SB-400 Speedlight Unit
A compact, lightweight Speedlight with intuitive controls and bounce capabilities. Put it on, turn it on, shoot!
$119.95*SRPSRP (Suggested Retail Price) listed only as a suggestion. Actual prices are set by dealers and are subject to change at any time.
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Supplied Accessories
- SS-400 Soft case
*Supplied accessories may differ depending on country or area.
SB-400 Speedlight Unit
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Great little flash
Let's start by saying I am a hobbyist not a professionnal photographer by any means. I recently received the SB-400 as a father's day gift to complement a growing camera equipment list. I did a lot of film photography back in the college day. Now after 25+ years of other activities (marriage, kids, career, life in general) I have started back into it with Digital products and the fun is all coming back to me. :)
Upon opening the box, I was amazed at the size and weight of the Nikon SB-400. it is really compact which is great to carry around. It is well built and the metal shoe and lock are a great feature. matched with my D5100 (a Christmas gift) it's a great way to get back into photography.
True it doesn't have all the bells and whistles of the higher end models. But if it's simplicity and compact size you're after or are just looking to compliment your on camera flash with something a little more powerful and versatile (with the tilting head for bounce function) this is the flash for you. Sure there are other brands, but nothing works with Nikon like Nikon.
Right from the box, with 2 AA batteries I was shooting with fill flash to control shadows in a couple of minutes. and the pictures were fantastic. Better that comparison shots I took with the on-board flash all due to the control available by tilting the head.
I can't speak to durability yet as I have just started using it less than a month ago, as long as it doesn't fail I guess I won't be adding to this review.
Nothing in life is perfect and the SB-400 is no exception. The one drawback I found disappointing with the SB-400 is the "manual", if you can even call it that. It is a large folded map type of arrangement in 3 languages (English, French and Spanish). A good quality product should not have one of these map like fliers for a manual. As for the content of the flier, apart from the legal mumbo jumbo Nikon has to put into these instructions to protect itself, there is some nice information and tips to be had from it and a little booklet would suit it better.
Overall a very nice product. Simple, fast, light and compact. A booklet type users manual would make it perfect.
July 13, 2012
Especialmente eficiente.
Como estou começando na fotografia é um flash rápido especial, irá me ajudar muito em ambientes escuros e assim aperfeiçoando as minhas técnicas no ramo da fotografia.
Eu lhe digo, esse flash vale ouro.
May 17, 2012
Nikon SB-400 Flash: Small Wonder
There's a lot to like about the Nikon SB-400. It may be small and compact, but that's where the beauty of this small wonder starts. It's the beginning, entry-level unit of the Nikon Creative Lighting System (CLS), and though limited in many functions that the larger Nikon Speedlights offer, such as the SB-700 or flagship SB-910, this unit make up for it in size and surprisingly good results for an on-camera accessory flash unit.
I've personally used it with my P7100 and D5000, along with my aging D200, and the performance has been excellent with each of these, primarily because of the i-TTL mode. The SB-400 was made to work with contemporary Nikon DSLRs made since 2004. It's small and it's not cheap, but its performance is surprising.
Pros:
• Excellent construction quality; the SB-400 has a metal hot shoe
• Uses just two AA cells; excellent battery life
• Fast recycling, about 2 ½ seconds
• Shooting range 2 ft. up to 66 ft.
• i-TTL fill-flash with CLS-compatible cameras
• Bounce capabilities: 4 steps, to 90 degrees
Cons:
• No sideward head tilt
In Use:
The first thing that you'll note about the SB-400 when unboxed is the precision feel to the unit. I was surprised to see that it had a metal hot shoe, as so many flashes today have gone to plastic. There's also a lock lever on the rear, and it has indicators so that you'll know if you forgot to lock it. There's an excellent little zippered soft case that will store your flash and keep it from getting dinged up in your camera bag. The flash uses only two AA batteries that can be purchased almost anywhere, and though I'm not carefully measuring it, I get about 200 flashes per pair of batteries. I'm getting a recycle time of just over 2 ½ seconds with a pair of Sanyo eneloop Ni-MH 2000 mAH rechargeable batteries.
The tilt head is excellent, and if you're using your Nikon in horizontal (landscape) mode, it offers four vertical positions of 0, 60, 75 and 90 degrees. But if you're holding your camera in the vertical (portrait) mode, then you'll have to shoot with the flash straight on or bounced off of a wall. It's a tilt head, and doesn't have a swivel head like the more costly Nikon SB-700 offers.
The angle of coverage on the SB-400 is 18mm (DX-format) and 27mm (FX-format). For reference, this is the equivalent of about a 28mm lens on 35mm film camera. The flash coverage is excellent and generally well distributed. Tinting the head for a bounce effect will give you a softer effect, but if you need more, using a bounce card or any number of third-party diffusers for Nikon SB-400 will work.
Suggestion:
For many, the SB-400 may be all that's needed as an excellent step upwards for Nikon DSLR owners who need more than their built-in flash offers, but some may be perhaps looking for more. As stated earlier, this flash is the beginning, entry-level unit of the Nikon Creative Lighting System (CLS). It supplements my aged Nikon SB-600 in that respect, but in truth I use the SB-400 far more on a day-in, day-out basis.
Summary:
The Nikon SB-400 is an unpretentious, high-quality flash with all the features that many will actually use. But do you actually need one of these, considering that the built-in flash on contemporary Nikon DSLRs (and the P7100) are so good? Maybe not, but consider the SB-400 if you want an easy-to-use bounce flash, if you want faster recycle times than your camera may offer, and excellent coverage with your ultra-wide lenses. You'll also get more shots per camera battery charge, since your camera's built-in flash uses 2-4 times as much power; using the SB-400 means you don't use the built-in flash. Other flash features can be gimmicks that may even interfere with taking pictures, and will slow you down rather than get the job done. Considering all that this small wonder does, it's highly recommended.
May 9, 2012
Died just after hardly 18months of use
I bought this flash from Best Buy in 2010 for my wife to go with D5000 camera. She is a very careful and light user. Mostly uses for our kids birthdays, any school shows etc. We haven't used it much outdoors in too much sun or even in cold. Two weeks ago, it just stopped working. Very disappointing. After spending $130 for a simple flash, I would expect that to last for a few years. Nikon should be ashamed of the accessories quality, especially when they charge such a premium. I might as well buy a 3rd party flash for less than third the price and toss it after a few years. We are planning to go to NewYork this week for spring break and stuck without a flash. Now I have to shell out more money to get a poor-quality flash.
April 1, 2012
Compacto e eficiente
Leve e eficiente para a maioria das situacoes no dia-a-dia como entusiasta nao-profissional. Evita o aspecto algo agressivo de flashs maiores quando usados por um amador como eu. Direcionado para o teto,o efeito fica muito simples e agradavel, mas existem muitas outras situacoes onde o flash traz gratas surpresas. A inclinacao se da somente para cima, o que representa um ponto negativo, mas no geral estou bastante satisfeito. Para profissionais existem flash mais eficientes; como amador gosto deste SB-400 que uso na minha D5100.
March 29, 2012
35 Questions | 40 Answers
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35 Questions | 40 Answers
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All
All
I need a flash for my camera but I don't have alot of money to spend.
1 year, 1 month ago
by
Chelle
Ohio
Location :
Ohio
Age: 35-44
Favorite Subject: Family & Friends
Nikon Family: 0-1 years
Experience: More than a year
Role: Serious passion, hobbyist
1 answer
Answers
Answer:
yes, it will work With All Nikon DSLR
1 year, 1 month ago
by
JF
Myanmar
Location :
Myanmar
Age: 25-34
Favorite Subject: Portrait
Nikon Family: 2-5 years
Experience: More than a year
Role: Semi-professional photographer
1 answer
Answers
Answer:
The SB-400 is compatible with the D200.1 year ago
by
Anonymous
1 answer
Answers
Answer:
Any Nikon with a hotshoe.
I'm going to purchase a P7000 and need more flash than what's built in. Will this work with the P7000? Will it synchronize with the zoom?
1 year ago
by
bigkid43
NJ
Location :
NJ
Age: 55-65
Favorite Subject: Travel
Nikon Family: 21+ years
Experience: Less than a month
Role: Serious passion, hobbyist
1 answer
Answers
Answer:
It will work on the D7000 on the FM2 though it will not work.11 months ago
by
Anonymous
1 answer
Answers
Answer:
yip
SB-400 Speedlight Unit
1 answer
Can this flash be used off camera with the CLS system? Does it have a sensor to use it as a background light?
11 months ago
by
dave
Riverside, CA
Location :
Riverside, CA
Age: Over 65
Nikon Family: 21+ years
1 answer
Answers
Answer:
No it cant be used off camera, well it can if you use a SC-28 or 29 cord, but wireless cls is a no.10 months ago
by
Ralph
Northern VA
Location :
Northern VA
Age: 55-65
Nikon Family: 11-20 years
Experience: More than a year
Role: Serious passion, hobbyist
1 answer
Answers
Answer:
I think SB-700 is the best choice for hobby, SB-900 is great and more professional.10 months ago
by
Anonymous
1 answer
Answers
Answer:
Yes it will but it is a basic flash but woukd be a lot better than the on board one10 months ago
by
Alessio
Italy
Location :
Italy
Age: 25-34
Favorite Subject: Portrait
Nikon Family: 2-5 years
Role: Serious passion, hobbyist
1 answer
Answers
Answer:
Flash head tilts up to 90° with click-stops at 0°, 60°, 75°, 90°.
I have an SC-17 lead which I use with my SB-600.Can I use this lead with an SB-400 and achieve full functionality?
9 months ago
by
Anonymous
London, England
Location :
London, England
Age: 55-65
Favorite Subject: Travel
Experience: More than 10 years
Role: Serious passion, hobbyist
1 answer
Answers
Answer:
Yes.9 months ago
by
Mary
Charlotte, NC
Location :
Charlotte, NC
Age: Over 65
Favorite Subject: Nature
Nikon Family: 6-10 years
Experience: More than a year
Role: Serious passion, hobbyist
1 answer
Answers
Answer:
Yes. When using the SB-400 on the COOLPIX 8800 the speedlight must be turned on.
I have a sb600 and d40x. I would like to use the sb400 on the d40x to control the sb600 off camera using CLS. I thought this is possible, but cannot locate instructions on how to do it. Can you advise the proper settings.
Dave
Dave
9 months ago
by
Dave
CA
Location :
CA
Age: Over 65
Favorite Subject: Family & Friends
Nikon Family: 21+ years
Experience: Less than a month
Role: Serious passion, hobbyist
1 answer
Answers
Answer:
Cannot be done as neither the D40x or the SB-400 are capable of operating as a cls commander.
The tech specs section of this webpage has two references to using the sb400 with the nikon CLS system in the flash exposure control. What are those statements refering to?
Dave
Dave
9 months ago
by
Dave
ca
Location :
ca
Age: Over 65
Favorite Subject: Family & Friends
Nikon Family: 21+ years
Experience: Less than a month
Role: Serious passion, hobbyist
1 answer
Answers
Answer:
They refer to using the exposure compensation dial on the camera to adjust the flash level output.8 months ago
by
Anonymous
1 answer
Answers
Answer:
Yes8 months ago
by
Anonymous
1 answer
Answers
Answer:
No7 months ago
by
Anonymous
1 answer
Answers
Answer:
Yes
SB-400 Speedlight Unit
1 answer
I have a Nikon D3000 and need an external flash. What is compatible with this?
7 months ago
by
Andy
San Antonio
Location :
San Antonio
Age: 25-34
Favorite Subject: Portrait
Nikon Family: 2-5 years
Experience: More than a year
Role: Serious passion, hobbyist
1 answer
Answers
Answer:
For modern Nikon flashes. SB-400, SB-600, SB-700, SB-800, SB-900, SB-910. I much prefer the SB-600 or SB-700 to the SB-400 personally, as you have much more control. Of course it is well worth looking into 3rd party brand flashes, they are often cheaper and there good manufacturers making them such as Metz.7 months ago
by
Red
Philippines
Location :
Philippines
Age: 35-44
Favorite Subject: Family & Friends
Nikon Family: 2-5 years
Experience: 6-12 months
Role: Occasional user, memory keeper
1 answer
Answers
Answer:
As far as I am aware this will not work as a slave. You will probably have to look for the SB600 or SB700.
SB-400 Speedlight Unit
1 answer
What flash would be the least i get for shooting action shots in a gym with a D40?
I am looking at the sb-400. would that be good, or do i need to move up to the sb-600, or 700?
7 months ago
by
Greg
Temperance, Mi
Location :
Temperance, Mi
Age: 35-44
Favorite Subject: Sports
Nikon Family: 2-5 years
Experience: More than a year
Role: Occasional user, memory keeper
1 answer
Answers
Answer:
I would always recommend the SB-600 or 700 over the SB-400. You get a lot more control over the flash.
My D5000 flash has died. I've been quoted $140 to repair it. This seems like a cheaper option, am I missing something?
7 months ago
by
Andy D
Atlanta GA
Location :
Atlanta GA
Age: 35-44
Favorite Subject: Family & Friends
Nikon Family: 2-5 years
1 answer
Answers
Answer:
It depends on what caused your flash to die. The SB-400 will work with the D5000 normally, though I am not really a fan of it.7 months ago
by
Anonymous
Age: 35-44
Favorite Subject: Sports
Nikon Family: 2-5 years
Role: Just getting started with photography
1 answer
Answers
Answer:
I presume you mean D50 or D5000. The SB-700 is a much better flash, you can control the light much better and also it has much better features.7 months ago
by
Anonymous
1 answer
Answers
Answer:
No, not on its own, you would have to use something like the SU-4 controller or third party triggers.6 months ago
by
White haired old lady
Ottawa, ON, Canada
Location :
Ottawa, ON, Canada
Nikon Family: 11-20 years
Role: Occasional user, memory keeper
1 answer
Answers
Answer:
yes4 months, 3 weeks ago
by
Anonymous
1 answer
Answers
Answer:
No, the L105 does not support an external flash.1 month, 2 weeks ago
by
Anonymous
1 answer
Answers
Answer:
Yes.
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