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Review Summary
2013-12-30T19:00:00
The SB-800 is still a great flash. They work great off camera for outdoor and indoor portraits and don't require the effort and ancillary equipment needed with mono blocs or power packs. You can shoot with them in full TTL to balance the light and achieve great, even fill or in manual to create some great lighting effects. The SB-800 may not have the power to completely over power the sun but when used with a little creativity you can see amazing results.
BRAD R.
2013-06-10T21:00:00
Not pro enough to warrant spending the cash for the 900, but am plenty happy with this. Use as master with two SB-600 as slaves.
MEGUMI Y.
2013-04-29T21:00:00
I have 2 of these speedlights and one Model 900. I particularly like the 5th battery feature which extends battery life of the strobe.
Ankor2000
2013-03-18T21:00:00
I had a SB-600, but it never measured up to my needs. The SB-800 is perfect. I use the flash for portrait work and fill flash for animal/bird photography.
Larry
2013-03-14T21:00:00
I have only had this flash a couple of weeks so I haven't had a chance to really get out and use it a lot yet. The few times I have had to use it with my kit lens and I've needed extra light to get a good, crisp picture this flash has worked really well.
Ice P.
2013-02-04T19:00:00
Excellent as a fill-flash Works perfectly with Nikon D300
DENNIS R.
2013-01-28T19:00:00
This flash is perhaps the most consistent Nikon flash in terms of output and works perfectly with the Nikon TTL camera sys
DENNIS R.
2013-01-06T19:00:00
Great flash. Received it very quickly. The service was excellent.
Mark
2012-09-16T21:00:00
Works great!
Missy
2012-08-26T21:00:00
Use as a second flash for fill light.
Photo G.
2011-03-13T21:00:00
Only complaints I have are as follows: 1. Head doesn't rotate 180 in both directions which is often needed to get the CLS sensor to see the controller. The brave can perform some DIY corrective surgery (a youtube video shows how) and correct much of this but sad that is even necessary. 2. US warranty would be good but I now have 4 SB800s and not one has failed nor I have heard much about them failing. 3. The menu's to change settings and power output for other CLS stobes when using this as the controller are a bit tedious to access and change. The SB900 fixes the 180 degree left and right rotation and some of the menu hassle but it is much more expensive and way too bulky.
LOIS B.
2008-02-29T19:00:00
This flash is simply AMAZING! It is well worth the price and the best flash on the market in my opinion. I use this unit with both my D2X and D80. I just set to TTL-BL and it will balance fill flash the exposure perfectly every time. If I need a faster shutter speed, I just put it in shutter priority and set it and forget it. The flash will adjust the output according to the shutter speed, aperture, ISO, focal length and the results from 3D matrix metering to make a perfectly balanced exposure every time with CPU lenses. With the quick recycling adapter which is included, it recycles very quickly (I use NiMH batteries). This flash works just as flawlessly in wireless mode as well. If I could give 10 stars I would. Don't hesitate and get this flash, you won't be disappointed.
James K.
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Electronic construction: Automatic Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistor (IGBT) and series circuitry
(ISO 100, m/ft.) 38 / 125 (at 35mm) to 56 / 184 (at 105mm)
Automatic 24 to 105mm zoom
14 / 17mm with built-in wide flash adapter
14mm with Diffusion Dome SW-10H
Flash head tilts down to -7 degrees or up to 90 degrees
Flash head rotates horizontally 180 degrees to the left or 90 degrees to the right.
Flash exposure control: i-TTL Balanced Fill-Flash with Nikon D2H
D-TTL Balanced Fill-Flash with Nikon D1 series or D100
TTL Auto Flash with many film SLR's including the Nikon F5, F100, N80, N75, N65 and FM3A
Auto Aperture Flash (AA)
Non-TTL Auto Flash (A) with many film SLR's including the Nikon N55 and FM10
Manual Flash (M)
Minimum recycling time: Approx. 2.7 seconds (Manual [M], w/R6 (AA)-size Ni-Cd or Ni-MH batteries, with Quick Recycle Battery Pack SD-800 )
Approx. 6 sec. (Manual [M] w/FR6 (AA-size Lithium batteries))
Four 1.5V LR6 (AA-size alkaline)
1.2V KR-AA (AA-size NiCd)
or 1.5V FR6 (AA-size lithium) batteries
Quick Recycle Battery Pack SD-800 holds a fifth AA-size battery for faster power recycling
DC Unit SD-7 (optional)
Battery Pack SD-8A (optional)
Note: SD-7 is not available in European countries. SD-7 / 8 cannot be used with the SB-800 sold in European countries
Approx. 70.6 x 127.4 x 91.7 mm (2.8 x 5.0 x 3.6 in.)
(without batteries) Approx. 350g (12.3 oz.)
Power switch ON / OFF button provided
Minimum number of flashes:: Approx. 150 (Alkaline, Ni-MH batteries)
Film speed range in TTL auto flash mode:: ISO 25 to 1,000











Best Flash Unit
By James K.
This flash is simply AMAZING! It is well worth the price and the best flash on the market in my opinion. I use this unit with both my D2X and D80. I just set to TTL-BL and it will balance fill flash the exposure perfectly every time. If I need a faster shutter speed, I just put it in shutter priority and set it and forget it. The flash will adjust the output according to the shutter speed, aperture, ISO, focal length and the results from 3D matrix metering to make a perfectly balanced ex...
View full Review
Great speedlite
By Larry
I had a SB-600, but it never measured up to my needs. The SB-800 is perfect. I use the flash for portrait work and fill flash for animal/bird photography.
Speedlight SB-800, the foundation of the Nikon Creative Lighting System for the Nikon D2H digital SLR...
The i-TTL Flash Control system supports automatic balanced fill flash that delivers outstanding results as well as new creative possibilities. i-TTL Balanced Fill-Flash flash control employs Nikon's Advanced Data Communication system to introduce an improved method for the monitor pre-flash and wireless operation that marks an evolution in higher precision over Nikon's acclaimed D-TTL Balanced Fill-Flash control system and forms the core of the Creative Lighting System.
The Nikon Speedlight SB-800 makes Advanced Wireless Lighting (= wireless multiple flash) as easy to use as a single on-camera speedlight, inviting professional and advanced amateur photographers to explore the unlimited creative possibilities.
Advanced Wireless Lighting lets you divide SB-800 Speedlights into 4 groups, including the Master and 3 remote i-TTL speedlight groups, to achieve total lighting control. All groups can be controlled from the Master, including independent flash mode ([TTL] / [AA] / [A] / [M]) settings and any-time adjustment of flash output level compensation values for each group. Each of the three remote groups can contain any number of Speedlights, giving photographers full control over how they illuminate the background.
With Distance Priority Manual Flash Mode, the photographer can set the distance and aperture, and the SB-800 automatically sets the power output, a great feature for manual flash [M] shooting at weddings and for product shots.
The FV Lock (Flash Value Lock) maintains the flash value for correct exposure of the subject while zooming or otherwise changing the composition for a shot, so photographers can concentrate on lighting a particular subject.
Auto FP High Speed Sync Mode provides ample fill-in flash when shooting in bright light with fast aperture lenses to achieve effective blur in the background. When the mode is active, the camera automatically uses high-speed flash synchronization to make shutter speeds available that exceed the camera's own flash sync speed.
A Modeling Flash allows photographers to visually preview the lighting effects for all groups of speedlights when using Advanced Wireless Lighting to shoot with multiple flash units, a great aid in achieving the exact lighting desired.
The SB-800 is also fully compatible with existing Nikon cameras, retaining the same functions as the SB-80DX when used with them. Auto flash control uses D-TTL on Nikon DX Format digital SLR cameras and TTL and Non-TTL Auto Flash on film cameras. Advanced i-TTL requires support for the Creative Lighting System and is currently available only on the D2H.
With its ease of use and unlimited creative potential, the Speedlight SB-800 will be welcomed by photographers who want complete, yet simple control over their lighting.