Nikon SB-400

Nikon SB-400 User Reviews

Great little external flash, | Rating:
“I purchased this external flash unit to use with my Nikon D5000. The main reason I wanted an external flash was so I could angle the flash to the ceiling and bounce the light. This unit works great. It is lightweight, recycles quickly, and provides enough light to work well in most indoor settings. I have also used it outdoors as a fill flash and it really helps there as well. All in all, I am very pleased with it…” – By A. Biddle

Fantastic lighting upgrade, | Rating:
“I have have been using this unit for 2 weeks and am impressed with the improvement offered with indirect light bouncing off nearby surfaces vs the on-board unit. The SB-400′s capability to aim the flash in multiple angles is not thoroughly detailed in store or official documentation when it is easily its greatest feature….” – By Drew G

Fantastic Little Flash, | Rating:
“This is one nice little flash. I bought this as a fast and dirty backup flash for my SB600 and found that I use this about equally with the SB600. It works with any Nikon camera that has the i-TTL or CLS flash system built in, which is just about any Nikon built after the D2. I have used this on the D40, D60, D90 and D700 and it works flawlessly…” – By R. Holen

I have owned this flash for about 4 months and life is good, | Rating:
“Flash power is excellent for my needs. Does it light up the night sky? No, but then how do you expect a small little unit like this to have that much power short of nuclear power? I generally shoot at less than 15ft or less (contact range) and this flash works great. Some reviews say it is not as good as the SB600 or 900. Well guess what, if it was as good it would be an SB600 or 900.” – By KO from LA

A Necessary Addition, | Rating:
“The Nikon SB-400 added to my Nikon D-40 makes all the difference in the world. I am not a professional, but take my photography seriously. This is the easiest to use, basic flash I have ever used. Combined with the electronics of the D-40 and the bounce capabilities of this flash. it makes this flash a no-brainer.” – By Lawrence W. Sisselman

Great for this beginner, | Rating:
“I bought this flash after reading many reviews at Amazon and feel it was a great choice for my Nikon D40. It has helped increase my shutter speed picture quality at my son’s karate tournaments. Just what I was hoping for! “ – By D. Norton-Johnson

Very easy to use, | Rating:
“The tilt feature on the flash is great so that there is no more red eye. I was not ready to go into the more advanced flash like the sb-600,800 ect…plus the sb-400 price is not much of a factor when you consider the cost of an SLR camera,lenses and so on. There is no learning to use the flash just put it on the hot shoe turn it on and start snaping away. I highly recomend Duracell rechargeable batteries,they are the ones that are precharged when you buy them.” – By J.M.D

Nikon’s Little Jewel – SB400, | Rating:
“Just recently acquired a used but in great shape Nikon Coolpix P5100 point and shoot. I mated the camera to my SB400 which has transformed the coolpix into a rather impressive dslr competitor. Sb400 can really get the job done while keeping portablity and convience in the fore-front. Best of all, it seems to be a perfect, well balance, match for the camera. Sure to please the pickiest photographer. Best use is for casual and family pictures. For more demanding photographic capture consider Nikon’s excellent line of DSLR cameras.” – By Milton A. Parker

Close to perfect for the price, | Rating:
“The instructions warn that they don’t promise consistent results when bouncing – and you will bounce, that’s the whole point of such a flash (no more red-eye, ever!) – but to be honest we’ve had nothing but excellent results even bouncing off high ceilings. The unit even powers down when you turn off the camera so you don’t waste batteries. You won’t do continuous shooting but you’ll get a shot every five seconds or better with fresh batteries. “ – By R. Boatman

100% Satisfied, | Rating:
“This flash works great, to use it off camera, all you need is a Nikon – SC-29 AF TTL Cord, which you can buy on here or bestbuy. All my photos came out fantastic… You can see the work this flash produces on my portfolio: [...]. This was very well work the purchase.” – By Simone Jones

Nikon SB-400 User Manual

- Download Nikon SB-400 User Manual (PDF – 831kb)

Nikon SB-400 Features & Specifications

Nikon announces the Nikon Speedlight SB-400, an intelligent and versatile external flash unit that provides i-TTL flash operation in a super-compact and ultra-lightweight body at an affordable price.

With its powerful guide number of 21, the SB-400 is an ideal flash unit for beginners in digital SLR photography, but it is also useful for hobbyists and professionals looking for a handy i-TTL flash unit offering an effortless bounce flash function.

The SB-400 has been specifically developed to provide photographers with an entry-level external flash unit which is compatible with i-TTL flash operation. When combined with cameras that are compatible with the Nikon Creative Lighting System, the SB-400 is controlled in i-TTL and D40′s M (manual) mode.

The SB-400′s flash head can be tilted in 4 steps–horizontal, as well as 60, 75, and 90 degrees–and has a flash shooting distance range of between 60cm to 20m (depending on the camera’s ISO setting). Slow Sync, Red-eye Reduction and other flash modes can also be set on the camera body, enabling users to enjoy brighter and more natural lighting for better flash pictures.

Features
* Compatible with i-TTL and D40’s M mode
* Flash head can be tilted in 4 steps; horizontal, 60, 75 and 90 degrees
* Flash shooting distance range: 0.6m – 20m (depends on the ISO setting)
* Guide number: 30 [ISO 200, m, 20°C]
* Angle of coverage: 18mm (with Nikon-DX format cameras), 27mm (with Nikon F6)
* Depending on the camera in use, the following flash modes are available: Slow Sync, Red-eye Reduction, Red-eye Reduction with Slow Sync, Rear-curtain Sync, FV Lock, exposure compensation, M (manual, only with D40 camera)
* Power source: two AA-size 1.5V batteries (also compatible with lower voltage batteries)
* Note: SB-400 cannot be used with cameras not compatible with Nikon Creative Lighting System.SB-400 is not compatible with Advanced Wireless Lighting.