The thought crossed my mind to buy a cheap flash for 'educational purposes'...

Is there a difference between a 20 dollar flash and a SB-800? I don't get it. I'm a noob when it comes to flashes. I know the SB800 has some funky flash metering delios and has that auto white balance preview thingimojig, oh, and it 'goes' farther, but other than that, is there really a difference? I'm confused.

I just wanted to play around with some flashes and was thinking about buying some cheap third party slave(?) flashes (like two of them). I can't figure out why one would buy say the SB-400 for over $100.

So yeah, just fill me in on general info on whats the difference between flashes...or good links.

...please. :) Or just slap me in the head, either one.

The expensive one’s have better communication with your camera. Ie: they can read the lens focus distance and any exposure compensation you dialled into the camera and adjust the light intensity to suit.

Your batteries last longer in them yet they are generally more powerful and recycle quicker than the budget unit.

Tip. I have a Canon and a Sigma. The Sigma is almost as good as the Canon but half the price.

Another thing the sb-800 has is the ability to be a commander. You can set the intensity and all that other stuff of other flashes with the 800 and it will fire then remotely (and wirelessly). The sb 600 has the ability to be one of these wireless ones. I can't remember what body you have, d50 i think, so it doesn't have a commandar mode built into it, i don't think, but the d70, d80, d200, ect. have commander mode that will allow you to fire the sb-600. I could be wrong, but i don't think you are going to be able to do that with a cheap third party flash. My recommendation, and what i did, would be to get the sb-600 so you can start getting into flash stuff, and then in the future if you want to expend get the sb-800 and you will have 2 flashes that work well together.

Ah, thanks for the answers. So basically the expensive ones are just easier to get a good picture with.

I have a D200, but my brother uses my D50 now.

The reason i'm asking is because my grandma has no idea what to buy me for my b-day (which was last week). I'm trying to keep it under 100 bucks...but...sb600 is like $180. It's not like a really need a flash right now (since shoot more landscapes); i'll probably wait until later to buy one.

I have the SB-600 with my D50 and they work very well. Highly recomended, and i totally agree with Mr, Anderson, if you are somewhat out of reach of the 800, start with the 600 now and later on add the 800.

There both out of my reach in terms of cash atm. :( I have got to get a job.

...anyone want to buy any of my photos for 189.99 USD not including a frame or shipping? =P

Anyways, like sum1 would actually buy one of my photos - that'll be the day.

Anyways, since my limit is about 100 bucks, i'm probably going to ask my grandma to buy me a Zagi instead. It's only $50! :D :D

It sounds like a lot of fun but… will it light up your life?

Not in a literal sense. :(

AHHH!! Brain overload caused by a surge of lighting information!

*faints ... falls over*

So is the main difference between the SB800 and SB600 just the ability to be a commander?

The sb800 is a bit more powerful as well, but commander mode is really the key difference in my mind.

that's what I thought, thanks man

also, build quality, it has the repeating flash delio, some other things i could care less about, and i think it has a built in bounce card.

I like my SB600, if that's what you wanted to know. :)

lol, yeah, I don't think I have the kind of cash to buy a SB800 so I might be settling for the SB600

Why spend money on a 600 knowing you'll get the 800? The price difference is not like a Rebel to a Mark II or III. Get the 800, I've met several people who wish they spent the extra bucks on it. I can't let you do this Greg! :)

Why would you suggest the 800 for a first flash? Is the greatest advantage of the 800 not that it can control other flashes? If you don't have any others to control why spend more on it. I think the 800 is a better second flash so that at the time of purchase you actually have another flash to control. By going this route if you decide not to upgrade to a second flash, in my eyes your not missing much. Am i missing something here?

Haha, Yeah, It's always nice to buy the more expensive equipment, but going Milo's route makes sense, it was kind of how I was thinking "Why spend money on it now when I need the 600 later" And maybe with the flash I can make some quality photos that I can maybe sell, SO i can then buy the 800 lol. Oh well I'll probably save up for the 600 first

why get a sb800 when you get an an alienbee?

...of course you'll still need to buy some other things...

hmm...I wish they had photos put up taken with that alienbee equipment, but it's interesting...

a ton of people use alienbees...so i've heard.

I think this person uses one or more. The thing is i think he uses large softboxes/reflectors/umbrellas/something...i don't know, i'm guessing - but i thought i read somewhere that he uses/used an alienbee stobe.

...or i'm making all of that up, i dunno, but i'm pretty sure it's not an sb600 alone.

dang it looks real complicated, the whole alienbees thing, where do you start from? lol

an sb600 or sb400. =P

lol'