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I'm a total newbe. I just bought a D3100 and a couple of VR lenses, and I'm looking at flashes now, and I don't have a clue.

I'm looking at the Nikon SB-600 and the Vivitar DF-483-NIK
Specs look pretty compareable to me. I just wanted others opinions, hopefully from people who have used both...

Nikon Specifications:
Commander Function No Remote Function Yes Guide Number 30m/98ft. (at ISO 100, 35mm zoom-head position, 20°C/68°F) to 42m/138ft. (at ISO 200, 35mm zoom-head position, at 20°C/68°F) Electronic Construction Automatic Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistor (IGBT) and series circuitry Flash Exposure Control i-TTL Balanced Fill-Flash with CLS compatible cameras
Manual Flash (with Nikon Creative Lighting System digital and 35mm SLR cameras)
Slow-sync Lens Coverage 24 to 85mm (Automatic mode)
14mm to 85mm (Manual Mode, with built-in wide-flash adapter)
24mm to 85mm (Manual Mode) Other Available Functions Test Firing
Monitor Pre-flashes
AF-assist illuminator Bounce Function (Tilt) Flash head tilts down to 60° with click stops at every 15° or up to 45° with click stops at every 15°. Minimum Recycling Time 2.5 sec. (approx.) with Ni-MH AA-size batteries
2.9 sec. (approx.) with Ni-Cd AA-size batteries
3.5 sec. (approx.) with R6 AA-size batteries; manual
4.0 sec. (approx.) with Lithium AA-size batteries Flash Duration 1/900 sec. at M 1/1 (full) output
1/1600 sec. at M 1/2 output
1/3400 sec. at M 1/4 output
1/6600 sec. at M 1/8 output
1/11100 sec. at M 1/16 output
1/20000 sec. at M 1/32 output
1/25000 sec. at M 1/64 output Power ON/OFF Press the power button for approx. 0.3 sec. to turn the SB-600 on or off. Required Power Source Four Alkaline, Lithium, Nickel, Ni-Cd, Ni-MH (AA-size) batteries; (All four batteries must be the same type) Optional Power Supply No Flash-ready Indicator Lights up: recycled and ready to fire.
Blinks: flash fires at its maximum output, indicating light may have been insufficient (in TTL Auto Flash, Auto Aperture B Flash and Non-TTL Auto Flash A operations). Ready Light Back Flash Compensation –3.0 EV to +3.0 EV in increments of 1/3 steps in TTL auto flash mode Custom Setting Wireless remote flash
Auxiliary ready-light
Sound Monitor
Standby function
Power zoom function
Zoom-head position setting if the built-in wide-flash adapter is broken off accidentally
LCD panel illuminator
AF-Assist Illumination Minimum Number of Flashes / Recycling Time 220/4–30 sec. (2000mA Ni-MH)
180/6–30 sec. (1.5V Nickel)
90/4–30 sec. (1000mAh NiCd)
400/7.5–30 sec. (1.5V Lithium)
200/6–30 sec. (1.5V Alkaline-manganese) Wireless Flash Modes Off
Remote Wireless Communication Channels Four: 1, 2, 3 and 4Channels Wireless Groups Three: A, B and C


Vivitar Specs:
Red focus beam to assist in low light conditions
Auto focus/TTL metering
Wireless TTL function
Six levels of power ratio 1/1, 1/2, 1/4, 1/8, 1/16, 1/32
Seven Zoom Positions 24/28/35/50/70/85/105mm
Bounce Position 0°, 45°, 60°, 75°, 90°
Swivel Position: Left 180° / Right 120°
High Speed Synchronization
Compact and Lightweight
2” LCD Panel
Red Eye reduction
Power Saving
Automatic Shutter Speed Setting
Flash Readiness Indication in Viewfinder
Built-in Slave Function S0-S9
Built-in Reflecting Plate and Diffuser
Guide number 50 at 105mm zoom position
Uses 4 AA batteries (not included)

hi there,
Nikon CLS (Creative Light System) is probably the most advanced and complicated factory flash system for DSLR cameras. So, unless you want to use your flash only in manual mode, i would suggest you to get the Nikon flash to take full advantage of the CLS system.


Personally i have not used the Vivitar DF-483-NIK so i can't really comment from my experience.
But generally speaking, the 3rd party lenses do provide a better value for money alternative when compare to the Nikon flash. The downside is the TTL accuracy, reliability (for some brands) and compatibility with the Nikon CLS system.


btw, the sb600 was already discontinued few months ago, so if you want to get one (brand new), then i would suggest you do it asap before they are all sold out.

oh and welcome to the forums!

I say go with Nikon if your budget allows

and have a look at the SB700 too. it's more expensive than the SB600 but it's got a lot more features as well

(03-31-2011 06:18 AM)wotwot Wrote: [ -> ]I say go with Nikon if your budget allows

and have a look at the SB700 too. it's more expensive than the SB600 but it's got a lot more features as well

I was going to suggest the same. You might appreciate the CLS feature in the future. I have read that the SB-600's are not built as well as the SB-800's or the SB-900's. I don't own an SB-600, so I can't validate that, but the SB-700 does look intriguing.
vw

yes i agree with what bobc said!

I realise post is old now, but how'd you go? My only preference for portable lighting is Nikon CLS...easy to use and almost foolproof. Google Joe McNally Nikon CLS and watch some of his videoes - then just copy what he does. Vivitar probaly make good mobile phone cases or paper weights.

yes if you are using Nikon, you really should try to use the Nikon CLS.
Easy to setup and use.

Only issue i found is the range, when you are placing your flash more than 20 meters away then you'll start having problems