I need a good dedicated flash for it. I'll be using it for fill flash a lot. Cost is not the issue, but rather ease of use and good value for the money I spend. Anybody have recommendations or warnings?

NormanHarley Loc: Colorado

I have been using the Yongnuo flashes and ended up getting several of them for creative lighting. Here is a link to one that will work great with your i-ttl system on the D810.

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1110994-REG/yongnuo_yn_565ex_n_speedlite_for.html

And for off camera use only using a radio signal to fire the flash, I use these.

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1108675-REG/yongnuo_yn_568exn_ttl_speedlite_flash_for.html

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1086002-REG/yongnuo_yn_622n_tx_i_ttl_wireless_flash.html

Check out The Strobist website for great information and how to stuff.

http://strobist.blogspot.com

marcomarks Loc: Ft. Myers, FL

jstar wrote:

I'm shooting with a Nikon D810 and I need a good dedicated flash for it. I'll be using it for fill flash a lot. Cost is not the issue, but rather ease of use and good value for the money I spend. Anybody have recommendations or warnings?

The very best choice is a Nikon flash because nothing works as well with a Nikon than their own flashes, although they're not cheap. You said cost is not an issue so that's the way to do it right. If it's just for fill flash, then you can get one of their two smaller ones with a lower Guide Number of 20 to 40. No need to get the biggest one, unless you see yourself doing a wedding or large group of some sort in the future.

wayne-03 Loc: Minnesota

If you will be using the flash I-TTL I would go for the Godox V860n
If manual flash I would Godox V850 or Godox AD360

http://www.jimhargrove.com/reviewofgodoxvin.html

http://www.godox.com/EN/

JohnSwanda Loc: San Francisco

marcomarks wrote:

The very best choice is a Nikon flash because nothing works as well with a Nikon than their own flashes, although they're not cheap. You said cost is not an issue so that's the way to do it right. If it's just for fill flash, then you can get one of their two smaller ones with a lower Guide Number of 20 to 40. No need to get the biggest one, unless you see yourself doing a wedding or large group of some sort in the future.

I agree with the Nikon flash, although I admit I've never tried the much recommended Yongnuo flashes. But I disagree about getting a low power flash. I always get the most power I can afford, because you can always power it down, but there is bound to be some time you need a lot of power, especially for bouncing, which is a softer option for fill.

Nikonian72 Loc: Chico CA

Speedlights are measured in Guide Numbers (GN). A high GN means more power, allows illumination at a greater distance, or more important, quicker recharge time. Here is a thread that compares several current speedlight models:
FAQ: How do Popular Speedlights Compare for GN?
http://www.uglyhedgehog.com/t-91636-1.html#1552903

kavner58 Loc: Portland, Oregon

jstar wrote:

I'm shooting with a Nikon D810 and I need a good dedicated flash for it. I'll be using it for fill flash a lot. Cost is not the issue, but rather ease of use and good value for the money I spend. Anybody have recommendations or warnings?

If cost is no issue for you, SB910 is the Nikon high end flash. Full with features.

-AK

GoofyNewfie Loc: Kansas City

kavner58 wrote:

If cost is no issue for you, SB910 is the Nikon high end flash. Full with features.

-AK

:thumbup:

Best speedlight I have ever used in 40 years.
Only thing to improve is to add a built-in radio receiver like Canon and 3rd parties are doing.

marcomarks Loc: Ft. Myers, FL

JohnSwanda wrote:

I agree with the Nikon flash, although I admit I've never tried the much recommended Yongnuo flashes. But I disagree about getting a low power flash. I always get the most power I can afford, because you can always power it down, but there is bound to be some time you need a lot of power, especially for bouncing, which is a softer option for fill.

I only discussed the smaller ones because he said what he does is for fill flash. Not everybody wants to spend $600+ for a flash although "cost is no object" was stated. I also always go for the biggest one that will peel the paint off the walls at full power but that's not what he indicated that he'd be doing with it.

GoofyNewfie Loc: Kansas City

marcomarks wrote:

I only discussed the smaller ones because he said what he does is for fill flash.
Not everybody wants to spend $600+ for a flash although "cost is no object" was stated. I also always go for the biggest one that will peel the paint off the walls at full power but that's not what he indicated that he'd be doing with it.

Missed the fill-flash part.

jstar, you might also want to look at the less-expensive (by nearly half) but quite capable Nikon SB-700. Does most of what the SB-910 does.
Read a comparison of the Nikon SB 910 vs SB 700 HERE.
I use my SB-910's outside quite a bit in high-speed sync mode, which could qualify as fill flash.

Nikon_DonB Loc: Chicago

If the SB910 is a bit too pricey, his little brother, the SB700 is very good too. It works well on my D610 and I like it. The only drawback is it won't accept an outside power pack, but is good with battery life.

sinatraman Loc: Vero Beach Florida, Earth,alpha quaudrant

I love my sb-800. it is a little bit o;der but one heck of a flash. If you do want to save some moola, look into refurbished or used at KEH.com. Nikon's flashes are as good as their lenses. By using a Nikon flash you acsess their creative lighting system and there intelligent through the lens mode

JohnSwanda Loc: San Francisco

marcomarks wrote:

I only discussed the smaller ones because he said what he does is for fill flash. Not everybody wants to spend $600+ for a flash although "cost is no object" was stated. I also always go for the biggest one that will peel the paint off the walls at full power but that's not what he indicated that he'd be doing with it.

I was just thinking that fill flash doesn't have to be direct, it can be bounced, which will take more power. Even outdoors, fill flash can be bounced off an outside wall or some kind of reflector.

marcomarks Loc: Ft. Myers, FL

JohnSwanda wrote:

I was just thinking that fill flash doesn't have to be direct, it can be bounced, which will take more power. Even outdoors, fill flash can be bounced off an outside wall or some kind of reflector.

Yes. That's true about bouncing. Personally I use a a Gary Fong type stovepipe-looking diffuser on my flash which has transluscent sides and a white top cap that acts like a ceiling, thus no ceiling or reflector is required. It's not a Gary Fong because he charges far too much but a Chinese clone. If you haven't seen such a thing, the picture below will show it better than my description.

It ends up emitting an omnidirectional ball of light rather than being an edgy beam of focused light. The cap is thicker than the sides so most of the light goes out the sides while allowing some to bounce from above too. I've used it quite successfully over the years.

OddJobber Loc: Portland, OR

marcomarks wrote:

It's not a Gary Fong because he charges far too much but a Chinese clone.

Care to tell us where to get a clone?