Nikon SB-700 AF Speedlight Flash for Nikon Digital SLR Cameras, Standard Packaging

Like many other reviewers, I am a huge Nikon CLS (Creative Lighting System) user. I shoot with a Nikon D300s, MBD10 Grip, 2 SB-900's, 2 SB-700's, Pocket Wizards, full line of Nikon lenses, clamps, etc... I photograph by the two L's: Light and Lens; light being the most important element. This is where Nikon Speedlights excel and the SB-700 is the perfect companion / compliment to the SB-900.The SB-900 is a very large high-powered flash. In fact, I was surprised when I first opened the box and soon came to learn it could be a pain to pack when I went light (as in weight). The SB-700 was a welcome sight since, at times, extreme portability matters. In short, I was looking for slightly less power than the SB-900, just in a smaller package. I considered any other features (such as commander mode) to be a bonus. This was on the heels of just purchasing two SB-600's (later sold on EBay), which I found counter intuitive due to the menu system and need to press multiple buttons at the same time to adjust settings. Plus, the light output from my SB-600's seemed a little harsh and warm in the center.The SB-700 is functionally the same as the SB-900. If you learn the SB-900, you know the SB-700. I measured power output of the SB-700 (92 feet spec) at less than the SB-900 (131 feet spec) and greater than the SB-600 (though specs say it should be a little less at 92 feet versus the SB-600 98 feet). Essentially, I use my SB-900's as key light(s) in most situations. So, it not only is a great compliment to an SB-900 but also a suitable replacement (in lieu of) for the SB-900 if you are on a budget. In fact, I judge the SB-900 to be overkill unless you are a semi-pro or pro photographer.The on-board flash controls are simply incredible. I also find the LCD screen far better than the screen on the SB-600 or even the SB-800 (old Nikon flagship flash). The flash is easy to adjust on the move and very intuitive. Build quality is what you expect from Nikon, which is very good to great, though I am a little concerned about the battery door. But, unless you are juggling your flashes, I do not seen anything to worry about. Plus, the SB-700 comes with a built in bounce card (needed by the way) whereas the SB-600 did not. Additionally, with the SB-700 you get filters, a decent case, diffusion dome, and stand.Word on the dreaded "thermal issue." The SB-900 contained a thermal shutdown feature to prevent the user from essentially melting the flash. The SB-700 will instead slow down recycle time to about 3.5 seconds compared to the rated 2.5 to control the temp. Trust me- most people will never encounter this situation unless they try. It's just something not worrying about. Therefore, this would be a great 2nd flash for advanced shooters and great first/primary flash for beginners to intermediate shooters. But, I do agree with Ken Rockwell that most users who buy non-professional (consumer grade) DSLR bodies could easily go with an SB-400 flash. So, if you are in this category, you may be able to save a few hundred dollars and get everything you need. If you decide to upgrade later, your equipment is scaleable and resell-able (Nikon gear retains value very well).

This is the second full size Nikon flash I've bought. I needed a second flash to use with my SB-600 for off camera lighting. This flash is better in every way than the SB-600. The useability of this flash is amazing compared to the SB-600. The new power switch makes it really easy to switch between ttl/manual flash and between on-camera/wireless/commander modes. No longer is there any need to pull up secret menus to get to the wireless flash functions. The addition of the SU-4 slave flash mode makes this a worthy upgrade from the SB-600 alone. Performance wise, I feel that this flash gives me better exposures than my SB-600. I felt the SB-600 tended to overexpose by a 1/3 stop while this tends to underexpose by a 1/3 stop but with less hot spots. Both easy enough to adjust on with the flash exposure. Speaking of flash exposure though, the one gripe I have with the SB-700 is the flash exposure adjustment is more complicated than the SB-600. The big button on the back of the SB-600 was idiot proof. The two button system on the SB-700 just takes a little more time for minor adjustments. One other thing to be aware of is that the SB-700 defaults to TTL-BL for all photos unless center-weighted exposure is selected on the camera. Although I initially found this annoying, I found it was implemented much better than the TTL-BL used on the SB-600 which tended to give me improper exposures.Although the SB-700 currently runs ~$100 more than the SB-600, the additional accessories included with the flash make up for the difference. The included "stofen-style" filter and two color gels make for a great kit without having to buy additional 3rd party supplies. Also, I love having the built-in flash card. I know I could use a 3x5 card to do the same thing, but having it always there means I'm more likely to be able to use it when necessary.If you are looking at the SB-600 and SB-700, definitely swallow the extra cash and pay for the SB-700. You will not be disappointed. Adding an external bounce flash was one of the best changes I made to my pictures allowing me to really get the colors I wanted.ps - I learned today the flash is pretty resilient too! Fell over on a 6' light stand onto concrete with only a few minor scratches. Everything else works great.