Advise on a flash please

[Stina3246]

I've been looking at buying a Nikon Speedlight 600. We use them at work so I am familiar with them. Then I started wondering if there were any other brands that were comparable in quality and cost. I don't have a lot of money to spend. About $150 or so but I need a flash. I'm getting tired of borrowing from work. (although lucky that I can)

[candleman]

Nissin makes affordable flashes.. you will loose TTL-BL i do believe.. but ordinary old TTL should still work.
dont know about off camera CLS..

[OsmosisStudios]

Check to see if your work has a discount program with Nikon. Many places that use their gear for business also have discounts available for staff members if they buy direct

[mattdm]

In addition to Nissin (which I don't know much about because they don't make a Pentax version), other options are:

Metz flashes aren't necessarily cheap, but they are high quality. They make Nikon dedicated versions, and Nikon modules for the SCA models.

Sigma makes two flashes, an "ST" model which is about $150 and has very little flexibility, and a more expensive Super model with advanced functions (and a confusing user interface.) The main thing here is that they're quite powerful for the price.

And there's Promaster, with a couple of Nikon-compatible options.

But honestly, Nikon's own flash system is so nice I don't think I'd stray from it, unless I needed something special like one of the Metz "hammerhead" models. (That one is roughly twice as powerful as the SB-900.)

[Stina3246]

Originally Posted by OsmosisStudios

Check to see if your work has a discount program with Nikon. Many places that use their gear for business also have discounts available for staff members if they buy direct

My work does offer a discount for Nikon but I went that rought already. I ordered a lens AND a flash. My company allowed me to make payments and the they paid for it with the company credit card. Nikon said the name on the card had to be the same as the name on the order so my company said fine, then WE are ordering the equipment. Again Nikon said no because they already knew it was for me. THEN my company cut me a check for the total and I called Nikon to place the order myself and they were good with that but "oh...sorry, THAT equipment is on back order!!"
I finally said no thanks and went with a reputable dealer on E-bay for the lens at about the same cost. Since I haven't bought the flash yet I figured I'd do a little shopping around but like Mattdm said, Nikon's flash system is very good so maybe I'll just stick with that.