Nikon SB900 Speedlight
August 18, 2009
After some time working with SB800 and SB600 I got my hands on Nikon SB900, launched in 2008 it is the SB800 successor. From the first touch you can feel and see the 5 years difference between SB 800 and SB 900. The finishing is better, the flash is much easier to use and more intuitive. In the same time it is bigger and more powerful than SB800. This fall will probably be launched the SB 700, the SB 600 successor. From my point of view, the new flash is a step forward in perfecting the Nikon CLS (Creative Lightning System), that is already advanced.
The question is: for whom is it SB900 perfectly suited and how justified is the money spend on it, considering that is twice the price of a SB600. From my experience I think the Nikon SB900 should be purchased as the second or third flash so you can use it’s full potential when working in a CLS lightning environment. Otherwise the new and fine features it has, will not be used.
Pluses:
- much better placed buttons;
- easy to use menu;
- On – Off – Remote – Master button, very well placed and designed so you can fast switch;
- gel system that eliminates the possibility of destroying the gels (on SB800 the colored gels like red and blue when used the are destroyed by the flash heat);
- great finishing;
- wider zoom range (17-200) and DX / FX detection;
- three types light patterns;
- 360 degrees swivel (only 270 on SB 800);
- stops working when overheat (this prevents various additional problems);
Minuses:
- big price (even if it is justified by it’s features);
- considerably bigger than SB600 and SB800;
CLS
If you are interested by the CLS and it’s capabilities the correct steps should be:
- purchase of a Commander camera (Nikon D80, D90, D200, D300, D300s, D700). By purchasing a camera that can be Commander it helps to avoid purchasing directly a external commander (SB900, SB800, SU800). D3, D3X, D3S cannot be commanders because the do not have a built in flash (aside of the fact that if you have money for them a SU 800 or SB900 is bargain).
- purchase of 1-2 flashes SB600, SB700;
- purchase of a SB900 and other SB700 considering the needs.
