Non-Nikon Brands

I'm curious to know who uses non-proprietary brand flashes with their Nikon cameras?

I've had the privilege of working with a pro who swears by a Sunpak 383. The very popular Strobist.com recommends using a LumoPro LP160 for off-camera sync lighting. This particular flash has the power and features rivaling that of the Nikon SB900, yet costs only $160.

Granted, you lose the full-auto capability with these cheaper manual flashes. But for something so serious as lighting, wouldn't you want full control over it anyway? I mean...isn't that why we're buying an external flash in the first place?

For the price of one SB900, one could buy an entire budget lighting system.

I have used Nissen, Sunpak, as well as Metz flashes with my Nikon, and various other cameras. I also have the SB 900 for my Nikon D3. I used the SB 900 to do a recent wedding, it's performance out did just about any other flash, well, besides my Metz 45-CT1. I may be a bit biased here, but I have been using my Metz for about 20 or more years now. Sure the SB 900 has a high price, but you get what you pay for. On the go, you need a flash with...... Muscle.... for lack of a better word.

To me, the "non-proprietary" brand flashes just don't have that "muscle" to keep up with me, the way that my trusty old Metz, or the SB 900 has so far.

This is just my opinion though. For what it is worth. So please don't flame me.

Snap Happy said:

This is just my opinion though. For what it is worth. So please don't flame me.

Click to expand...

I'll save my flamethrower for another day!

Flash photography is new to me, so I can't speak from any areas of experience. You referred to "muscle" which I assume refers to power. In comparison, using the individual manufacturer's Guide Number (GN) specs:

• Nikon SB900: 157.5
• Metz 45-CT1: 147
• LumoPro LP160: 140
• Nikon SB600: 138
• SunPak 383: 120

I'm trying to find a happy medium here, price vs. features. An SB900 isn't necessarily beyond what I'd be willing to spend for good quality kit, but at the same time, the end has to justify the means. In terms of muscle, we're only talking about a 13% difference from one end of the scale to the other...but the price is almost 5 times higher. In my mind at least, that's not a very good value.

Anthony Hereld said:

You referred to "muscle" which I assume refers to power.

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I was not referring to Guide number, I was referring to the recharge time, or the ability of the flash to keep up with me taking photos. Like my Metz with an external battery pack would allow me to keep shooting without having to wait for the flash to recharge. I have seen on so many occasions where people are waiting for their flash to recharge.... waiting..... waiting...... They take a shot and here you have to wait again.....

Again, the recharge time depends on how much from the flash capacitor was used, etc.. etc.. How far away the subject was etc.. etc.. I have found the SB 900 will keep up with me, when shooting people I like to take 2 or evern 3 photos, due to them blinking etc.... I have a knack of clicking the camera at the exact time a person would blink, even if I counted to 3 and told them on the count of 3 I would be taking the photo.

My Metz, with the external battery pack has never let me down in taking 2 or 3 quick photos one immediately after the other. People may blink at the first one, but I get them with the second or third.

I have found the SB 900 to preform well in this case. As already stated, I used it to do a wedding for a friend recently, it was able to keep up with my shooting requirements, and did not falter in any way. Though I do adjust the flash output to -1EV so as to not overdo the flash, make it a little less obvious.

The other flashes I have used in similar circumstances had frustrated me by having to wait and wait for the flash to recharge before I could take another photo. I do not know how to put that any simpler, but to say my Metz and the SB 900 would take 2 or 3 photos in one or so seconds and be perfectly fine, but I would have to wait 5 to 10 sec for the other flash units. When you are working with people and being paid.... Time is of a great factor. Capacitor recharge, or use of is very important to me. I do not understand all the electronics behind it, but I do know what has worked for me.

I do hope this has helped. I have been taking photos for close to 30 years, it is not easy to put that experience into words for others to read, it is difficult to explain some times. That is why I just prefer to ...... show.

Snap Happy said:

...I do hope this has helped. I have been taking photos for close to 30 years, it is not easy to put that experience into words for others to read, it is difficult to explain some times. That is why I just prefer to ...... show.

Click to expand...

Yep, sure did help! I hadn't even considered recharge time. I can see where, especially for a wedding photographer, this would be very important.

Snap Happy said:

...I have a knack of clicking the camera at the exact time a person would blink, even if I counted to 3 and told them on the count of 3 I would be taking the photo....

Click to expand...

I'll give you a tip in exchange! Here's one I picked up when working with a pro at a wedding shoot, and Scott Kelby also mentions it in one of his books:

Have everyone in a group photo close their eyes. Tell them you are going to count down from 3 to 1, and when you say "open" everyone open their eyes and smile. 3...2...1...open! Then wait an additional count before pressing the shutter. This works especially well with kids.

+1 on the SB900...I have no regrets on spending the $$ awesome recycle time...

I have a SB800 and never noticed how slow the recharge was until I was asked to shoot a baptism, down in the water 1st shot, 2nd shot... really dark. I want more fast glass.

Something else to consider, the SB 900 and the Nikon camera it is attached to, in my case the D3, they "talk" to each other and work together to take as near as possible to the perfect picture. For example, shooting under a pergola where there is lots of shadow, but outside in the background is daylight. You can spend time taking light readings, adjust your flash for manual output etc...... Or you can let the camera talk to the flash, and the flash talk to the camera. To end up with a result of having the background look good, the fill flash look good and not having anything washed out, overexposed or underexposed.

Yes, I have light meters, 2 Gossen ones, they are great. Light is VERY important! I have found the SB 900 to know what it is doing and fill in enough for the picture it is taking. Also... It seems to pick up very well on what the white balance is set at. I mean, the difference between a sunny day, a cloudy day and indoor lighting is different. This unit picks up on that (again it talks with the camera)

Last but not least.....

Designed for today’s high speed digital image capture, the SB-900 handles repeated firing at high power with an improved booster circuit for high-speed recycling and includes a built-in thermal sensing system that protects the unit against overheating.

- Very accurate and stable on light, even on many pictures
- Multi-step auto zoom covers wide 17-200mm zoom range,
- Automatically detects Nikon FX and Nikon DX formats and selects suitable light distribution,
- Improved booster circuit for high-speed recycle time: Recycle time using four AA-size batteries is almost equal to the SB-800 with five AA-size batteries,
- Firmware update via Nikon D300, D700 and D3,
- Improved switch panel for enhanced usability,
- Advanced Wireless Lighting and versatile functions for up to three remote SB-900s or other compatible Speedlight groups controlled through the master SB-900.

I have used the SB 900 as my main light, and used the SB 28 as my fill. This has worked wonderfully for me. Yes I know it is pricy, I hesitated getting it, but I do not regret it now. The only minus I can see is that the hot shoe connection is made of plastic, so you have to be careful putting the flash on. But it is big enough and already heavy enough, so if it was metal it would weigh more, the D3 is a heavy sucker on it's own. I suppose it is made of durable plastic (I should hope so!) as getting something like this fixed would cost an arm and a leg! That is my only.... Gripe?!

On the other hand. I have also used many non Nikon flashes, I would not ever part with my Metz 45CT1's (Got 3 of them) I use them remotely for off site studio work. I also used them with my F90x and Medium format cameras. Very good, very happy with their results all the time. I put quite a demand on them, they don't let me down. I know I can get a new Metz for the digital, but I am so used to using my old ones, plus they still work great and don't see the reason why I should change. Well except for the voltage issue in regards to damaging digital cameras. I have heard some rumors of peoples digital's being fried by the flash.

Not a problem with any of my film cameras, have not risked using them on my digital cameras though.

Hello Snap happy ,

You are saying that you never tried the Metz 45CT1 with your digital camera;s due to a voltage issue,and you would not recomend doing so?


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