calling nikon d70 users

.. as I'm sure there are a couple at least here from previous posts. What external flash do you use? I got asked to take pics at an amateur fashion show at the weekend and realised how limited the built-in flash is. There's a sb600 and a very expensive sb800 (presumably with the kind of power that knocks over old ladies and brings down aeroplanes). Is the sb600 adequate for normal use?

 

I was in the same situation and believe it or not, I too was asked to take photos at an amateur fashion show! Anyway I ended up going for the SB-800.... I don't think there's that much in it between the SB-600, but the difference in price isn't that much in the big scheme of things so I thought I might as well. There's a good comparison out there somewhere, might be on kenrockwell.com but try googling "SB-800 review" and it'll probably come up with it. I ended up getting mine from one of those Hong Kong sellers on eBay, worked out about £190 including P&P via Fedex, and no tax to pay so a bit of a bargain!

Regards,
Francis

 

Hi,
I try and avoid flash wherever possible but I read somewhere that are some new Metz guns out that use ITTL and are designed with the D70 in mind.
They may be cheaper than the Nikon units.

 

I'd been looking at those, but quite a few people in the feedback seemed to have got hit with tax, which put me off - clearly you are a lucky exception! I wonder if the new increase in the Budget for duty free up to £1K applies to this mail order kind of deal or just 'carry through'...

 

I find that ordering from one of the new york stores (B&H, adorama) works out about the same price as the hk sellers, and they're very reputable.

I'm a canon user, but my advice is to get the best flashgun you can afford. You should (assuming nikon don't change their flash system too often, but the new i-ttl system brings it in line with canon's e-ttl II system in using both preflash reflection data and lens distance information so it should last a while yet) be able to get something that will last a while and several camera bodies. I had a canon 430EZ which I wasn't desperately happy with, but when I got an e-ttl body (EOS 3 and later D30) I changed to a 550EX which is fantastic. The new 580EX doesn't seem to offer much over the 550EX to me (but to some users it will).

 

just had a look - base price is good, trouble is when you add the postage plus the excise/VAT (there's a handy doc on the Customs site which sets out rates specifically for all common Internet goods) it comes to around 230, while London Camera are doing them in the UK for 239...

might wait till my next trip to US, take the camera with me and simply carry one back in..

 

I've done that, once or twice or thrice....

Lenses mainly. $607 for a £570 lens.

 

I use an sb-50dx with my fuji s2 which is the same body as the d70, seems fine for my needs, as it was with the s1 I had before.
Isaac have you got any of those IS lenses? A mate of mine is a pro photographer and he has a 200mm IS which is pretty special as is his eos d1s.

 

Rob - yes, I have a 300 F4L IS USM (to give the full name). My dad has a 100-400 F4.5-5.6L IS USM, and my mum has a 28-135 F3.5-5.6 IS USM as well. It's a damn fine system. Presumably your friend has a 70-200 F2.8L IS USM, as there's no 200mm IS prime?

See threads in for sale forum for bodies for sale!

 

Isn't the Fuji S2 the same as the D100 rather than the D70? The D100 doesn't have i-TTL.

Andrew

 

Could be.

My mistake.

 

The S1, S2, S3 and kodak DCS14n and DCS SLR/n are all based on the nikon F80 film body. The D100 is loosely based on the F80 as well, but not to the same level.

 

l can highly recommend B&H in New York. l purchsed from them last month a Canon D20 with 2GB flash card plus 17-40L & 70-200/4L lenses for A$3600 (about 1100 pounds) l had it shipped to a friend in California and picked it up from him while there. All equipment was extremely well packaged.

l ordered over the net and was able to track my order all the way to delivery. l saved around 40% off what this setup would have cost me in Oz.

Cheers Simon

 

managed to get a SB800 off an ebay seller for £200, which is a cool hundred less than Jessops... I'm well impressed so far, particularly with the bounce flash. I had one of my kids against a big bright window, so to the eye his face was hard to see becuase of the contrast - pointed and squirted with the bounce flash up and it came out perfectly balanced, with a little catchlight in the eye from the pop up card. things have certainly moved on in terms of automation and metering since I last bought a flash..

 

Glad to hear it, the SB-800's a fantastic piece of kit - don't know where I'd be without it now!

 

I must say as a recent (£100 cash back ) D70 owner the only thing I have found disappointing is the inbuilt flash. However, with my 50mm F1.4 I've had some great results just using available light.

Matt.