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.
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
Customer Reviews:
Avg. Customer Rating: 4.0 / 5.0
A nice improvement over the SB800:
I just shot a roller derby practice with this flash and didn't run into the thermal shutdown issues others have had. Perhaps they got touchy units. I love the different flash patterns. There are three: Even, Center-weighted, and standard. "Even" truly lights up the entire frame evenly. I really like the fact that this flash zooms to 200mm as that is my farthest reaching lens. My only complaint is that in FX mode, it will only expand to 17mm (with the wide angle filter out) and I have a 16mm fisheye.... more info
shooting at a moderate rate:
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... more info
Thermal shutdown - fixed?:
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... more info
SB900 Good and Bad:
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... more info
