I am starting flash photography and want to start experimenting and learning off-camera flash photography. I currently have a Nikon D3100 camera (not a commander) and an SB-700 Speedlight.
I have been looking at the SB-600 and SB-800 flashes to add as my second. I have read up on them and understand the differences but since I do not have experience in flash photography, I do not know if I need the bell's and whistles of the 800. Here are some of my thoughts and questions;
1) I can fire the 800 with my pop-up on the 3100 in SU-4 mode. That would give me 3 flashes to use; the 700 and 800 off the camera, and the pop-up to provide some direct fill if needed. Is there any value to using the pop-up in photographing portraits, or something you are shooting within it's range?? Or am I just better off getting a radio transmitter to fire the two off-camera flashes and forget about the pop-up? I guess another way to phrase the question is; can I use the pop-up (to fire the other two) as a fill by turning the flash compensation down to a level that it still fires the other flashes but doesn't overpower the shot (again in SU-4 mode)?
2) If I go with the radio transmitter, do they have TTL capability with the 600, 700 and 800? How about CLS capability? I know there will be times when I use flashes in manual but I do want to be able to use TTL when I'm pressed for time or just being lazy. Do I need the Nikon-CLS also (from you people out there that have experience using it).
3) The 800 has the added power over the 600 (and 700). Is that a huge bonus or is the 600 enough (with a 700 added if needed) for most shots??
Thanks for any thoughts and advice on my thought processes going on here.
I have been looking at the SB-600 and SB-800 flashes to add as my second. I have read up on them and understand the differences but since I do not have experience in flash photography, I do not know if I need the bell's and whistles of the 800. Here are some of my thoughts and questions;
1) I can fire the 800 with my pop-up on the 3100 in SU-4 mode. That would give me 3 flashes to use; the 700 and 800 off the camera, and the pop-up to provide some direct fill if needed. Is there any value to using the pop-up in photographing portraits, or something you are shooting within it's range?? Or am I just better off getting a radio transmitter to fire the two off-camera flashes and forget about the pop-up? I guess another way to phrase the question is; can I use the pop-up (to fire the other two) as a fill by turning the flash compensation down to a level that it still fires the other flashes but doesn't overpower the shot (again in SU-4 mode)?
2) If I go with the radio transmitter, do they have TTL capability with the 600, 700 and 800? How about CLS capability? I know there will be times when I use flashes in manual but I do want to be able to use TTL when I'm pressed for time or just being lazy. Do I need the Nikon-CLS also (from you people out there that have experience using it).
3) The 800 has the added power over the 600 (and 700). Is that a huge bonus or is the 600 enough (with a 700 added if needed) for most shots??
Thanks for any thoughts and advice on my thought processes going on here.
Last edited: