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Nikon SB-900 AF Speedlight Flash for Nikon Digital SLR Cameras | 
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| Brand: Nikon
Category: Photography
List Price: $570.00
Buy New: $399.99
You Save: $170.01 (30%)
New (16) Used (2) from $402.00
Rating:  21 reviews
Media: Electronics
Autographed: No
Memorabilia: No
Fragile: No
Batteries: 4
Batteries Included: No
Shipping Weight (lbs): 4.3
Dimensions (in): 10.3 x 5.2 x 4.2
MPN: SB-900
Model: SB-900
UPC: 182080480764
EAN: 0182080480764
ASIN: B001BTG3OQ
Release Date: July 26, 2008
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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| Features:
| • | High-quality flash for standalone use or as part of a comprehensive lighting system | | • | Commander mode controls up to 3 Speedlight groups or unlimited individual Speedlights | | • | 4 wireless channel options; prominent master and remote control switch for wireless operation | | • | Auto power zoom coverage ranges from 17 to 200mm (FX format) to 12 to 200mm (DX format) | | • | 3 light distribution patterns; measures 3 x 5.7 x 4.7 inches (W x H x D) and weighs 14.6 ounces |
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| Accessories:
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| Editorial Reviews:
Product Description
Professional i-TTL Speedlight compatible with Nikon FX and DX format SLRs, and part of the Nikon Creative Lighting System. This powerful Speedlight offers photographers extensive creative opportunities for their flash photography. Three illumination patterns - Center-weighted, Even and Standard - provide total control over flash coverage and it covers a class-leading auto zoom range of 17-200mm in just 1.2 seconds.Advanced features include a booster circuit that enables high-speed recycling using four AA-type batteries and a built-in thermal protection system to warn of excessive heat build up. The SB-900 can automatically detect the presence of a fluorescent or incandescent color filter and transmit this information to the attached camera's white balance setting, and its firmware can be upgraded via the camera body.
Amazon.com
The SB-900 i-TTL Speedlight leads the Nikon Creative Lighting System by delivering the portability, power, and versatility to support any photographer's creative lighting imagination. The SB-900 works as a wireless standalone flash, or you can use it as a commander or wireless remote light source. In commander mode, the SB-900 controls up to three remote Speedlight groups and an unlimited number of compatible Speedlights, with four wireless channel options helping you manage wireless conflicts in multiple photographer environments. The flash also offers streamlined controls and menus, including a rotary select dial that sets key flash functions quickly, along with a prominent master and remote control switch to simplify wireless operation. Photographers working on zoom photos will appreciate the SB-900's expanded auto power zoom coverage, which ranges from 17 to 200mm in the FX format to 12 to 200mm in the DX format. Photographers also have the choice of three light distribution patterns: standard (for general illumination), center-weighted (for portraits), and even (for groups or interiors). Finally, the SB-900 automatically identifies mounted color gel filters and adjusts the camera's auto white balance setting (available with select Nikon digital SLR cameras). Other details include automatic FX/DX format identification; user-friendly firmware updating; flash tube overheat protection; and a drip-proof mounting foot cover. Technical Specifications
- Guide number: 34 meters/111.5 feet (ISO 100), 48 meters/157.5 feet (ISO 200)
- Electronic construction: Automatic Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistor (IGBT) and series circuitry
- Flash exposure control: Slow sync; red-eye reduction in slow sync; front curtain sync; rear curtain sync; rear-curtain slow sync; auto FP high-speed sync; FV lock flash
- Lens coverage: 17 to 200mm (FX format, automatic mode); 12 to 200mm (DX format, automatic mode); 12 to 17mm (FX format, automatic mode with built-in wide-angle panel deployed); 8 to 11mm (DX format, automatic mode with built-in wide-angle panel deployed)
- Bounce function (tilt): Flash head tilts down to -7 degrees or up to 90 degrees, with click stops at -7, 0, 45, 60, 75, and 90 degrees
- Bounce function (rotate): Flash head rotates horizontally 180 degrees to the left and right, with click stops at 0, 30, 60, 90, 120, 150, and 180 degrees
- Minimum recycling time: 4 seconds with alkaline-manganese (1.5 volts); 4.5 seconds with lithium (1.5 volts); 3 seconds with Oxyride (1.5 volts); 2.3 seconds with Ni-MH (2,600 mAh)
- Flash duration: 1/880 second at M1/1 (full) output; 1/1,000 second at M1/2 output; 1/2,550 second at M1/4 output; 1/5,000 second at M1/8 output; 1/10,000 second at M1/16 output; 1/20,000 second at M1/32 output; 1/35,700 second at M1/64 output; 1/38,500 second at M1/128 output
- Required power source: 4 AA-type batteries in the following types: alkaline-manganese (1.5 volts), lithium (1.5 volts), or Ni-MH (1.2 volts)
- ISO range: 100 to 6,400
- Optional power supply: SD-9 high-performance battery pack, SD-8A high-performance battery pack, or SK-6 power bracket unit
- Ready light: Yes
- Minimum number of flashes: 110 with alkaline-manganese (1.5 volts); 230 with lithium (1.5 volts); 190 with Ni-MH (2,600 mAh)
- Wireless flash modes: Off, master, master (repeating), remote, and SU-4
- Wireless communication channels: 4
- Wireless groups: 3
- Dimensions: 3 x 5.7 x 4.7 inches (W x H x D)
- Weight: 14.6 ounces
- Supplied accessories: AS-21 Speedlight stand, SW-13H diffusion dome, SJ-900 color filter set, SZ-2 color filter holder, SS-900 soft case
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| Customer Reviews: Read 16 more reviews...
shooting at a moderate rate December 28, 2008
Holger (Orlando, FL USA)
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
I purchased the Nikon SB-900 AF Speedlight after reading most of the reviews and comments here at Amazon and others on-line. I was a little concerned about the temperature problem, however the SB-800 is not available anymore. I shot a wedding two days after I received the flash and did not have a great deal of time testing it. I am an amateur photographer and agreed to doing the candits, but leave formal portraits to the studios. After shooting 107 pictures inside a church the flash over heated and it took me by surprise. It happend very quickly. I was aware of the problem and carefully selected batteries. The flash does not like rapid firing and the indicator on the LCD clearly shows the temperature increasing. It took an amazing 10 minutes to cool down. Afterwards I closely monitored the temperature indicator and slowed down taking pictures when the indicator reached the half-way point. That seemed to work for me and I took an additional 500 pictures in three hours. Still suffered overheating it one more time when the bride tossed the bouquet. I used the diffuser most of the time and I am very satisfied with the quality of the photos. I will need to take the time out and learn to run the flash with less energy output, adjusting it in the manual mode. I recommend packing an additional camera and flash when shooting a wedding or other time critical event. I still love the flash!
 Thermal shutdown - fixed? December 26, 2008
Busy Executive (Long Island, NY)
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
I have an SB900 and agree with all the positive comments posted in other reviews, however I want to challenge those who are posting stories about thermal shutdown to supply some additional information about what situations really cause the flash to shutdown.
I've been using my SB900 for several months now, and I've never experienced a problem with the unit shutting down, so I thought I'd try a simple test.
I installed a set of brand new lithium ion batteries in my SB900, set it to full power manual mode, and hit the flash button manually as soon as the ready light lit - that's about one full-power shot every 1 or 2 seconds. I did this until the batteries were drained (that is, until it got to be about 10 seconds between flashes - that's a few hundred full-power flashes in a row).
Never once did the thermal protection circuit kick in...in fact, the temperature display barely moved for the first 50-100 shots, and throughout the test, even when I could feel the batteries getting warm, it never went much above the 50% mark. My test was indoors at an ambient temperature of about 70 degrees.
I tried other settings - repeat flash, flash with my D3 firing at maximum continuous speed, etc. But I could never even come close to driving the flash to shutdown. So perhaps Nikon fixed the issue, I'm just plain lucky - or it has to do with the type of batteries or maybe other accessories used.
With this issue out of the way, I'm able to give the unit an unqualified 5 star rating as it's simply the most capable and easy to use unit I've ever owned.
SB900 Good and Bad December 26, 2008
Joseph Michaelchuck (Cedarburg, WI)
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
Overall, this is quite a nice piece of equipment. It is better than the SB800 in so many ways. Controls and adjustments are much easier to use, especially the Master/Remote setup. I like it and would buy it again. Only issue I have is that the unit can overheat if you try to click off a lot of pic's in succession - and will not flash. Seems to heat up faster than the SB800 and it cost me a few shots until I realized I had to pace myself.
The SB800's work well as remotes and with the prices falling on them, it might be a good time to add a few and take full advantage of the Nikon Creative Lighting System.
The Truth About it's "overheating malfunction"... December 23, 2008
Randall L. Steffens (Carthage, TN USA)
14 out of 15 found this review helpful
For all those of you, who are reading these reviews, and can't quite figure out why Nikon would make such a "deficient" product, as this SB-900, this review should forever put the debate to rest.
It has been suggested that the SB-900 is a sub-standard unit, because it will "overheat" at times, causing it to shut down, until it finally cools off, allowing it to eventually resume operations. There are some reviewers on this site, that will lead you to believe that this "safety" feature is an engineering flaw and thus, all would-be buyers need to beware, and seriously look elsewhere.
I recently purchased this flash and used it heavily during a conference this past weekend, in which I was one of two event photographers. Admittedly, I was a little cautious and reserved when I purchased this unit, secondary to several negative reviews regarding it's habitual "overheating malfunction".
Reflecting on it's performance this past weekend, I am pleased to report that It was used heavily in all situations and it never "malfunctioned" - not even once. Obviously, there were a couple of times when I was too far from the subject, causing the unit to discharge at full power. But, as an observant user, I recognized that this was my clue that I (not it) was doing something wrong. Thus with minor and reasonable modifications, a good outcome was reliably achieved.
Interestingly, the owners manual does state that if the unit is used too heavily, it can get hot and shut down temporarily, as a precautionary measure. But it must also be noted that the owners manual for both the built-in camera flash and the SB-800 say the very same thing! In other words, if ANY flash is abused, misused or in any way used in a manner that is inconsistent with its designed purpose, it will overheat and shut down.
This is NOT a design error on the part of Nikon. The overheating will only occur if the flash is fully discharged upon multiple consecutive occurrences, on a subject that is too distant for the flash to appropriately illuminate. If the flash is found to shut down, it is a sign that one must move closer to the subject or add more flash units. Again, overheating and shutdown is NOT a design flaw, it more appropriately represents operator error.
Additionally, the new design is truly welcomed! The controls are MUCH better placed and much easier to use. It recharges much faster and works very smoothly. I am very pleased with Nikon's new design and any logical user will feel the same. You will not go wrong with this unit and undoubtedly, will find it a pleasure to work with on a regular basis.
In summary: Do not be mislead by those users who are using the unit inappropriately. If you have never caused your built-in camera flash or SB-800 units to meltdown or "freez-up" (pun intended), You will likely not experience any such event on the SB-900. It is a very well designed unit, is much easier to use, and functions much more smoothly than any flash Nikon has put out thus far.
Enjoy!
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Nice flash, but a little big. December 22, 2008
C. Parrish
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
I purchase this to supplement my SB-600 and love the flash. It's a little big but not too bad. Mounts well on my D90, but I wouldn't want to put in on a D40/60 sized camera. The case is HUGE and is why I give it only 4 stars. It does have room for the diffuser, stand, filters, etc, but it doesn't fit in my current camera bag. Flash power and features including the new style display and redesigned power switch including the ability to easily go into remote and master modes is great. Build quality is good, but my SB-600 does seem a little more solid. Because of the flash size and size of the case, I tend to carry the SB-600 more and just use the SB-900 around the house, but I do recommend the SB-900.
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