Pixiq

Nikon has announced the Speedlight SB-910, an update of its ‘flagship’ Speedlight the SB-900. In essence the new flash retains all the key features and overall appearance of its predecessor, but provides an improved user interface with faster access to the menu system that has been updated to make it clearer, plus a modified thermal protection system that keeps the unit working by extending the recycle time when it gets hot, rather than shutting it down altogether. The supplied colour correction filters for balancing light from the flash to incandescent and fluorescent light sources have been redesigned in line with those provided for the SB-700, replacing the gel filters for SB-900 with rigid plastic clip-on filters.

New features of the Speedlight SB-910

There are three key changes in the SB-910 from its predecessor the SB-900, as follows:

Revised user interface and menu system: A dedicated Menu button, which takes over the location of the Zoom button on the SB-900, is intended to provide swifter access to the menu system of the flash unit; the menu has aso been modified to improve clarity. A number of the controls have been restyled flash, so the selector dial now incorporates a groove to enable the user to feel when a setting has been changed, buttons are a little larger and also backlit to assist the user in low ambient light conditions. Nikon state the rear LCD panel has improved too, while the profile of the flash head and body has been reshaped slightly.

Improved thermal protection performance: The Achilles heel of the SB-900 has been the propensity of its thermal protection system to shut the unit down to allow the flash head to cool after it has been worked hard. In the SB-700 Nikon changed the location of the thermal sensor and the protocol of protecting the flash from heat damage, by temporarily extended the recycling time rather than shutting the unit down, enabling the user to continue shooting while heat is dissapated. It appears the same approach has been adopted with the SB-910. As with the SB-900, the thermal protection system can be disabled, if necessary, on the SB-910.

Rigid plastic color balancing filters: In line with the SB-700, the SB-910 will be supplied with a pair of rigid, moulded plastic colour balancing filters for incandescent and fluorescent light respectively, to replace the flexible gel filters provided with the SB-900. As with the SB-700 these filters clip on to the front of the flash head and are compatible with either the SB-910 or the SB-900; both units recognize the filters automatically, enabling CLS compatible cameras to adjust the white balance accordingly when set to Auto, or Flash white balance.

All other specifications of the SB-910 appear to be the same as its predecessor the SB-900, although this awaits final confirmation. Key features include, 17-200mm flash head zoom range (FX format), plus 14mm when the wide-flash adapter is in position, three user selectable lighting patterns to modify the light distribution (Center-weighted, Standard and Even), a terminal for the Nikon SD-9 external battery, a stanard PC sync terminal, and full compatibility with the Nikon Creative Lighting System (CLS) remoter wireless flash, with support for four channel/three group remote wireless flash functionality and the ability to act as either a master or remote unit.

SB-910 Speedlight will be supplied with the AS-21 Speedlight Stand, SW-13H Diffusion Dome, SZ-2FL and SZ-2TN Color Compensation Filters and SS-910 soft case. It is scheduled to be available from 15th December 2011 and expected to have a price of: $549.95 (USA) / £449.99 (UK) / €522.00 (Eurozone)

For futher details see:

Nikon (Japan)

Nikon USA

Nikon Europe (UK)

The press releases from Nikon announcing the SB-910 are peppered with superlative adjectives no doubt conjured up by their PR and marketing departments but in the real world the SB-910 is essentially a very modest update on the SB-900, which is still a very fine flash unit!

The improved ergonomics and user interface of the SB-910 will, I am sure, find favour with most users, since it makes using the flash a little easier and quicker, as will the provision of rigid plastic colour balancing filters, because the flimsy gel filters supplied with the SB-900 have a limited life span. The new filters for the SB-910 are also compatible with the SB-900 and will be available separately in due course, negating one potential advantage of the SB-910. The change that holds most interest is the modification to the thermal protection system, although reducing the recycle rate when the flash head heats up is probably not the solution that photographers who use their flash unit(s) at the extreme where either hoping for, or needed! The ability to keep shooting at a slower rate is certainly better than have the flash shut down but still means pictures will probably be missed.