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Nikon SB-900 AF Speedlight Flash for Nikon Digital SLR Cameras

Nikon SB-900 AF Speedlight Flash for Nikon Digital SLR Cameras

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Brand: Nikon
Category: Photography

List Price: $570.00
Buy New: $409.00
You Save: $161.00 (28%)

Qty 10 In Stock


New (23)

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars 9 reviews

Media: Electronics
Fragile: No
Batteries: 4
Batteries Included: No
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1.6
Dimensions (in): 10.2 x 5.2 x 4.1

MPN: SB-900
Model: SB-900
UPC: 018208048076
EAN: 0018208048076
ASIN: B001BTG3OQ

Release Date: July 26, 2008
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Shipping: Expedited shipping available
Condition: Brand new in retail pack, shipping same day with ups.

Features:
  • High-quality flash for standalone use or as part of a comprehensive lighting system
  • Commander mode controls up to 3 Speedlight groups or unlimited individual Speedlights
  • 4 wireless channel options; prominent master and remote control switch for wireless operation
  • Auto power zoom coverage ranges from 17 to 200mm (FX format) to 12 to 200mm (DX format)
  • 3 light distribution patterns; measures 3 x 5.7 x 4.7 inches (W x H x D) and weighs 14.6 ounces

Accessories:

  • Shoe Mount Multiclamp
  • Rapid Battery Charger with Rechargeable AA Batteries
  • Nikon DK-17C +2.0 Correction Eyepiece
  • Sanyo Eneloop 2 Pack AA NiMH Pre-Charged Rechargeable Batteries w/ Charger
  • SANYO eneloop 4 Pack AA NiMH Pre-Charged Rechargeable Batteries

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Editorial Reviews:

Product Description
Powerful and versatile SB-900 works as a stand-alone flash, featuring wireless operation as a Commander or wireless remote light source. Expanded Auto Power Zoom Coverage - The SB-900 provides zoom coverage from 17-200mm in the FX-format and 12-200mm coverage in the DX-format. Choose from 3 light distribution patterns - Improve light quality by selecting Standard for general illumination, Center-weighted for portraits, or for groups or interiors. User-friendly firmware updating - Allows uploading of performance enhancement developments to the SB-900 with select Nikon digital SLR cameras. Color gel filter identification - The SB-900 automatically identifies mounted color gel filters and adjusts the camera's auto white-balance setting with select Nikon digital SLR cameras. Flash Tube Overheat Protection - An added measure of safety is provided for sustained high-speed bursts. Drip-proof mounting foot cover (Water Guard) - for enhanced moisture protection (optional). Lens Coverage - 17 to 200mm (FX-format, Automatic mode); 12 to 200mm (DX-format, Automatic mode); 12 to 17mm (FX-format, Automatic mode with built-in wide-angle panel deployed); 8 to 11mm (DX-format, Automatic mode with built-in wide-angle panel deployed) Flash head rotates horizontally 180 to the left and right with click-stops at 0 , 30 , 60 , 90 , 120 , 150 , 180 Flash head tilts down to -7 or up to 90 with click-stops at -7 , 0 , 45 , 60 , 75 , 90 Output per set of batteries - 110 Alkaline-manganese (1.5V); 230 Lithium (1.5V); 190 Ni-MH (2600 mAh)

Amazon.com
The SB-900 i-TTL Speedlight leads the Nikon Creative Lighting System by delivering the portability, power, and versatility to support any photographer's creative lighting imagination. The SB-900 works as a wireless standalone flash, or you can use it as a commander or wireless remote light source. In commander mode, the SB-900 controls up to three remote Speedlight groups and an unlimited number of compatible Speedlights, with four wireless channel options helping you manage wireless conflicts in multiple photographer environments. The flash also offers streamlined controls and menus, including a rotary select dial that sets key flash functions quickly, along with a prominent master and remote control switch to simplify wireless operation.

Photographers working on zoom photos will appreciate the SB-900's expanded auto power zoom coverage, which ranges from 17 to 200mm in the FX format to 12 to 200mm in the DX format. Photographers also have the choice of three light distribution patterns: standard (for general illumination), center-weighted (for portraits), and even (for groups or interiors). Finally, the SB-900 automatically identifies mounted color gel filters and adjusts the camera's auto white balance setting (available with select Nikon digital SLR cameras). Other details include automatic FX/DX format identification; user-friendly firmware updating; flash tube overheat protection; and a drip-proof mounting foot cover.

Technical Specifications

  • Guide number: 34 meters/111.5 feet (ISO 100), 48 meters/157.5 feet (ISO 200)
  • Electronic construction: Automatic Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistor (IGBT) and series circuitry
  • Flash exposure control: Slow sync; red-eye reduction in slow sync; front curtain sync; rear curtain sync; rear-curtain slow sync; auto FP high-speed sync; FV lock flash
  • Lens coverage: 17 to 200mm (FX format, automatic mode); 12 to 200mm (DX format, automatic mode); 12 to 17mm (FX format, automatic mode with built-in wide-angle panel deployed); 8 to 11mm (DX format, automatic mode with built-in wide-angle panel deployed)
  • Bounce function (tilt): Flash head tilts down to -7 degrees or up to 90 degrees, with click stops at -7, 0, 45, 60, 75, and 90 degrees
  • Bounce function (rotate): Flash head rotates horizontally 180 degrees to the left and right, with click stops at 0, 30, 60, 90, 120, 150, and 180 degrees
  • Minimum recycling time: 4 seconds with alkaline-manganese (1.5 volts); 4.5 seconds with lithium (1.5 volts); 3 seconds with Oxyride (1.5 volts); 2.3 seconds with Ni-MH (2,600 mAh)
  • Flash duration: 1/880 second at M1/1 (full) output; 1/1,000 second at M1/2 output; 1/2,550 second at M1/4 output; 1/5,000 second at M1/8 output; 1/10,000 second at M1/16 output; 1/20,000 second at M1/32 output; 1/35,700 second at M1/64 output; 1/38,500 second at M1/128 output
  • Required power source: 4 AA-type batteries in the following types: alkaline-manganese (1.5 volts), lithium (1.5 volts), or Ni-MH (1.2 volts)
  • ISO range: 100 to 6,400
  • Optional power supply: SD-9 high-performance battery pack, SD-8A high-performance battery pack, or SK-6 power bracket unit
  • Ready light: Yes
  • Minimum number of flashes: 110 with alkaline-manganese (1.5 volts); 230 with lithium (1.5 volts); 190 with Ni-MH (2,600 mAh)
  • Wireless flash modes: Off, master, master (repeating), remote, and SU-4
  • Wireless communication channels: 4
  • Wireless groups: 3
  • Dimensions: 3 x 5.7 x 4.7 inches (W x H x D)
  • Weight: 14.6 ounces
  • Supplied accessories: AS-21 Speedlight stand, SW-13H diffusion dome, SJ-900 color filter set, SZ-2 color filter holder, SS-900 soft case



Customer Reviews:   Read 4 more reviews...

5 out of 5 stars fantastic   October 6, 2008
Kelly Anne Ortiz (Temecula, CA)
my husband is the photographer and he loves the flash. he says it's larger than he expected, but he shoots with his new D3 and loves the outcome.


4 out of 5 stars Highly recommend   October 5, 2008
H. V. Devera (Davis, CA)
This flash is a great item. I read the reviews and was a little concerned, but took the plunge anyway. I am glad I did. I have no problems with the battery or speed at which the next flash is ready. It is very powerful and has increased distance for zooming. The flash is perfect for my D300 and 18-200 Nikor lens. I have yet to try it using it as a master flash.


4 out of 5 stars So Far So Good   September 24, 2008
Christopher K. Seid (Los Angeles, CA United States)
2 out of 2 found this review helpful

I own 3 SB-800s and I shoot weddings. So far none of SB-800s have quit on me. They are real workhorses. I bought the Sb-900 because i like the ease of switching it from being a regular flash to a master control in a quick flick. If you use this function a lot, it may be worth it to get the SB900. The $130 difference to me depends on how fast you use that function. In a wedding, you could set up some remote lights with your other nikon speedlights...and create some nice lighting. But sometime you want to turn these remotes on/off and it is a real hassle doing it withe the Sb800. Now, it takes less that second...which is essential in a wedding environment.
I read other comments about how their 900s overheated and shut down. I did not experience this for the 2 weddings i shot recently. However, since i'm shooting with a new D700 at ISO 400 - 800, i'm probably not working the 900 extremely hard. Overall, the flash seems to be working well, and apart from its size, i like it. The negatives: The controls needs a little getting used to and the flash case is a little too long too. If it was priced in the 3 hundreds...then it would be 5 star...for this price...it only gets 4 stars from me.



5 out of 5 stars awsome   August 28, 2008
R. Gattuso
4 out of 4 found this review helpful

great flash
rel fast recycle time
has a safty mode to prevent damage to flash
display is very easy to see and work with
good range and great control of settings
you get what you ordered



3 out of 5 stars Looks ready for battle, but turns out to be a delicate flower   August 11, 2008
R. van Bakel (Maine, USA)
30 out of 33 found this review helpful

I shot two weddings this weekend and the SB-900 didn't even make it out of my case for the second one. It overheats unbelievably quickly, after hardly a dozen shots at full power, and then it does a thermal shutdown -- meaning it emits a series of pinball machine-esque beeps and then refuses to operate for a few minutes until the internal temperature goes down far enough. Pretty bad if you're in the middle of taking group photos, and twenty pairs of eyes are on you. What are you supposed to do -- tell everyone to wait around until the flash is good 'n' ready again? With this limitation, it's just not a tool that's remotely acceptable to a pro.

(Of course, if you don't shoot events, and can take your time between flashed photos, what is a critical point to me may well be unimportant to you.)

I suppose it makes sense for Nikon to err on the side of caution, but I'm glad my SB-800s seem to be made of sturdier stuff. True, you can't keep flashing away with the SB-800 either -- Nikon recommends cooling its bigger speedlights for at least ten minutes after bursts of heavy and sustained flash use -- but I haven't run up against a practical limitation. I work my SB-800 speedlights hard, and so far (four years and counting) I haven't burned one out yet.

As for the SB-900, it's surprising that a flash this expensive is such a delicate flower, so prone to overheating. In that regard, it may actually be just a little too big & powerful for its own good.

I believe you can elect (somewhere in the menu) not to have the thing turn itself off when it gets too hot, so perhaps you can wring the same performance and stamina from the SB-900 that you can from the SB-800. But while it'd be no fun to burn out a 300-dollar flash, it'd be especially painful to accidentally bump off its considerably more expensive big brother. So I'm going back to my three SB-800s, and the SB-900 is going back to Amazon for a refund.




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