Comments on: Nikon SB-900 thermal cut-out http://neilvn.com/tangents/2008/11/28/nikon-sb-900-thermal-cut-out/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=nikon-sb-900-thermal-cut-out photography by Neil van Niekerk Fri, 10 Feb 2012 17:54:14 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Stephen http://neilvn.com/tangents/2008/11/28/nikon-sb-900-thermal-cut-out/#comment-28451 Stephen Sun, 02 Oct 2011 23:59:49 +0000 http://www.planetneil.com/tangents/?p=190#comment-28451 Art, You might be interested in reading this thread in the forums about the batteries. http://neilvn.com/forum/discussion/comment/1279 Art,
You might be interested in reading this thread in the forums about the batteries.
http://neilvn.com/forum/discussion/comment/1279

]]> By: Art Pasquali http://neilvn.com/tangents/2008/11/28/nikon-sb-900-thermal-cut-out/#comment-28447 Art Pasquali Sun, 02 Oct 2011 22:58:14 +0000 http://www.planetneil.com/tangents/?p=190#comment-28447 I was using rechargable batteries in my SB-900 and it would over heat very quickly. Switched to standard commercial non-rechargable Batts and have had no problem with overheating. Seems the problem is the lower voltage of 1.2V that most rechargables supply as apposed to 1.5v for non-rechargables. Check you batteries and make sure they are rated at 1.5v. I was using rechargable batteries in my SB-900 and it would over heat very quickly. Switched to standard commercial non-rechargable Batts and have had no problem with overheating. Seems the problem is the lower voltage of 1.2V that most rechargables supply as apposed to 1.5v for non-rechargables. Check you batteries and make sure they are rated at 1.5v.

]]> By: Bogdan http://neilvn.com/tangents/2008/11/28/nikon-sb-900-thermal-cut-out/#comment-15643 Bogdan Sun, 23 Jan 2011 18:56:06 +0000 http://www.planetneil.com/tangents/?p=190#comment-15643 An epitaph to my trials with these flashes... and maybe a (small) solution. I find that every time when I replace the warm batteries with fresh cold ones, the temp sensor goes down to about half in about half a minute. This heat sensor might be somewhere close to the battery compartment because by touch (so VERY un-scientifically) the fresnel (plastic lens) on the flash doesn't go down one iota from this procedure, so the temperature inside the flash chamber stays the same (or very close). In all honesty the SB900 is an awesome flash. WAY better than the 580EXII, more consistent, faster recycling... you name it. As always, just my two Canadian cents... Cheers, Bogdan An epitaph to my trials with these flashes… and maybe a (small) solution. I find that every time when I replace the warm batteries with fresh cold ones, the temp sensor goes down to about half in about half a minute. This heat sensor might be somewhere close to the battery compartment because by touch (so VERY un-scientifically) the fresnel (plastic lens) on the flash doesn’t go down one iota from this procedure, so the temperature inside the flash chamber stays the same (or very close).

In all honesty the SB900 is an awesome flash. WAY better than the 580EXII, more consistent, faster recycling… you name it.

As always, just my two Canadian cents…

Cheers,

Bogdan

]]> By: Bogdan http://neilvn.com/tangents/2008/11/28/nikon-sb-900-thermal-cut-out/#comment-11125 Bogdan Thu, 18 Nov 2010 02:46:07 +0000 http://www.planetneil.com/tangents/?p=190#comment-11125 I finally came to peace with this flash. Broke down and bought a couple of them... I keep'em close and switch them as they heat up. It worked up well these last two wedding we shot... Nikon engineering folk are marketing geniuses as well... I ended up paying more than double to have a bit more capability I used to have with my old SB800... The power is awesome though... Cheers! Bogdan I finally came to peace with this flash. Broke down and bought a couple of them… I keep’em close and switch them as they heat up. It worked up well these last two wedding we shot…
Nikon engineering folk are marketing geniuses as well… I ended up paying more than double to have a bit more capability I used to have with my old SB800…
The power is awesome though…

Cheers!

Bogdan

]]> By: Neil vN http://neilvn.com/tangents/2008/11/28/nikon-sb-900-thermal-cut-out/#comment-11150 Neil vN Tue, 16 Nov 2010 17:06:43 +0000 http://www.planetneil.com/tangents/?p=190#comment-11150 <blockquote>Eduardo .. There's no risk to the camera. It's just the flash that fries. Neil vN</blockquote>

Eduardo .. There’s no risk to the camera. It’s just the flash that fries.

Neil vN

]]> By: Eduardo B. http://neilvn.com/tangents/2008/11/28/nikon-sb-900-thermal-cut-out/#comment-11080 Eduardo B. Tue, 16 Nov 2010 04:51:34 +0000 http://www.planetneil.com/tangents/?p=190#comment-11080 I'm starting doing some weddings and using your technics that I learned from your book that I bought in portuguese! I was a little afraid that the SB-900 was in a way more fragile than the SB-800. But according to you it's not. Is there any risk of damaging the camera if the speedlight fries? I hope you come to Brazil someday for a seminar. Thanks for your time answering all the questions. I’m starting doing some weddings and using your technics that I learned from your book that I bought in portuguese! I was a little afraid that the SB-900 was in a way more fragile than the SB-800. But according to you it’s not.
Is there any risk of damaging the camera if the speedlight fries?

I hope you come to Brazil someday for a seminar.

Thanks for your time answering all the questions.

]]> By: Neil vN http://neilvn.com/tangents/2008/11/28/nikon-sb-900-thermal-cut-out/#comment-11079 Neil vN Tue, 16 Nov 2010 04:21:44 +0000 http://www.planetneil.com/tangents/?p=190#comment-11079 <blockquote>Eduardo ... I've blown three SB-900 speedlights this year already. <a href="http://neilvn.com/tangents/2008/01/11/this-is-going-to-hurt-you-more/">No more than I would burn out regularly, whether it is the Nikon SB-800 or Canon 580 speedlights</a> ... a side-effect of working these speedights hard. It's the cost of doing business. Neil vN</blockquote>

Eduardo … I’ve blown three SB-900 speedlights this year already. No more than I would burn out regularly, whether it is the Nikon SB-800 or Canon 580 speedlights … a side-effect of working these speedights hard. It’s the cost of doing business.

Neil vN

]]> By: Eduardo B. http://neilvn.com/tangents/2008/11/28/nikon-sb-900-thermal-cut-out/#comment-11074 Eduardo B. Tue, 16 Nov 2010 03:13:46 +0000 http://www.planetneil.com/tangents/?p=190#comment-11074 Hi Niel, I saw that you disabled your thermal cut-out protection on your SB-900. I would like to know if you had any overheating problems in a weading since you disabled that feature. Thank you. Hi Niel,

I saw that you disabled your thermal cut-out protection on your SB-900. I would like to know if you had any overheating problems in a weading since you disabled that feature.

Thank you.

]]> By: Bogdan http://neilvn.com/tangents/2008/11/28/nikon-sb-900-thermal-cut-out/#comment-9263 Bogdan Wed, 01 Sep 2010 03:42:05 +0000 http://www.planetneil.com/tangents/?p=190#comment-9263 Unfortunately I'm slowly starting to hate this flash. Even with the thermal nanny switched off the flash slows down considerably when the warning is displayed on the LCD. We're talking white 15 foot ceilings, f4 at ISO 1600. After about 50 ceiling bounce shots in about 5-6 minutes (bridal party and couple grand entrance in the hall) my SB900 was already hot. Pithy. When it works the results are great... Cheers! Unfortunately I’m slowly starting to hate this flash. Even with the thermal nanny switched off the flash slows down considerably when the warning is displayed on the LCD.
We’re talking white 15 foot ceilings, f4 at ISO 1600. After about 50 ceiling bounce shots in about 5-6 minutes (bridal party and couple grand entrance in the hall) my SB900 was already hot.
Pithy. When it works the results are great…
Cheers!

]]> By: Ron http://neilvn.com/tangents/2008/11/28/nikon-sb-900-thermal-cut-out/#comment-8206 Ron Sun, 01 Aug 2010 02:56:41 +0000 http://www.planetneil.com/tangents/?p=190#comment-8206 I am on my 2nd SB900. Both have cut out with only casual use. The second one cut off on a sunny day when I hadn't been using it for a while. I haven't used it on a professional shoot yet and will rely on my SB800s for that. I wish I had bought more SB800 while they were still available new. It doesn't seem like Nikon is going to do anything about it. They seem to be in denial that there is an issue. It does seem that some units have more problems than others. The performance, ex the thermo cut out is great. I don't like the idea of turning it off but i also don't like the lack of reliability even when taking all of the precautions - no bursts, alkaine batteries, software upgrade, etc. I can't believe that Nikon has this unresovled issue on their flagship speedlite. I am on my 2nd SB900. Both have cut out with only casual use. The second one cut off on a sunny day when I hadn’t been using it for a while. I haven’t used it on a professional shoot yet and will rely on my SB800s for that. I wish I had bought more SB800 while they were still available new. It doesn’t seem like Nikon is going to do anything about it. They seem to be in denial that there is an issue. It does seem that some units have more problems than others. The performance, ex the thermo cut out is great. I don’t like the idea of turning it off but i also don’t like the lack of reliability even when taking all of the precautions – no bursts, alkaine batteries, software upgrade, etc. I can’t believe that Nikon has this unresovled issue on their flagship speedlite.

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