SX2002 Loc: Adelaide, South Australia

I'm currently using an SB-700 flash unit..I do a lot of inside functions here in our community hall and quite often, due to certain circumstances, I need to shoot from a distance. At times, the SB-700 struggles and doesn't give me enough light.
I'm thinking about an SB-900 or even the SB-5000. The SB-5000 is very expensive, AUD$700. Can anyone using an SB-900 give me their impressions of it and do you think it will be a big enough improvement over my SB-700..?
Or maybe, is there another brand that is equivalent to the SB-5000 that's not going to break the bank..if I have to pay the price for the SB-5000, I will if there is no other option.
Cheers,
Ron.

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rmalarz Loc: Tempe, Arizona

Ron, hopefully, this provides a little bit of insight. It may be just the little bit more you need.
"First and foremost difference to consider is the maximum light output. There is no such a thing as a too powerful flash. Nikon SB-900 has a Guide Number of 34m/111.5ft, whereas Nikon SB-700 is rated at 28m/92ft (ISO 100, at 35 mm). This means that the flagship unit is about 48 percent more powerful, which is in-between 1/2 and 2/3 of an f-stop. This might not seems like a lot, but when you use flash diffusers, you often need all the power you can get."*
--Bob

*https://photo-tips-online.com/review/nikon-speedlight-sb-700-vs-sb-900/#power

DirtFarmer Loc: Escaped from the NYC area, back to MA

What ISO are you comfortable with?

SX2002 Loc: Adelaide, South Australia

As low as possible...in a dimly lit hall, the noise is too bad...

SX2002 Loc: Adelaide, South Australia

Thanks Bob, that extra reach with the 900 might be enough...I only use a diffuser at closer distances (portraits, etc,) but not when shooting longer distances..

GoofyNewfie Loc: Kansas City

Don’t know the venue or event, but i would consider two (or more) flashes remotely and bounce them. I found with bounced light, noise seems to look less objectionable and the light is more even and spread over a larger area. Ive used the SB 800, 900, 910 and 5000. All are great.
The 900 has overheating issues if used rapidly at higher power.
Only happend to me twice. The 910 came out to address that problem.
Nit a total fix, but it was better

JD750 Loc: SoCal

Ok two things. First, As pointed out you can use the guide numbers to determine how much more “reach” you can get from the new Speedlight.

Second, your statement quoted above confuses me. Under exposure exacerbates noise. With modern cameras noise is all but negligible below ISO 800, or higher. Fearing to increase ISO given dim light will result in more noise.

Of course there is a limit, and ISO and noise are related. Cameras have settings to reduce noise. Processing programs have settings to reduce noise. Prior to shooting in dim situations one can perform shooting tests, using the above, to determine the max ISO that is usable. Have you done those tests?

niteman3d Loc: South Central Pennsylvania, USA

I can't help you with any first hand experience, but I read a lot and a name that pops up (over and over) when I get GAS and decide I'm gonna break down and get a better flash is Godox:
https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/compare/Nikon_SB-5000_AF_Speedlight_vs_Godox_VING_V860IIN_TTL_Li-Ion_Flash_Kit_for_Nikon_Cameras/BHitems/1214170-GREY_1341867-REG
Here's a look at it... don't know if you have access to B&H or not, but I'm sure they're available elsewhere and just a quick glance tells me they're highly rated (if you can believe online ratings anymore). Good luck!

DirtFarmer Loc: Escaped from the NYC area, back to MA

I started DSLR life with a SB800 and it worked pretty well with my D200, but eventually I graduated to a D3.

The D3 didn't have an on-camera flash and by that time I had been getting into some off-camera flash work so I needed another speedlight. The SB800 was being discontinued and the SB900 was out, but had a reputation for temperature problems. So I got a Nissin Di866 which was reputed to be compatible with the Nikon CLS. It was also cheaper than the SB900. The Di866 turned out to be almost compatible but not quite. It was pretty much OK as a primary flash but while I could use it on the D3 and the SB800 off-camera, it was not reliable when the SB800 was on-camera and the Di866 was off camera.

So I hobbled along for a year or so, then sprung for a SB910. Had no problems with that speedlight, but to confuse the experiment I had also switched from NiCd rechargeables to Eneloop rechargeables. I went to a wedding at which a friend was using an SB900 and having problems. I loaned him a couple changes of Eneloop batteries and he had no further problems. So the SB900 might be OK if you take care not to overheat the batteries. That is the only experience I had with the SB900 and it wasn't my experience.

Before I retired I did a lot of events (mostly indoor) and usually did a mix of available light and flash. By retirement time I had a D4 and D5. 24-70 on one and 70-200 on the other (with 200-500 in the bag, used occasionally).

As far as noise is concerned, I would limit my D3 to about 12K ISO. The D4 worked pretty well up to 25K and the D5 was a bit better but not a lot. My images were used primarily for PR purposes for basically volunteer organizations I belonged to. They would show up in newsletters and online, so no real large images were used. That helped the noise, and noise reduction in PP basically wiped out any concerns I had about noise (for the purposes specified). It was only after I retired that I started to use Topaz DeNoise, so that would probably make it possible to raise the ISO by a half or full stop.

Although the limit was 12K-25K, the general ISO usage was 2K-10K. Did a lot of available light shots at 2K-10K and they came out fine (minimally active subject).

When I used flash it was usually bounced. So higher ISO was generally needed.

All the events I shot involved occasionally group shots (things like award ceremonies). I would set the ISO as high as I could comfortably and take a burst of 4-5 shots at 10fps. That mitigated any problems with blinkers in the groups. That was where the SB800 and SB910 were needed, since the Di866 was unable to do more than 2-3 shots at 10fps. The SB800 could do 10-12 (never got around to checking the SB910).

PS: when I had the D3 I did the high ISO experiment at one event when I had some free time. I found that although the camera would go to 200K ISO, the results were not good up there. Only good for marketing hype. I was able to get reasonable shots at 25K, but the PP time went way up and the color started to go askew. At 50K I could get reasonable shots but only if I could have gotten the same shot at 25K. At 100K I was unable to keep the color in line.

E.L.. Shapiro Loc: Ottawa, Ontario Canada

I hate to sound negative but consider this. If you need substantial flash power for handheld candid photography, need to work at moderate ISO settings, work in dark and/or large venues at extended distances, or want the option of using light modifiers or bounce ligh when possible, most small speedlights are inadequate.

Speedlight is an excellent accessory but there are limitations. After all, even the top=of-the line Speedlight weighs in at about 80 watts. seconds- probable about 1800 BCPS. For the size they are somewhat efficient t but used directly (unmodified) the light is rather harsh and flat when use on-camer atop the body in the hot shoe. You are working with a small linear flash tube in a high polished or mirror mylar reflector in a rather small housing.

If you are called upon to do lots of this work, you may want to consider a different kind of portable unit. The one in the attached image has a round lamp head and reflector- it is a proud parabolic with a user-changeable flash tube. The separate power supply puts out up to 300 watt-seconds at probably 3000 BCPS and has a wide even field of coverage. At ISO i00 your guide number in feet is probably about 160 to 200 or more at full power. There are interchangeable reflectors for telephoto usage and you can also shoot bare bulb.

Theses unts that are marketed under the names of Flashpoint or Godox are not much more costly than the Speedlightyoy are considering. I am pretty sure you can get one that is compatible withte the TTL system in your camera.

The higher price for the Speedlight you are considering is based on the more sophisticated built-in triggering systems but that are not significantly more powerful- probably under 2 stops.

I havebee using these kinds of strobes for man years, Mone is domestically manufactured by Lumadne or Quantum and was very costly in the day. The currently imported unts are good value and work well.

Unfortunately, modern Speedlight is not accompanied by certainspecification that is more telling than published guide numbers. BCPS or ECPS is a Beam or Effective candle Powe Seconds. Watt-Seconds are not light, they are electrical values based on voltage and capacitance. BCPS or ECPS is a rateing based on power input, reflector design and actual ligh values. If those specifications were published, the difference between the medium and high-end units oud is not significant.

Najataagihe

Since you already have an SB-700, why not just get another one and use both, at the same time, one on-camera and one off?

It would give you even MORE power and more versatility, to boot.

Cheaper, too.


This is assuming, of course, you are as crazy as I am and always have to carry all your gear, everywhere, as you are constantly moving.

If you can park the flash, somewhere, go with Mr. Shapiro’s units.

ChristianHJensen

I'll second this recommendation. Have a few of the Godox units and they have an easy to use multi-unit controller you can put on the hotshoe for off camera work with single or multiple units (including controlling each unit from full to 1/128 power level from the controller) manual power or TTL control. Guide number around 262 @ iso 100. BTW output is 360WS not 300. Can be used with 4 AA batteries or external powerpack for high capacity and very short cycle times.

The reflector is interchangable with other types to give you control over the light pattern from the flash

Thomas902 Loc: Washington DC

Ron I've been using Shanny SN600SN's ~ $119.99 for over 5 years
It's a Nikon SB910 clone that actually has more power/reach.
Totally shines in HSS...

Search with Google they are still available...
Four Shanny SN600SN's through a parabolic illuminated image below i.e. key light on a boom pole
Extremely well made... puts out a tad more power than a SB910 (which I also use)

Best advice? Hire a lighting assistant, word...
I've worked many assignments as an assistant holding speedlights off-camera on a boom pole.
You'll find experience talent on the ASMP web portal...

check it out...
Hope this helps...

Fashion & Lifestyle Editorial: Agency model (professional ballerina) Full team, Wardrobe Stylist; Hair & Makeup; D3x @ 1/2500 w/ AF-S 70-200mm f/2.8.

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Grahame Loc: Fiji

I purchased an SB-5000 in a panic last Friday to cover a marathon shoot the next morning. It required working from no ambient light, runners in very very low backlit ambient, through to very harsh ambient backlit runners. It remained working for some 450 shots until I finished, no adjustments made to settings on it and only time switched off when I thought it was time to put a fresh set of batteries in. Results, I was over the moon.

I'm not able to make any comment regarding its power compared to other flashes I have used but will give you my impressions and thoughts so far from using it (including playing/practicing with it).

The rear LCD is pathetic for a flash of that price. It is dim even with the so called screen illumination activated by pressing any button. There could be a problem with mine, unfortunately there is no way I can compare it with another. Nikon advertising pics show a screen brighter than what mine is.

The readout on the poor LCD for the compensation setting is minute which makes it extremely difficult to read. I have no problem reading any settings on my cameras. This may not affect some, but if you are working in low ambient, need to make adjustments quickly I would find it an absolute p.i.t.a.

What I do/did like;

It can use fan cooling, this is great for me as at times I need to undertake around 16 shots in succession at 2 or 3 per second.

It controlled in TTL using high speed sync that produced impressive results. I still need to study this more to find out if it's something it's supposed to do or was I very lucky.

CO

I have an SB-5000. I know what you mean about the rear LCD screen. The contrast of the LCD can be adjusted in the menus. Increasing the screen contrast helps, but it's still not a very bright screen.