Comments about Nikon Nikon SB-400 TTL AF Shoe Mount Speedlight, USA Warranty:

I accepted before ordering that the SB400 does not have a manual over-ride, for varying the fill-in effect - but after trying it out, realized that by adjusting 'AE minus' on my Nikon, I CAN adjust fill by up to 5 stops (With camera on manual.)
This means that creative effects are endless, by using SlOOOW shutter speeds, taking advantage of available light (VR lens mounted), the flash is just a subtle "kicker" light.
Shooting bands on stage, for one instance.

Its fast recycling, and light weight when you've got a heavy lens on, and lack of bulk in crowds, are just added features.

This one's a winner.

Comments about Nikon Nikon SB-400 TTL AF Shoe Mount Speedlight, USA Warranty:

This is a must-have flash for everyone. It's tiny, ultra-light (especially with a pair of lithium batteries, which have lasted me a full year now), and couldn't be easier to use: slide it onto the hot shoe, turn it on, tilt it toward the ceiling, and shoot. Perfect results every time.

The attached (and un-retouched) photo of my pure white Persian cat Minna on a dark brown couch is perhaps the most difficult kind to achieve in automatic mode, and speaks volumes to the effectiveness of Nikon's i-TTL system. My D300s was in P (program) mode and the SB-400 was tilted 90 degrees to the ceiling. Lens was a 24-70 f/2.8 at 55mm, and the focus distance was about 6 feet. No exposure compensation was applied, and Minna was exposed as white without any wash-out (note the texture in her fur) and the dark brown couch was, well, dark like it should be.

Most people don't understand Nikon's i-TTL system, and think they need a more expensive flash. Even a camera-store salesman (NOT from Adorama) once told me that the SB-400 is "an insult to your D300s." Well, Nikon's i-TTL is a balanced approach to flash -- it tries to incorporate as much ambient lighting as possible for a more natural look. So when I focused on Minna's face, the D300s chose 1/60 sec because the flash was attached and ready, cranked the ISO to 800 because of the dim ambient room lighting, and set the aperture to f/7.1 (my guess is that the camera didn't realize the flash was tilted to the ceiling and was trying to prevent over-exposure; in hindsight, I would have overridden to f/4 to lower the ISO). The flash fired and became ready almost immediately, indicating that very little flash power was required to provide correct exposure.

If I had used a big, bulky and expensive SB-900, exactly the same thing would have happened. Since i-TTL is geared towards balancing the flash output with the ambient lighting, sheer flash power is completely unnecessary in most indoor situations.

I must admit to also owning an SB-700, and every now and again, I do pull it out if I need a lot of reach or to fill shadows in an outdoor shot at distances of over 20 feet or feel like getting creative with the wireless remote mode. But the flash that I use 95% of the time is the SB-400. You just can't get better value for your money, and it's so small and light that you won't mind carrying it around just in case you might need it.

Comments about Nikon Nikon SB-400 TTL AF Shoe Mount Speedlight, USA Warranty:

Don't buy this speedlight expecting it to be a SB600. It isn't. It's a simple, effective dedicated TTL speedlight meant for bouncing light off the ceiling and getrting better pictures of your friends.

Operation is simple. Put batteries in it, put it on your Nikon camera and turn it on. Rotate the flash lens towards the ceiling. Voila!

What I like about it is it is simple, small, and durable. It recharges fast. It runs a long time on it's batteries.

As a first flash on a D40 for a budding photographer, this little speedlight does allow bouncing off the ceiling. That's about all it does though. It has no ability to swivel sideways, it has no manual mode or slave capacity. It's just a TTl burst of light directed at or above the subject. I use it a bit differently though.

I purchased a Manfrotto 223B flash bracket and mounted it on top with a dedicated sync cord. I popped a Sto-fen diffuser on it. I tilt the thing out in front of a 50mm lens to provide directional lighting for street portraits. It works well for that. Just don't expect it to be a little SB600.

Comments about Nikon Nikon SB-400 TTL AF Shoe Mount Speedlight, USA Warranty:

Light weight, compact, easy to use. Best used to replace on camera flash and with the stofen diffuser. No negatives as far as I am concerned

Comments about Nikon Nikon SB-400 TTL AF Shoe Mount Speedlight, USA Warranty:

This is a very basic flash and should only be used by beginners in all aspects of photography. If you want to take quality pictures, then don't get this flash. It doesn't have a very strong output and is only good for very small rooms. other than that it wont have much affect.

Comments about Nikon Nikon SB-400 TTL AF Shoe Mount Speedlight, USA Warranty:

Works exactly as advertised.

I liked this speedlight because it is light, is more powerful and recycles much faster than the built-in flash on my D40X.

I recommend buying the 4 NiMH batteries, charger, & Flashpoint Flash Diffuser combo kit.

I highly recommend the using only NiMH batteries whenever possible, because of the fast recycle times, I got 2-3 sec recycle times on a fresh set of NiMH batteries. I would only use the common alkaline cells in emergencies because it will increase your recycle times significantly only after a few shots because of "battery heat up."

I find also there are no gripping surfaces, and the surfaces are very slippery. So be really careful when removing the unit from the case, I have had it slip out of my hand, and fortunately it only fell on some carpeted surface. I am thinking about applying some self-adhesive skate board tape so I can get a better gripping surface.

Comments about Nikon Nikon SB-400 TTL AF Shoe Mount Speedlight, USA Warranty:

This little flash is fantastic! It does everything you need, nothing you don't. No menus, no fancy modes-it just goes. OK it doesn't have exposure compensation like the SB-600/800 but really with Nikon TTL I have never missed it. (Nikon TTL is way better than cannon's) It's small, powerful, and takes AA batteries which you can find anywhere in the world. It's perfect for daytime fill flash, bounce it off walls/ceiling/pocket bouncers. No stupid scrolling through menus, an AWESOME metal/plastic shoe attachment, and an ON/OFF SWITCH -no waiting a second or 2 while pressing an ON button like the SB600/800. All this sounds trivial but I personally want to shoot pictures, NOT mess around with the equipment. Not so good in the studio but if you were shooting studio portraits you would have a softboxes and umbrellas right? You could pay more for a heavier flash but this does essentially the same thing. If you are looking for a flash this is it.

Comments about Nikon Nikon SB-400 TTL AF Shoe Mount Speedlight, USA Warranty:

Bought this for general use to have a bounce flash. I was really impressed both with the cycling speed and the quality of the pics. For a small flash that is ultra portable this was a great buy.

Comments about Nikon Nikon SB-400 TTL AF Shoe Mount Speedlight, USA Warranty:

used for bounce flash to eliminate shadows for portraits. It is small-easy to haul. Output is good and batteries are easy to get. does not work with commander mode.

Comments about Nikon Nikon SB-400 TTL AF Shoe Mount Speedlight, USA Warranty:

Great step up from the built-in flash on my Nikon D40. Works perfectly. Sure, its output is not huge and doesn't move horizontally, but it's still nice to be able bounce the flash without spending big bucks.

Comments about Nikon Nikon SB-400 TTL AF Shoe Mount Speedlight, USA Warranty:

This flash unit (speedlight) is superior to the in-camera flash. MUCH lighter than the larger Nikon speedlights. Flash reach is reasonable for its size. Batteries appear to last forever. I have not had any problems with this unit. I like it so much I will buy a second unit from Adorama.

Comments about Nikon Nikon SB-400 TTL AF Shoe Mount Speedlight, USA Warranty:

I use 1/2 CTO gel and bounce off the ceiling for indoor children shots

Comments about Nikon Nikon SB-400 TTL AF Shoe Mount Speedlight, USA Warranty:

Small,fast recycle, easy to use. This is my second one in a short period of time. The first just died; Nikon wanted to charge me the same amount for repair, as Adorama wanted for a new unit. Note: it tilts but does not swivel.

Comments about Nikon Nikon SB-400 TTL AF Shoe Mount Speedlight, USA Warranty:

If you don't need to tinker with programming and just want to get the picture this is a great option. Combined with the Sto-Fen diffuser and following their instructions for bounce flash you get really great lighting with surprising coverage. Having a small compact system to use in a hurry is truly an advantage.

Comments about Nikon Nikon SB-400 TTL AF Shoe Mount Speedlight, USA Warranty:

Great little accessory... favorite use is as bounce flash off ceiling!

Comments about Nikon Nikon SB-400 TTL AF Shoe Mount Speedlight, USA Warranty:

I had already purchased this flash as a package with the charger and rechargeable batteries for myself. I was so impressed with the package and the flash I purchased one as a gift for a family member.

Comments about Nikon Nikon SB-400 TTL AF Shoe Mount Speedlight, USA Warranty:

I use this flash as a capable substitute for my SB 800 when traveling light. It's far and away superior to the built-in flash and 1/4 the size of the SB800. The flash has the benefit of being directional on one axis - that is you can bounce it off the ceiling. The flash has the draw back of being directional in only one axis - that is you can't bounce it off the wall. Additionally, it can't be used as a command or slave flash in the Nikon system as the larger flashes can. That said, I like it. I use it for snap shots, birthday parties, traveling etc. and it works quite well for it's intended purpose.

Comments about Nikon Nikon SB-400 TTL AF Shoe Mount Speedlight, USA Warranty:

Bought this to help fill in indoor shots, and to take fast shutter speed night shots. Overall I like it alot, its quite strong and recycles quickly. Only thing I dont like is that it does not swivel left to right, other than that, I would recommend it. Buy it!

Comments about Nikon Nikon SB-400 TTL AF Shoe Mount Speedlight, USA Warranty:

Created series of different menus for this flash on my D300 and it performs flawlessly. It's like working with the old manual flashes. Price was really,really a nice thing for a flash that functions this well. Very happy. Have already recommended to fellow photographers.

Comments about Nikon Nikon SB-400 TTL AF Shoe Mount Speedlight, USA Warranty:

Great flash for portrait especially in the dark indoor. It makes the picture brighter , but not over exposure when use in 90 degree pointing upward. Still experimenting with different technique, but for the money, this is a great addition.

Comments about Nikon Nikon SB-400 TTL AF Shoe Mount Speedlight, USA Warranty:

Love the low profile and compact size and the ability to tilt the flash panel. When combined with a diffuser, this thing is one great buy.

Comments about Nikon Nikon SB-400 TTL AF Shoe Mount Speedlight, USA Warranty:

Great little unit. Compact and convenient. Great output for such a small unit. The bounce head is great indoor shots. It fits in the bottom of my zoom bag.

It does not work as a remote sync (Commander) device on Nikon digital units the way the built-in flash will. My D70S will sync/trigger a remote SB-600 or SB-800 if you pop-up the built-in flash and set the flash to Command mode. However, when you use the SB-400 instead, you loose that ability. It would be nice if the SB-400 worked like the cheapo internal flash on camera body. Seems silly not to.

Comments about Nikon Nikon SB-400 TTL AF Shoe Mount Speedlight, USA Warranty:

This is a must have for your kit, sure it has limitations, but for the price and what it does is wonderful. I use this on a D40, D50, and a D90. What could be easier, takes 2 AA batteries, gets lots of flashes from the batteries, you lock it down on the hot shoe, and the camera does the rest with TTL. You can use it as a straight on flash or bounce from the ceiling indoors. Works great!.

Comments about Nikon Nikon SB-400 TTL AF Shoe Mount Speedlight, USA Warranty:

Simple to use, small footprint, fasy recycle time!
I liked the fact that the camera power controls/enables the flash when the flash is set to 'on' thanks to the hot shoe connector. The lock is a little tricky at first, make sure you wiggle the flash to engage the shoe lock.

Comments about Nikon Nikon SB-400 TTL AF Shoe Mount Speedlight, USA Warranty:

Very simple to use and does the job I need it to do.

Comments about Nikon Nikon SB-400 TTL AF Shoe Mount Speedlight, USA Warranty:

This flash is one of the 'must haves' in my camera bag. Using it bounced off of the ceiling provides very natural interior shots - I'm very happy with the output.

Comments about Nikon Nikon SB-400 TTL AF Shoe Mount Speedlight, USA Warranty:

What a difference indoors when bounced off of the ceiling. Great results.
Quality build. Worth the price.
I would buy again .

Comments about Nikon Nikon SB-400 TTL AF Shoe Mount Speedlight, USA Warranty:

I lost my first SB400 because no way to secure it to camera strap - but liked it so well I bought another. It's great with both my D90 and Coolpix 5100, when I don't want to carry the heavy SB800 (which is way too heavy for the Coolpix).

Comments about Nikon Nikon SB-400 TTL AF Shoe Mount Speedlight, USA Warranty:

this is exactly what I needed, a compact, quick, portable, bounce flash! Love it!

Comments about Nikon Nikon SB-400 TTL AF Shoe Mount Speedlight, USA Warranty:

I picked this up for indoor events and have been very pleased with it. I went to a baptism and this flash really came in handy. Can't beat the price for the performance.

Comments about Nikon Nikon SB-400 TTL AF Shoe Mount Speedlight, USA Warranty:

Although the 400 lacks the versatility of Nikon's more expensive speedlights, it also lacks the complexity. This fine "little" product is almost perfect within its design aims. I can put it on my D300 or D700 for quick, casual snapshots that turn out much better than with the built-in flash, fill when needed, or any number of other flash applications where a more complex unit would just be cumbersome. Highly recommended. (Thanks to Ken Rockwell, whose writeup on the 400 on his website alerted me to it. Everything he says about it is borne out in my experience.)

Comments about Nikon Nikon SB-400 TTL AF Shoe Mount Speedlight, USA Warranty:

I bought the SB-400 at the recommendation of Ken Rockwell's otherwise great website. Later that day, I also put an SB-600 on my credit card after realizing that slow sync and i-TTL just aren't there indoors or at night or for anything other than the most basic fill light.

2 days later, I returned the SB-600, and I still kinda wish I had gotten the 800.

The 400 recycles marginally faster than the built-in flash on every Nikon or Canon I've used, and it can bounce. That's it. A pocket mirror taken from you or your girlfriend's most recently exhausted makeup compact (or a 3rd party accessory) will let you bounce your on-camera flash.

The lack of a manual mode means that it's completely useless at night or indoors unless you only take pictures against a backdrop or wall right behind your subject.

IMO, if you're good enough at lighting to want to bounce flash on your own, you've already outgrown this flash. You'll want manual control soon enough.

If you want something you can bounce because someone told you that it's always better and that your subjects are blown out at night because you can't bounce, then you're who nikon expects to buy this flash. And it'll work for you. But a pocket mirror taped to your built-in flash and learning about lighting technique will work better if you want to expend the effort. And the capabilities are actually worth the cost involved.

Comments about Nikon Nikon SB-400 TTL AF Shoe Mount Speedlight, USA Warranty:

This is my first bounce flash and i am amazed at the results...sooo much better than the on-board flash

Comments about Nikon Nikon SB-400 TTL AF Shoe Mount Speedlight, USA Warranty:

I am new to photography and purchased this flash for my indoor shots. I love it because it is lightweight and gets the job done. I don't like the fact it doesn't tilt but other that that it's great.

Comments about Nikon Nikon SB-400 TTL AF Shoe Mount Speedlight, USA Warranty:

I bought this as a more powerful alternative to the built-in flash on my D90 DSLR and P5100 Coolpix. It's a great, versatile alternative and very convenient to carry due to it's small size. I love the locking lever. Much better, and faster to use, than the older flash style, screw down ring. Perfect for what I wanted.

Comments about Nikon Nikon SB-400 TTL AF Shoe Mount Speedlight, USA Warranty:

I don't feel like this gave the light that I really wanted. It's fine for the price, but if I could do it over I would have gotten a better kind of flash.

Comments about Nikon Nikon SB-400 TTL AF Shoe Mount Speedlight, USA Warranty:

I take numerous pictures of my family. This flash has made a big difference in the picture quality. Much better than the pop up flash on my Nikon D60. Also the quality of my night landscape pictures are great. Glad I bought this flash. I was originally going to spend the additional money on the SB-600

Comments about Nikon Nikon SB-400 TTL AF Shoe Mount Speedlight, USA Warranty:

I really like the SB-400 because:

- Small size!
- Bounce flash lighting make my kids look great
- It can flash as fast as my D60 can shoot, the built in flash can't do that.

I don't like that it can't bounce off the ceiling when holding the camera in portorait mode.

Comments about Nikon Nikon SB-400 TTL AF Shoe Mount Speedlight, USA Warranty:

This last weekend I took photos of the Sawtooth relay in Idaho. Since it was an all day event I knew I would be needing fill flash for my pictures. This little flash worked very well. I am shooting with a Nikon D40 which works perfectly with this flash.
The flash can keep up with the camera's continuous shooting mode (2.5 frames per second)for what seems like about 10 frames or so. Sorry wasn't counting in all the excitement
Making sequential shots of the runners possible. Very fun .I got good shots of the hand offs, etc. The pop up flash cannot do this as it takes to long to recycle.
The compact size is also a bonus. Price another.
Anyways, I would recommend this flash to fellow Nikon D40 owners.

Comments about Nikon Nikon SB-400 TTL AF Shoe Mount Speedlight, USA Warranty:

I had concerns that this flash would not have the power to do the job of lighting up a large dance floor in a NYC Club. I'm not sure how this would perform on a Nikon D2x, however, on a Nikon D40 it's a perfect match.

Match this flash with the D40, a $75.00 Stroboframe camera flip bracket, a $50.00 Nikon flash cable (don't get the cable with the focus assist)and pick up a $17.00 Sto-Fen Omni Bounce designed for this flash. You'll have a fully capable flash system. You won't regret it.

For moving around very crowed clubs, photojournalism, and the like, I can't think of a more capable, comfortable, and affordable camera outfit.

Don't worry about the lack of controls on the flash itself. The way the D4o and this flash functions together will please you much. Especially if you are use to constantly adjusting and setting an external shoe mount flash. The flash is fully controllable from the camera.

Also, you don't have to worry for the safety of the flash as much when mounted on a bracket (or the camera) when moving through crowds.

Compared to a $200.00 to $300.00 flash, getting this flash for your Nikon D40 only makes good sense.

Comments about Nikon Nikon SB-400 TTL AF Shoe Mount Speedlight, USA Warranty:

It won't light up a basketball court but it does a fine job for casual photography. It's light, small, and inexpensive. My wife calls it cute. I usually use it with a Sto-Fen diffuser attached.

I gave it 4 stars because it probably isn't a "perfect", "can't be improved on" flash. It's sure good enough for me.

Comments about Nikon Nikon SB-400 TTL AF Shoe Mount Speedlight, USA Warranty:

I got this flash in August and already want the next model and it is only December. Due to the fact that this flash can only bounce well when in the landscape position I have become really limited when shooting indoor. Much better than the built-in flash however.

Comments about Nikon Nikon SB-400 TTL AF Shoe Mount Speedlight, USA Warranty:

Much better than the built-in flash, very light and with the tiltable feature it is great for close (20 ft. or so) work. It does NOT eat up batteries and only uses 2 (two) AA' so there is no problem carring spares.

LOVE IT!!!

Comments about Nikon Nikon SB-400 TTL AF Shoe Mount Speedlight, USA Warranty:

This is a great on-camera flash for general shooting in the house, outdoors at close range and for those times when the on-camera Nikon flash either isn't enough or a simple bounce will do the trick. It's light, fits in a shirt pocket and recycles quickly. If you're shooting shorter lenses (not super wides) especially like the 18-55 or 18-70, the SB-400 will supercharge a D40, D50, D70, D80 or even a D200 well beyond what the onboard flash can let you do, but at a feather weight.

This is not a substitute for a large-body flash with real punch if you're shooting hand-held at night and it doesn't support higher-sync speeds on the D80, etc... It's inadequate for shooting sports or fast movement and doesn't reach very far unless you shoot it directly. It does not include any filter or soft dome, although you can find aftermarket items to soften the flash. Lastly, it's best as a "landscape" format flash: it's easy to obstruct with a hand when shooting vertical format with the camera and the bounce head only rotates on one axis.

I keep this flash in my bag at all times and regularly recommend it to friends with D-40,50,70 or 80 cameras.

Comments about Nikon Nikon SB-400 TTL AF Shoe Mount Speedlight, USA Warranty:

An excellent flash that makes me wonder why I put up with the built-in flash for my D50 for so long when I can get much better results with this.