gear

THE DIGITAL SOAPBOX OF ANDY CLEAVENGER

NIKON SB-800

CONTACT::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

Email:  graycard18@gmail.com

become a fan:  my facebook page

The SB-800 is the envy of many a Canon user.

I don’t personally know why that is since I have never used a Canon and have no experience with any shortcomings the Canon flash system may or may not have. But none the less, I hear it constantly from all those people who jumped ship and switched to Canon last year how much they miss their Nikon flashes.

I use the SB-800 in two capacities:

    1. In TTL mode mounted to the top of the camera and bounced off the ceiling... that’s right no brackets. For most of the corporate events that I have to cover this is adequate light to get the job done. No amount of cool lighting is going to make two guys shaking hands at an awards ceremony look like the cover of GQ, so I just don’t even try anything more complex than this.

  

    2. In Manual mode, off camera, with a Pocket Wizard attached to fire it remotely (see picture below). This is where things get fun. I can put this flash in places that a studio strobe head just can’t go and I have total control over the power output.

The main reason that I think SB-800’s kick ass, expecially when compared with earlier models, is that you can turn off the sleep mode. That seems like a frivolous reason, but I almost never use my SB-28’s anymore because of that stupid sleep mode. I hate having to trip the shutter just to wake up my flashes.