Nikon SB-28: The Last Great Film Camera Flash?

ic-racer · Jun 10, 2020

I happened across the Nikon SB-28 about ten years ago when I started shooting Nikon. This was after 3 decades of only using Rolleiflex cameras.

I'm still very impressed with the SB-28, that I just bought a second one.

I found that not only is the SB-28 awesome with my autofocus late model Nikon 35mm SLRs, it is also fantastic on every other camera I own! The ability to have full functionality with the latest Nikon film cameras and yet be able to work in auto mode with just about any other film camera is almost too good to be true.

Any other SB-28 fans? Is there a Nikon flash anyone is using that out performs the SB-28?

How about other brands. What is your favorite film camera flash and why?

jp498 · Jun 10, 2020

I'm a big fan of the SB24 but would probably like the SB28 as well. Very similar but does not do the multi-flash wireless magic.

For a step simpler, the vivitar 285hv is also very good. the 283 was a cult flash in the 80's and 90's but the 285hv is more versatile. There was a plain 285 but it was not optoisolated on the trigger contacts which I think is kinda important.

Sirius Glass · Jun 10, 2020

I am a fan of the Nikon SB-800. I am on my second one.

LiamG · Jun 10, 2020

I have a couple SB-28s, and they did a good job. I think the SB-24 is my favorite, though, not because it performs better than the 28, but because of how much of an improvement it was over the previous SB-16 series, in metering, in camera-flash connection, manual control etc. I had far more luck with the SB-24/F4 combo than I did with the SB-16/F3. It has a lot of easily accessible options, the rear/normal curtain sync slider/button comes to mind, and some of my most memorable flash photos were taken with it, and put those options to good use. Like you said, they also work well in manual or automatic modes, and I used mine as off-camera flashes sometimes with wireless triggers. For what they sell for these days, they're a bargain.

Any flash can be a film camera flash, except those which are totally dedicated to a digital system and won't fire on a regular hot shoe, or the like. If it's got a PC sync port, a slave trigger, but the SB-28 may be one of the last and greatest film camera dedicated flashes.

ic-racer · Jun 10, 2020

Sirius Glass said:
I am a fan of the Nikon SB-800. I am on my second one.

Looks nice. Used examples would likely have newer capacitors and flash tubes than the older SB-28. Some references say the features on film cameras are the same as SB-28 but I found in the SB-800 manual a reference to a new feature: DISTANCE PRIORITY MANUAL FLASH for cameras like FM10, F55/N55 and other cameras where there is no TTL. Have you ever used that function? Is it useful?

mshchem · Jun 10, 2020

I sold my SB-28 when I got my SB-800. I have a SB-27, I just love the design. I don't use much flash other than to bounce off a white ceiling with a D cam.

ronnies · Jun 11, 2020

The SB-800 is the king of Nikon flash compatibility and my most used flash.

Ronnie

Chan Tran · Jun 11, 2020

ic-racer said:
Looks nice. Used examples would likely have newer capacitors and flash tubes than the older SB-28. Some references say the features on film cameras are the same as SB-28 but I found in the SB-800 manual a reference to a new feature: DISTANCE PRIORITY MANUAL FLASH for cameras like FM10, F55/N55 and other cameras where there is no TTL. Have you ever used that function? Is it useful?

I think that feature only works with AF cameras and D lenses. I think the flash needs the focus distance information from the camera so it set the power for that distance.

ic-racer · Feb 24, 2025

Updating this thread as I just upgraded to the SB-800 based on the recommendations here. I happen to get one new in box, still in plastic wrappers with all the goodies in the box. Flash stand, fliters, extra battery adapter, case, manuals, warranty card, etc.

My first impression is that it looks great. My old SB-28 is starting to look a little beat up. I'll have to report back after I use it for a while. Now I'm just getting through the owner's manual.

Now that I have this SB-800 and the two old SB-28, I need to look for a SU-4 to link them together without wires.

A surprise advantage is that the SB-800 will do TTL on my Nikon D90 that I use for documenting my automobile restoration projects and camera/darkroom equipment repair projects.

Chan Tran · Feb 24, 2025

ic-racer said:
A surprise advantage is that the SB-800 will do TTL on my Nikon D90 that I use for documenting my automobile restoration projects and camera/darkroom equipment repair projects.

The SB-800 is the one flash that is TTL compatible with all Nikon cameras that support TTL. With the AS-17 it would do TTL with the Nikon F3 too. And of course it's TTL compatible with the Z9 also.

Dan Fromm · Feb 24, 2025

ic, I've been taking a crash course in Nikon flashes. This because I've finally broken down and got an AF 105/2.8 MicroNikkor for my D810. I'd been using a manual focus 105 MicroNikkor with a pair of Vivitar 283s that have VP-1 power controls. Works well, subject to my ability to focus by teetering in and out, as long as I know the magnification I'm working at. With an AF lens, if I want to use AF -- I do -- then I can't be sure what magnification will be so fixed output flashes are no longer so useful.

This is a long way of working up to the bad news I've been finding. Older Nikon TTL flashes like your SB-28s apparently won't work as TTL flashes with the D810. The snag seems to be that the D810 wants TTL flashes that do preflashes to help it figure out how much flash power is needed, can't read flash intensity off the sensor and quench the flash as the exposure is being taken. This last is what Nikon film bodies that support TTL autoflash do.

Almost bit on a couple of very inexpensive SB-27s, fortunately read the manuals (camera and flash) before pulling the trigger.

ic-racer · Feb 25, 2025

I did put the SB-800 on my D90 and it is pretty nice. Again, I'm not much of a digitital user, but I was amazed that the SB-800 allows the D90 to expose flash at 1/4000 second. Since the D90 is a pretty old camera, I guess this is nothing new.

benveniste · Feb 25, 2025

ic-racer said:
How about other brands. What is your favorite film camera flash and why?

I sold my SB-28 after purchasing an SB-800. I seem to remember that there was one feature missing from the SB-800 when used with an F100, but I can't remember what it was. The SB-800 is the most compatible of Nikon's TTL flashes and is just about as powerful as an SB-28.

I have a couple of other "favorite" flashes. The first is the lowly SB-30. On my Nikon FA and it served as a popup flash. It has a built-in optical slave, so it can be used as a small kicker light. And it also has a built in IR panel to use as an optical trigger for monolights.

The second is a Nikon BC-7, just because. One of the first things I did when I bought my Z8 was to use them together.

Sirius Glass · Feb 25, 2025

I have used my Nikon SB-800 with my Nikon N75, Nikon F100, Nikon Z7II, Hasselblad and 4"x5" Speed Graphic with ease. Usually I use it bounce the flash. It has plenty of power for that.

Arthurwg · Feb 27, 2025

Wondering if the SB-28 will work TTL with my F6. I've seen both suggestions that it will and will not work. The F6 uses something they call iTTL, which seems to be different from what is used on the F100 and earlier Nikons.

Dan Fromm · Feb 27, 2025

Read the manual. https://www.bhphotovideo.com/lit_files/42037.pdf

RalphLambrecht · Feb 27, 2025

Sirius Glass said:
I am a fan of the Nikon SB-800. I am on my second one.

The entire Nikon Speedlight series was optimized for Nikon cameras. I own an SB-20 and an SB-26, and neither ever disappointed me. I use them frequently inbacklight situations.

albireo · Feb 27, 2025

What a coincidence, I was just out today with an SB-25. I normally use it for indoor bounce flash type of stuff, but today I decided to use for fill flash of close up scenes using a 20mm f/2.8D on my F90X. It has a neat pop-up 'wide field' diffuser to match a 20mm lens FOV. I've not done much of this type of photography, I'm looking forward to seeing what came out.

What advantages if any would I get if I updated to the SB-28?

Arthurwg · Feb 27, 2025

Dan Fromm said:
Read the manual. https://www.bhphotovideo.com/lit_files/42037.pdf

OK, I did find an explanation. The F6 , which is not mentioned in the manual, has a completely different system known as iTTL, and is the only Nikon film camera to use it. This means that the F6 can't use the SB-28 in TTL, but only in "non-TTL auto flash (A) mode. " This works on a flash-to-subject distance reading, with the flash measured and controlled by the light sensor on the front of the unit. Of course, the flash can also be used in the manual mode.

Dan Fromm · Feb 27, 2025

Arthurwg said:
OK, I did find an explanation. The F6 , which is not mentioned in the manual, has a completely different system known as iTTL, and is the only Nikon film camera to use it. This means that the F6 can't use the SB-28 in TTL, but only in "non-TTL auto flash (A) mode. " This works on a flash-to-subject distance reading, with the flash measured and controlled by the light sensor on the front of the unit. Of course, the flash can also be used in the manual mode.

I directed you to the F6 user manual. See p. 154. I think you're mistaken.

Arthurwg · Feb 28, 2025

Dan Fromm said:
I directed you to the F6 user manual. See p. 154. I think you're mistaken.

OK, but the F6 manual doesn't actually say how the SB-28 should be used. As that flash doesn't support iTTL, I don't think it can be used in TTL mode on the F6. Instead, any automatic function has to Non-TTL be Auto-Flash (A) Mode, as stated in the SB-28 manual.

Dan Fromm · Feb 28, 2025

Arthurwg said:
OK, but the F6 manual doesn't actually say how the SB-28 should be used. As that flash doesn't support iTTL, I don't think it can be used in TTL mode on the F6. Instead, any automatic function has to Non-TTL be Auto-Flash (A) Mode, as stated in the SB-28 manual.

Really?

When a Nikon Speedlight other than SB-800/SB-600 is attached and set to
TTL mode, the following TTL Auto Flash modes are available depending on
the type of lens used.

Multi-Sensor Balanced Fill-Flash/3D Multi-Sensor Balanced Fill-Flash
(Automatic Balanced Fill-Flash with TTL Multi Sensor)

Automatic Balanced Fill-Flash with TTL Multi Sensor can be performed with a
combination of F6 camera, CPU lens and Nikon TTL AF Speedlight. In this flash mode,
just after you press the shutter release button and before the shutter is activated, the
Speedlight with Monitor Preflash function (SB-80DX, SB-50DX, SB-28/28DX, SB-27,
SB-26 and SB-25) will fire a series of imperceptible preflashes that are detected by
the F6’s five-segment TTL Multi Sensor, then analyzed for brightness and contrast.
Furthermore, when a D- or G-type AF Nikkor lens is attached, it integrates Distance
Information from the lens with other exposure control information, automatically
compensating the flash output level so that flash output and ambient light are
balanced (3D Multi-Sensor Balanced Fill-Flash).
With Speedlights that do not have the Monitor Preflash feature, or with a non-G/Dtype
lens or a non-CPU lens with non-CPU lens data specified, Multi-Sensor Balanced
Fill-Flash (without data from the Monitor Preflash and Distance Information) is
performed. Select a metering system on the F6 other than Spot Metering. (With Spot
Metering, the Flash mode automatically switches to Standard TTL flash.)

Standard TTL Flash
Can be set on SB-80DX, SB-50DX, SB-28/28DX, SB-27, SB-26, SB-25 or SB-24
Speedlight. With other Speedlights, Standard TTL Flash is set automatically when the
camera is set to Manual exposure mode. In Standard TTL Flash, flash output is
adjusted to ensure the main subject is correctly exposed; background brightness is
not taken into account. Recommended for shots in which the main subject is
emphasized at the expense of background details, or when exposure compensation is
used. Standard TTL flash is activated automatically when Spot metering is selected.

Arthurwg · Feb 28, 2025

OK, I do see that the chart on p. 160 of the F6 manual shows that the SB-28 can be used in TTL mode. I guess I will have to test it.

Sirius Glass · Feb 28, 2025

Arthurwg said:
OK, but the F6 manual doesn't actually say how the SB-28 should be used. As that flash doesn't support iTTL, I don't think it can be used in TTL mode on the F6. Instead, any automatic function has to Non-TTL be Auto-Flash (A) Mode, as stated in the SB-28 manual.

It should run the same way the other Nikon SBx work. Search the Nikon website for the SB-28 instructions.

RalphLambrecht · Mar 1, 2025

albireo said:
What a coincidence, I was just out today with an SB-25. I normally use it for indoor bounce flash type of stuff, but today I decided to use for fill flash of close up scenes using a 20mm f/2.8D on my F90X. It has a neat pop-up 'wide field' diffuser to match a 20mm lens FOV. I've not done much of this type of photography, I'm looking forward to seeing what came out.

What advantages if any would I get if I updated to the SB-28?

You can look up all thedetails and specs here:https://www.digitalb2.de/nikon/systemcd/

Nikon SB-28: The Last Great Film Camera Flash?

Attachments

Privacy & Transparency

Privacy & Transparency