SB-800 - Why still so expensive?

[Paul G]

On any given day an SB-800 speedlight will still sell on eBay or elsewhere for over $450.

A brand new SB-900 can now be bought for as little as $550 from overseas so why are the 800's still pulling the money they are?

I've heard a few grumbles about the 900 with regard to overheating and cutting out. Could this be why 800's are still so popular and sought after?

[JM Tran]

I've heard a few grumbles about the 900 with regard to overheating and cutting out. Could this be why 800's are still so popular and sought after?

one of the main reasons Paul! I get soooooooo shitty whenever I shoot a number of shots during a wedding and then the SB900 cuts out citing overheating - GAHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!

also a few ppl including myself (sometimes) believes that the extra battery compartment of the SB800 to take 5 batteries makes it last a bit longer than Nikon's claim that the new SB900 is more efficient with 4......

SB800 is probably my most favourite flash ever, for now, and I shoot Canon 80% of the time!

[kiwi]

Yip, what jm said

Jm, I think you can turn the alarm off on the sb900, not too sure though but something there triggers a memory cell

[Paul G]

Thanks guys. Pretty much as I thought. An SB800 (or two) has been at the top of my 'Wanted' list for a year now but the prices just don't seem to move downward on them.

I'm surprised Nikon hasn't taken any action on the apparent problem with the 900 though.

[kiwi]

It's not a problem really, it's a prudent warning...Ive seen sb-800's overheat and breakdown on another forum

[zollo]

sb 800's overheat just the same as sb900's (they're not a physics defying flash)
the difference is that they dont have a warning, they'll just quietly start melting

[JM Tran]

When you think about it, I would rather a melted flash dying slowly, than miss crucial shots or moments - say when the bride and groom is doing the ring exchange and you go up to take some shots and suddenly BAM! Flash shuts down...........terrible for the couple to ask them to re-enact it, and very embarrassing for your business later..........

[Wayne]

The SB-900 has the overheat warning that can be turned off and it will continue to fire all day long until it roasts itself just like an SB-800 will and has.

The SB-900 with updated firmware hardly overheats unless you try to machine gun 1/1 bursts. Doing a wedding or in low light, usually you bump ISO anyway, and in doing so that helps the SB-900 by allowing lower power bursts and is almost always a cure for the overheating "issue" everyone keeps saying it has. I have 6 SB-900's and never have overheating issues.

[clipper79]

I have both the SB900 and the SB800 for lighting up my subjects. The SB900 no doubt is a whole lot more powerful compared to the SB800. Mount them on a tripod with an umbrella, they become superb lights for portrait photography. Both overheats if you use them in continuous blast. So use lithium batts for best effect. They take withstand the heat better than cheap alkaline batts. Also bare in mind that they are not strobes, which some newbies think they are (and fire them in succession, at full-blast). Logic will tell you that any light will overheat if used like that. If you want proper studio lighting, get a strobe instead. Speedlights are just more compact and lighter to carry around for outdoor shoots. Know your lights and it's limitations, and you will get superb lighting for your photography.

[kingwheatie]

On any given day an SB-800 speedlight will still sell on eBay or elsewhere for over $450.

A brand new SB-900 can now be bought for as little as $550 from overseas so why are the 800's still pulling the money they are?

I've heard a few grumbles about the 900 with regard to overheating and cutting out. Could this be why 800's are still so popular and sought after?

Maybe because they're not being made anymore, as the current line up is SB-400, SB-600 and the SB-900.

[Paul G]

Yeah i know they're not being made anymore. Ebay (Aus & US) and here are where I look for them for sale. It's just that I would have expected the 2nd-hand price to have dropped more by now but they are obviously still very much sought after.

[kingwheatie]

yeah even the old SB-28's are sought after, i think the strobist movement has a lot to do with it:rolleyes:

[Wayne]

I think alot of the heat issues everyone reads about on the 900 is what scares people from buying them and hence demand and price for the 800 stays high. Many people who haven't even used a 900 or those who try to machine gun 1/1 bursts are the ones complaining about them overheating, and that is probably the most prevalent piece of info available for them online, one of the first things a potential buyer reads.

I will do a video later and post it...

[swifty]

Clipper: I was under the impression that the GN of the SB800 is higher than SB900 hence SB800's more powerful. But I only have SB800s so I can't speak from experience. I believe the SB900 has the ability to shape the light better so more efficient maybe??
Personally I wouldn't hesitate to buy an SB900 if I needed a new flash but my 2 SB800s just keep trucking along.

[Paul G]

Been watching the 800's in the US and a lot selling in the high $200 range which, with a reasonable exchange rate at the moment, still works out okay with postage.

Considering saving the extra for a 900 though. DWI in Aus has them now for $505. The local Camera House store is still retailing (genuine Aus stock obviously) for over $950.

[kaiser]

I'll sell you my 800 for $950 :P

[campo]

re: overheating on SB900

wow, you boys must have your finger stuck on the shutter button and have the flash on max power all day. Having now shot quite a few weddings with the 900, I'm yet to experience the much hyped "overheating warning" and I'm starting to think it's more an internet myth then reality for most situations.

When I fire bursts, I'm finding the flash can't recycle fast enough (I'm on 2700mAh batteries only), let alone fire enough to overheat!

The one think I dislike about the 900 is it's size, definitely takes up a lot more room in the bag!

[Justin Rutherford]

Have no real helpful answer directly regarding price of SB-800 but i did read on the nikon site that they are about to release the SB-700 who knows it just might be a good thing.