View Full Version : Nissin Di866
Nissin have released a new flash the Di866. Seems to have a lot going for it:
- Power level GN60
- Sub fill light (ala Metz)
- Colour LCD that rotates
- Full iTTL AWL CLS support!
- USB cable firmware upgrade
- Lower cost
Some minuses:
- Slow recycling
- Less zoom than SB900
Would be interested to try one out since it will only cost a touch more than an SB600. Anybody tried one?
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3477/3777102238_5c488942d1.jpg
I had a play of the menus at PMA in Sydney and it feels quite solid.
The flyer they had even said it will support the Nikon CLS commander system.
Looks like a unit worth investigating further.
rickybalb
01-09-2009, 11:22pm
a good alternative to sb900...
Hey i didnt see this thread until now but i went into the camera store today with my money to purchase an SB600, guy grabbed it out then stopped and went "i wouldnt offer this to the pros cos they are biased towards anything non-Nikon but this lens is basically as good as the sb900". Went on and on, and for an extra $30 i walked out with the Di866. He said if i dont like it i can always swap it for the sb600.
Now i dont know too much about flash, this being my first but it seems pretty damn good. Full colour lcd screen that auto rotates if you til the camera to portrait view, its selectable as a master or slave and is uses ttl. Have I made a mistake? Opinions? Anyone else used it? I want to lend it to someone in adelaide how knows their flashes to get their opinion on it...
the guys on the photomalaysia forum have been doing a lot of tests with this flash and found a few funny bugs, mainly with the implementation of wireless slave modes
nissin have acknowledged some of the issues and say a firmware patch will be released soon to fix them
i wouldn't compare them to an SB900, but they are an improvement over a SB600 from what i have seen
can i ask how much you paid? i didn't know stores were stocking these already. i was going to get one via ebay.
$440 I paid. An SB600 was $415.
arthurking83
07-09-2009, 7:17am
.... Opinions? Anyone else used it? I want to lend it to someone in adelaide how knows their flashes to get their opinion on it...
No opinions obviously!(as I don't have one) .. but the drive is easy and I'm curious to see how well it works too.
maybe in a few weeks, I'm not 100% sure when I can take a day or two off to do the drive.. I reckon sometime in early Oct.
Not sure they will let me take it back in a month lol.
arthurking83
07-09-2009, 7:34pm
Not sure they will let me take it back in a month lol.
OK.. I'll be right over! :D
seriously, it's easy to play around with and see how well it works.
From memory, the D50 doesn't act as a remote flash controller(as the D70, and up, models do) but even on camera playing with various flash head angles and bouncing from various sources can make a massive difference to the quality of flash lighting.
My main issue with the SB800 is the interface. for lack of a better description, IT SUCKS! :action:
to go from one mode to another takes way too many button presses, and if you're not positive with your button presses, you can end up in 'no mans land'.
Changing from on board to wireless slave is a massive PITA, and just turning the damned thing off is tedious.. but the unit works very well(as a flash that is). There are few good reasons to upgrade to an SB900, and the main one being the interface.
Even if it's not a direct competitor to the SB900, it looks very close to what a SB800 can do anyhow.
just start off playing with it in TTL mode and work upwards from there.
Does it come with a diffuser dome? It looks like it has a pullout diffuser for wide angle lenses. With that pullout diffuser, is there also a pop-out bounce card. The two main features I use most often if I use my SB800(which is very rarely).
I'm keen to see one in action.
Yeah it has the diffuser and bounce card, no dome though. Ive been messing around with it, but i think its fairly limited until i can try it off camera.
see if it has SU-4 mode, so you can use the onboard flash to trigger it
it will have to be in manual or automatic though, i don't think TTL will work in SU-4 mode
It does but the D50 doesnt have the function unfortunately.
i'm not talking about commander mode on the D50
SU4 mode is the optical trigger so any other flash will trigger it
if it does have SU4 mode, then you can go off camera with it and use your onboard flash in manual mode
you can't use TTL for the onboard flash as the pre-flashes will trigger the slave too early
Isnt it a pre-flah though thats infrared? Or is it just light activated?
Isnt it a pre-flah though thats infrared? Or is it just light activated?
SU-4 mode is just an optical trigger. You don't get CLS , it simply sees the flash from your D50 and fires. You would need to set all settings on the flash manually.
I haved used this with my SB800 and a point and shoot it work really well.
MATT
Colourised
13-09-2009, 4:21pm
i think one of the major problems with Nissin Flashes to begin with is the lack of support for radio triggers (mainly ebay triggers). since they trigger differently from all the other flashes (all other flashes trigger with the middle pin, but the nissin triggers all Except that - correct me if im wrong). i guess that is one of the main reasons i decided not to opt for it in the first place. :S
dont know whether the new di866 changed that or not though! :)
i think one of the major problems with Nissin Flashes to begin with is the lack of support for radio triggers (mainly ebay triggers). since they trigger differently from all the other flashes (all other flashes trigger with the middle pin, but the nissin triggers all Except that - correct me if im wrong). i guess that is one of the main reasons i decided not to opt for it in the first place. :S
dont know whether the new di866 changed that or not though! :)
The Nissin Di622's had this problem but a new firmware is coming out from nissin to address this (apparently).
The Di866 however doesn't have this issue.
I think it's because the flash won't fire unless it receives more than just the firing signal from the camera. I believe the Sigma 500 DG (Super?) also has this problem too?
Colourised
15-09-2009, 4:16pm
wow! if there is going to be a firmware update for the di622s ill definitely grab two of those! thnks for the tip ehor.
any idea whether its out anytime soon?
wow! if there is going to be a firmware update for the di622s ill definitely grab two of those! thnks for the tip ehor.
any idea whether its out anytime soon?
Not sure, that was the rumour from photomalaysia.
Maybe contact the Aussie Distro about it?
DJ Manning
08-11-2009, 1:43pm
Any more info on the Di866 flash?
Has anyone plugged in a power pack and does this increase the recycle rate?
Am looking to buy one soon (ie, in the next week or so).
It'll mostly be used on camera for indoor function and day/night outdoor "press" work.
GN of 60 is about half the power of an SB900?!
I have the Canon version of the Di866 on the way from Honkers posted yesterday, should be here in a few days. From what I understand the Di866 interfaces with the 580 EX wirelessly as either master or slave, similarly with Nikon.
GN of 60 is about half the power of an SB900?!
Yes but at what ISO?
At ISO100 and maximum zoom the SB900 is GN56 versus GN60 on the Di866.
Cheers
Leigh
A comparison with the 580 Ex gives
580EX GN 58 @105mm @ ISO 100
Di-866 GN 60 @ 105mm @ ISO 100
Better than the 580 EX.
FWIW the SB900 manual lists the GN at 105mm between 49 (even illumination) FF and 51 on DX sensor.
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