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by Bill Chambers on Wed Oct 27, 2021 12:58 pm
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Bill Chambers
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Hi all.  It's about time to upgrade my flash set-up.  I currently use an old Nikon SB600 flash, but its age is showing and it's starting to have intermittent problems where it refuses to fire.  I seldom use it anyway, and when I do it's almost always just for a little fill flash.

I want to get a unit that will TTL usable with both my Fuji & Nikon cameras but there are so many new and unfamiliar (to me) names on the market, I don't know where to even begin looking.  I don't use it often enough to justify spending a bunch of money on it, so off brand units will certainly be acceptable, if they're decent.  It will be used both on-camera and off-camera w/cord.

Can anyone provide opinions on which names you like and which names to stay away from when it comes to flash equipment these days.  I'm also open to any other form of lighting if anyone has any opinions there.

Thanks in advance,
Bill
Please visit my web site, simply nature - Photographic Art by Bill Chambers
Bill Chambers
Milton, Florida
 

by E.J. Peiker on Wed Oct 27, 2021 3:36 pm
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I highly recommend the Godox V860 II - as powerful as the best OEM flashes, LiIon battery pack included and you can buy it with a vireless transceiver if you want all for less than half the price of the top Nikon models.
 

by signgrap on Wed Oct 27, 2021 6:53 pm
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E.J. Peiker wrote:I highly recommend the Godox V860 II - as powerful as the best OEM flashes, LiIon battery pack included and you can buy it with a vireless transceiver if you want all for less than half the price of the top Nikon models.
Adorama sells a house branded version of the Godox V860 II as a Flashpoint Zoom Li-ion R2 TTL
 https://www.adorama.com/fplfsmzl2nk.html   What is really nice about Flashpoint flash, is that all the instructions are written by English as a 1st language writers.  Which make the instructions mush easier to understand and the firmware process is painless also.  The Godox manual is computer translated Chinese.  Adorama backups the warranty - a much easier, more responsive process.   I don't think you can use a Nikon version flash on a Fuji camera and visa versa; as I believe the TTL systems on the two cameras work differently.  They do sell a Nikon TTL version and a Fuji TTL version however.  I have a Flashpoint R2 for years and like it very much.  The rechargeable Li-ion battery holds the charge very well and the battery lasts MUCH longer than 4 AA's.
  
Dick Ludwig
 

by Bill Chambers on Wed Oct 27, 2021 8:37 pm
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E.J. & Dick - Thanks so much for the quick response and great advice! Greatly appreciated. Will check them both out.
Please visit my web site, simply nature - Photographic Art by Bill Chambers
Bill Chambers
Milton, Florida
 

by E.J. Peiker on Thu Oct 28, 2021 5:30 am
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Yes, you would need to get the one made for your system for TTL to work. In manual flash mode virtually any flash can be used with any camera.
 

by Phil Shaw on Thu Oct 28, 2021 12:03 pm
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It is almost unheard of for me to disagree with EJ, but based on ownership of both, I would recommend the Godox V1 over the V860 mkII. It is not possible to set the V860 II to not turn off after a period of 60minutes if the flash has not fired so if you are doing wildlife photography at night, and waiting for the subject to arrive, or using a camera trap, the flash turns off after the 60minutes unless you tigger it. On the V1, you can turn off this feature - no time limit. The menu and buttons on the V1 are also an improvemnt over the V860 II. You also get magnetic modifiers with the V1 and a useful modeling light.
Phil Shaw
Essex, UK
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by E.J. Peiker on Thu Oct 28, 2021 3:08 pm
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Phil Shaw wrote:It is almost unheard of for me to disagree with EJ, but based on ownership of both, I would recommend the Godox V1 over the V860 mkII.  It is not possible to set the V860 II to not turn off after a period of 60minutes if the flash has not fired so if you are doing wildlife photography at night, and waiting for the subject to arrive, or using a camera trap, the flash turns off after the 60minutes unless you tigger it.  On the V1, you can turn off this feature - no time limit.  The menu and buttons on the V1 are also an improvemnt over the V860 II.  You also get magnetic modifiers with the V1 and a useful modeling light.
Haven't used it in that way but that is certainly a consideration for that type of photography :)
 

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