2 x SB800s or 1 x SB800 and 1 x SB600?

[tmnt]

I have a D80 and am about to buy some camera stuff which will hopefully last me a long time.

Now the questions... Please explain answers as if I were in grade 3 - this is my first go at flashes.

1. For the sake of a hundred bucks or so, am I better to get two SB800s? Is their any advantages, besides monetary, that the SB600 has over the SB800?

2. The SB800 is gettting a bit old, has a replacement been announced?

2a. The flashes use infra-red right? If so bluetooth must be long overdue by now.

3. Will iTTL be around for quiet a while to come?

4. What are all of the accessories I NEED?

5. What other accessories do I WANT? I heard the Gary Fong diffuser is good.

6. These are just umbrellas, right? Or do they come with lights? I realize I'll set the flash in the buy just so I can use them filming too. http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/425220-REG/Impact_DFUMK_Digital_Flash_Umbrella_Mount.html#

7. I have an old sunpak thryistor (can't remember model number right now), can I use it with this setup? If so I may just get 1 x SB800 for now and use the sunpak too.

8. Anything else I need to know?

9. Did I ask too many questions?

Ian

[DivotDan]

1. The only things of real value between an 800 and 600, are that the 800 can act in Commander mode (or the flash that controls all the other flashes) in Nikon's CLS (Creative Lighting System) on camera if your camera doesn't support that mode. It also has a built in SU-4 mode (which is Nikon's way of saying manual optical slave). To answer this really depends on your setup and how you want to shoot. Since you can really only have one flash in commander mode, I find one SB800 is enough. If you want to shoot manual off camera flash, you will either need the SU-4 of the SB800 or an actual optical trigger, or some sort of radio trigger (pocket wizard, GI trigger, skyports, etc.) for the SB600. If you aren't too clear on what all this is then I would suggest going through the strobist website. They are the kings of off camera flash.

2. I've never heard anything. The only reason I would think that they would was if they were coming out with a new TTL system or new CLS system, of which I haven't heard either. They are both awesome flashes though.

2a. You can buy a SU800 which is the IR commander unit. It will control both the SB800 and SB600. I personally see no advantage to using this. Commander mode using CLS will work with both IR and standard flash light.

3. dunno but my guess is yes.

4. Um, can you be more specific? I would say light stands, umbrellas, flash mounts should be enough to get started. You can go from there depending on the needs you identify.

5. The GF Lightsphere is awesome if you are shooting weddings and lots of portraits. I would not use it all the time.

6. They do not come with lights, but it is everything I mentioned in #4 you would need to get started (other than the SB units). I have some of their umbrellas and I like them a lot.

7. Yes, if you go with some other sort of trigger and shoot manual. The beauty of the SB units is the CLS, which work very very well!

8. Yes, tones. More than I know to answer, but buy your gear and then you will have 100 other questions! :)

9.Never too many questions, unless you went over ten and then we would hunt you down......(j/k!)

[tmnt]

Wow Dan, thanks for taking the time and explaining things so well. Gives me a bit to think about. Why must there be so many choices?! There should only be 1 camera, 1 tripod and 1 speedlight to 'choose' from. :cheesy:

[DivotDan]

to be honest.....for as cheap as the SB600 is....I'd get one SB800 and a ton of SB600's. They hold their value well and you can control a lot with the CLS AWL. If you really need manual control then I would say get the GI triggers. Many people have a lot of success with them.

[alveraz]

Keep in mind your D80 also works as a commander (built-in flash) for your SB600, in reference to his answer to number 1. The SB600 can be used off camera, just like the 800 can. Just wanted to clarify that.

I've used both, the only difference I've really seen is distance and power, the 800 has more range. Outside of that and it's commander mode (which your D80 has already) there's no reason to buy it over the 600, unless you are looking for full CLS capabilities, in which I would suggest one 800 and 2 600's. That's the ultimate CLS 3-point set-up I think, and that's what I'm doing.

[DivotDan]

Alveraz is right. My comment about the SB600 is that it does not have the SU-4 mode, so to do manual off camera flash with the SB600 you would need to trigger remotely (optical peanut or radio trigger). It works fantastically off camera with CLS AWL as a slave.

[alveraz]

I'm confused. You don't need a remote trigger for the SB600, you simply change your D80 settings to allow your camera body to work as the trigger. Maybe I'm confusing what you are saying Dan. You're mentioning another trigger but the D80's built in flash IS the trigger. I use it all the time. Are we saying the same thing?

[DivotDan]

The only AWL mode that the SB600 has is the full CLS i-TTL wireless where the camera meters and it's commander flash (be it the pop up flash on camera or an SB800 or SU800) and tells the SB600 in Slave mode what the exposure should be.

The SB800 also has an SU-4 optical slave mode. This is where you can manually set the exposure on the back of the flash, and trigger it with the on camera flash.....not just a AWL Commander flash. It can be triggered by any flash, including cameras with no built in CLS AWL. I even use mind sometimes as an extra hair light with my studio strobes, and it fires when my studio strobes fire.