Nikon SB-700 AF Speedlight Flash for Nikon Digital SLR Cameras, Standard Packaging

2/5/11: Final postscript: Sent the SB700 to Nikon; had to wait a month (according to Nikon, they had to wait to get parts shipped); but - they did repair the flash at no charge. Nikon's service has always been good.-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------12/25/10: Update to my review - today was my first real tryout of the SB700; and unfortunately; I have to report the battery door fell apart as I was changing batteries. The battery door design is different than past Nikon units. There is an actual pushbutton that you need to depress to release the door. As I was trying to open the door - it fell apart into 3 pieces. I'm not sure what Nikon was thinking; the old door designs seemed to work fine (aside from the SB800 w/ the removable door/battery chamber). On a positive note; I did not have a problem w/ thermal shutdown - but - that said; I'm very disappointed in the door design and am thinking I'll probably stock up on some SB600's while they are still being manufactured. While I hate the pushbutton setup on the SB600; at least I haven't had any reliability problems w/ the unit.------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Just received the SB700 today from Amazon after a 3 month wait - I am not disappointed. I have been a Nikon user since the 70's, and have owned every F and D pro bodies, and associated flash units. I have seen all the reviews on the web criticizing Nikon for omitting the PC input and power input - they know if they included these features it would have killed sales of the SB900. Like others, unless I need maximum power from my flash (which is rare); I can get by with the SB600 and most recently, the SB400 for most of my (fill) flash work. I mainly use the flash for fill and have it on the camera 100% of the time. For "walking around" the SB400 works great due to its size and weight. When I need to use bounce flash, I typically use the SB600. I still own the SB800 and SB900 but find myself rarely using them.The SB700 fills the gap - the best features of the flash are the smaller size and weight (vs. the SB900); easier to use controls (I hated the SB600/800 controls); and finally the hard plastic snap-on color correction filters. Nikon needs to make these (hard) filters for the SB900 - trying to use their gels and holder in the field is crazy - you will either lose or damage the gels the first time you are working under pressure. Also the bounce dome is also smaller than the large unit that comes w/ the SB900.The SB700 is the first Nikon flash I've used that seems to get the exposure right on. Normally I have to set the flash exposure to -0.7 to get what I consider a normal exposure. I do not have to do this on the SB700. I also like the fact that Nikon has gone to switches (vs. menu) to switch from Auto to Manual exposure - I care less about the switch for the flash coverage as that's not a setting I change - but others who do change it will like the fact that it's easy to switch on the fly.Back to the power input and PC sync input - those who are fans of the Stobist are very unhappy about the inability to use their PC cords to their Pocket Wizards - most folks do not like using the PC - Hot shoe cords; one more thing to go wrong in the electrical chain. Personally - I miss the power input for the Nikon battery packs - and although I'm sure Quantum will come out w/ a battery adapter to use w/ their packs, I haven't use my Quantum packs in years since I've converted to using the Nikon external packs that use the AA's.That said - think the SB700 will become the de facto standard flash; and the SB800 will continue to sell on eBay and Craig's list for more then they sold new (I'm keeping mine) for the Strobist fans.As to the overheating issue; haven't had the unit long enough to see if it reacts the same as the SB900 - another review said that the unit slows down on recycle time before shutting down - I've had my 900 shut down; so I have to carry a backup just in case.As of today (12/13/10) looks like Amazon isn't even taking orders for the unit; if you are in a hurry suggest checking your local camera store - mine told me they were getting some in periodically -Bottom line: if you are in the market for a Nikon flash - buy this one!

Like many other reviewers, I am a huge Nikon CLS (Creative Lighting System) user. I shoot with a Nikon D300s, MBD10 Grip, 2 SB-900's, 2 SB-700's, Pocket Wizards, full line of Nikon lenses, clamps, etc... I photograph by the two L's: Light and Lens; light being the most important element. This is where Nikon Speedlights excel and the SB-700 is the perfect companion / compliment to the SB-900.The SB-900 is a very large high-powered flash. In fact, I was surprised when I first opened the box and soon came to learn it could be a pain to pack when I went light (as in weight). The SB-700 was a welcome sight since, at times, extreme portability matters. In short, I was looking for slightly less power than the SB-900, just in a smaller package. I considered any other features (such as commander mode) to be a bonus. This was on the heels of just purchasing two SB-600's (later sold on EBay), which I found counter intuitive due to the menu system and need to press multiple buttons at the same time to adjust settings. Plus, the light output from my SB-600's seemed a little harsh and warm in the center.The SB-700 is functionally the same as the SB-900. If you learn the SB-900, you know the SB-700. I measured power output of the SB-700 (92 feet spec) at less than the SB-900 (131 feet spec) and greater than the SB-600 (though specs say it should be a little less at 92 feet versus the SB-600 98 feet). Essentially, I use my SB-900's as key light(s) in most situations. So, it not only is a great compliment to an SB-900 but also a suitable replacement (in lieu of) for the SB-900 if you are on a budget. In fact, I judge the SB-900 to be overkill unless you are a semi-pro or pro photographer.The on-board flash controls are simply incredible. I also find the LCD screen far better than the screen on the SB-600 or even the SB-800 (old Nikon flagship flash). The flash is easy to adjust on the move and very intuitive. Build quality is what you expect from Nikon, which is very good to great, though I am a little concerned about the battery door. But, unless you are juggling your flashes, I do not seen anything to worry about. Plus, the SB-700 comes with a built in bounce card (needed by the way) whereas the SB-600 did not. Additionally, with the SB-700 you get filters, a decent case, diffusion dome, and stand.Word on the dreaded "thermal issue." The SB-900 contained a thermal shutdown feature to prevent the user from essentially melting the flash. The SB-700 will instead slow down recycle time to about 3.5 seconds compared to the rated 2.5 to control the temp. Trust me- most people will never encounter this situation unless they try. It's just something not worrying about. Therefore, this would be a great 2nd flash for advanced shooters and great first/primary flash for beginners to intermediate shooters. But, I do agree with Ken Rockwell that most users who buy non-professional (consumer grade) DSLR bodies could easily go with an SB-400 flash. So, if you are in this category, you may be able to save a few hundred dollars and get everything you need. If you decide to upgrade later, your equipment is scaleable and resell-able (Nikon gear retains value very well).