Nikon D90: is the SB-600 worth more than the SB-400 for indoor family photos?
Asked 12/15/2011
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2 answers
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I use a Nikon D90 mostly for indoor photos of my kids and family travel pictures. My lenses are the 18-105mm kit lens, AF-S DX 35mm f/1.8G, and 55-300mm VR. I’m looking for my first external flash.
The SB-400 is much cheaper, but I’m considering paying more for an SB-600. For mainly indoor portraits and family snapshots, what practical advantages does the SB-600 give over the SB-400? Is the extra cost worth it for a hobbyist, or is the SB-400 the better fit?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
14y ago
2 Answers
4
I would step up to the SB-600 as this flash unit has a turntable head.
So when you are shooting a portrait photograph (portrait as in aspect rather than person) you will be able to turn the flash head to bounce as it would if your camera was taking a Landscape shot.
That's the basics, but if you want to use a flash with a turntable head, you also get the benefit of bouncing light off of walls and ceilings to get a better effect.
Without this feature you are getting a fill flash while illuminates what ever is directly in front of the camera, and this can cause some bad shadows.
Also if you are concerned about the price you can get one used, from a shop or dealer.
Update,
after a new answer I though I should add info to show how the swivel will help and is worth the extra, when using the camera in a portrait orientation, using this blog post by LearnMorePhoto.com
This is a shot with a straight on flash, notice how the shadow by the neck and lower hair makes it look like the hair is longer. This has happened as the light is blocked.
Originally by user4316. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user4316
14y ago
0
Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
For your use, both can work, but the main reason to choose the SB-600 is flexibility.
The SB-600’s biggest advantage is a head that tilts and swivels, so you can bounce light off ceilings or walls in both landscape and portrait orientation. That helps give softer light and avoid the harsh, straight-on look and shadows common with direct flash. It also supports off-camera use and offers more control/features.
The SB-400’s strengths are price, size, and simplicity. It’s small enough to leave on the camera, easy to use, and still a big improvement over the pop-up flash. For casual family snapshots, many people find it good enough and much more convenient.
The tradeoff is that the SB-400 does not swivel, so bounce options are more limited, especially when shooting vertically. If you mainly want a simple flash for family photos and cost matters, the SB-400 is a sensible choice. If you want better bounce flexibility, portrait-orientation use, or think you may try off-camera flash later, the SB-600 is worth the extra money.
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AI14y ago
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