First, for all of you Pro's out there or anyone with an opinion really...I want to purchase a flash for my Nikon D3100. I obviously want it for shooting indoors portraits, will eventually be getting into weddings (Shadowing a wedding photographer next week!) etc. Any thoughts?
Also I just launched a FB page for my photography, https://www.facebook.com/#!/StaceyStewartPhotography if any of my follwers (or non followers) are interested I hope you will have a look. Thanks for everyone's help
I have the Nissin Di866. At the time it was rated better than Nikon's equivalent (SB800) and was close to half the price of the SB800. Only knock on it is that it has a plastic hot shoe mount and could break. Mine hasn't but I'm careful with it. I understand it has been redesigned with a metal hot shoe mount and should be more robust in that area.
Whatever you get, make sure it's one of the ones that will auto shut down when it gets too hot. I've had two SB600's overheat and burn up the batteries, leaking battery acid outside of the battery casing. I even got burned by one doing that to me once...
@newbie Stacy I went with the SB 700 over the SB900 which did have some over heating issues and was fixed in the SB910.
The SB700 is a fabulous flash for the money and I have seen plenty of tests with this firing @ full power for over 70 flashes, fitted with some Sanyo Eneloop 1900mAH and you wont regret it.
Eneloop also have a 90% retention after months in storage something most batteries wont do.
I guess if you are serious it is also a question as to HOW MANY speedlites you need. :)
I shoot Canon but I follow Joe McNally who shoots Nikon. He would normally have 3 x SB900 and a commander which is normally a SB900. Each of these having backup battery packs.
Now having said that I use at least 2 speedlites as a minimum. 1 for the controller and the other as the actual flash. This is so you can mount the flash away from the camera.
You will also need a omni bounce to put over the end of the speedlight to defuse the light and possibly a long TTL cord
If you want some for information just let me know.
@agima well here is my situation. I have only taken up the art of photograph with a DSLR in February of this year. This 365 project has got me shooting pretty much every day and I am happy how far I have come. I launched a fb page and have been surprised at the response it has gotten in just a few days. I have all kinds of people now asking me to do photoshoots including one wedding in September. I never use or have used a flash before, yet I know it is very necessary for the things I am going to be doing. I need to learn enough between now and September to capture some nice indoor shots. I have my dad's nikon D7000 at my disposal also, so will have the two camera bodies to work with. If you have any websites or tutorials good for beginners let me know. My dad knows a lot about the stats etc of equipment, but is an inexperienced photographer, he is a sponge of info but it has not been applied so I don't know whether to trust his suggestions. He had said something about an oolong flash, an equivalent to the Nikon sb800 (I think) but half the price. I don't even know what that is. Anyhow any suggestions will be appreciated and once I do a little more research myself, I might pick your brain a bit. Again thanks.
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The SB700 is a fabulous flash for the money and I have seen plenty of tests with this firing @ full power for over 70 flashes, fitted with some Sanyo Eneloop 1900mAH and you wont regret it.
Eneloop also have a 90% retention after months in storage something most batteries wont do.
@flagged this is sounding good.
I shoot Canon but I follow Joe McNally who shoots Nikon. He would normally have 3 x SB900 and a commander which is normally a SB900. Each of these having backup battery packs.
Now having said that I use at least 2 speedlites as a minimum. 1 for the controller and the other as the actual flash. This is so you can mount the flash away from the camera.
You will also need a omni bounce to put over the end of the speedlight to defuse the light and possibly a long TTL cord
If you want some for information just let me know.