Speed light (for a Nikon D50)

[yakfisher]

I'm hopefully going to be getting a speed light for Christmas and I stopped into national camera to take a look. They recommended the Nikon SB600 or the SB800. Just wondering what you Nikon and non Nikon guys think. I will be used both in and out of doors. Thanks for the input.

[Steve Foss]

Yak, I don't know Nikon flash gear at all, but I'm assuming the one with the higher number is more powerful. Usually, that also means the recharge times are faster, too, and for those two reasons I always want to buy the best flash I can afford.

You can also boost the effective distance of your flash by using a Better Beamer (several different brands available), which attaches to your flash and more narrowly focuses the flash beam, extending its range quite a bit. Very handy in some outdoors situations.

[buzzsaw]

I'd recommensd what I use, the SB800 and pick up a better beamer from ol' Artie Morris site ($35.00) You can probably get an SB800 used somewhere I'm guessing if you do a Google search.

[finnbay]

I have a Better Beamer, but have seldom used it. Do you guys use it very much?

[Steve Foss]

I almost never use flash for nature photography, Ken. It's just a personal preference. I know many pro nature shooters use it to great effect, however.

[buzzsaw]

I don't use the BB much, but fill flash is huge! I use fill flash a fair amount of the time... lots of shadows in mid day that need to be filled... the trick is dialing that flash in correctly so that it doesn't look flashed.

[carlcmc]

i have the sb-600 and use it off camera alot via the Nikon CLS. My next purchase will be to get the SB-800. Both are great.