Nikon SU-800 Wireless Speedlight Commander Unit USA

  • Price: $249.95
  • GBP 157.99
  • B&H # NISU800
  • Mfr# 4794

This item can only be shipped to a US address.

The multi-functional Nikon SU-800 Wireless Speedlight Commander Unit forms the nerve center of any i-TTL multiple flash-lighting situation.

Capable of metering and triggering groups of remote Speedlights in the Nikon CLS (Creative Lighting System), a one-touch switch fully automates accurate exposures of small subjects instantly. Manual adjustment of the balance of each units output is simple to control through the comprehensive LCD panel.

When using i-TTL compatible Nikon digital SLR cameras and Speedlights, user can divide the Speedlight units into three groups and control the flash output independently for each group
Features a Commander function that can trigger wireless remote flash (SB-900, SB-800, SB-600, or SB-R200) units without a master flash unit
One-touch switching between close-up and Commander modes
Two types of close-up operation:
  • Dual-light close-up flash
  • Triple-light close-up flash
  • Display LCD, ready-light
    Maximum Range Wireless up to 66' (20 m)
    Power Source 123A 3v Lithium battery
    Dimensions 2.7 x 3.8 x 2.3" (68 x 96 x 58mm) [W x H x D]
    Weight (Approx.) 5.6 oz (160 g)

    REVIEW SNAPSHOT®

    by PowerReviews
    Nikon SU-800 Wireless Speedlight Commander Unit
     
    4.7

    (based on 143 reviews)

    Ratings Distribution

    • 5 Stars

       

      (105)

    • 4 Stars

       

      (35)

    • 3 Stars

       

      (1)

    • 2 Stars

       

      (1)

    • 1 Stars

       

      (1)

    98%

    of respondents would recommend this to a friend.

    Pros

    • Easy to use (112)
    • Lightweight (103)
    • Reliable (64)
    • Durable (47)
    • Consistent output (30)

    Cons

    • Heavy / bulky (4)
    • Pricey / poor value (3)

    Best Uses

    • Portraits (92)
    • Studio (44)
    • Macro photography (34)
    • General purpose (29)
    • Fill flash (28)
      • Reviewer Profile:
      • Semi-professional (31), Professional (22), Semi-pro photographer (22), Pro photographer (20), Enthusiast (19)
      • Was this a gift?:
      • No (54)

    Most Liked Positive Review

     

    Awesome

    I didn't think I needed this as my on camera flash, SB 900 or SB600 could be used to control all my flashes, but I was wrong. I had been setting up my flashes...Read complete review

    I didn't think I needed this as my on camera flash, SB 900 or SB600 could be used to control all my flashes, but I was wrong. I had been setting up my flashes using my on camera flash D300s, but what a pain it was to access the menu system and to not forget to hit "ok" when all parameters are set. I then got a SB900 thinking I'd use that as a controller but that really limited what could be done as the flash need to be on camera or wired to the hotshoe with an extension cord. With the above limitations, I shelled out the cash for the SU800 and have been very pleased. Set up is a breeze, and now I have an extra flash unit to use off camera while still maintaining the simplicity of setting up the shot with a dedicated controller. Furthermore, there is no preflash which can confuse/annoy your subjects. I also found that this thing is much more powerful and seems to have better range than a SB unit. Only downside is the 123A batteries! Read my review on the R1 kit for an option for batteries.

    Finally, when used with the R1 close up kit, this setup is great. You can really see the engineering and foresight of the design when used in this application. Oh, if you are looking at the R1C1 kit, it is cheaper to buy the R1 and SU-800 separately rather than as a kit, go figure.

    Hope this helps someone.

    VS

    Most Liked Negative Review

     

    Great in a super controlled environment

    While I purchased the SU-800 to alleviate the pre-flash from my camera's flash when used to control my speedlights, it doesn't work as well as I'd hoped.

    With the pop-up on comm...Read complete review

    While I purchased the SU-800 to alleviate the pre-flash from my camera's flash when used to control my speedlights, it doesn't work as well as I'd hoped.

    With the pop-up on commander mode, the pre-flash made subjects blink, this fixes that and offers a only slighly quicker way to adjust flashes. If you're savvy enough to use this, you'll be able to control the flashes through commander mode just fine and just about as quickly. This simply benefits people needing more and 1 or 2 groups that are built in (I'm using a D200, which can do 2 groups, my D70 did 1).

    When using the SU-800, things worked great, unless the flashes were moved slightly behind anything. I wasn't getting any response from any in-room reflections. Something simply like shooting a portrait through a doorway of a room with the flash inside, would lead to no flash! We're talking just out of line of sight, 2-3 feet through the door. I had to put the SU-800 on an SC-28 to control anything, ruining the whole point of on-camera control.

    While I'm sure this works fine in a more controlled studio setting, or for macro work, it's not useful in any improvised settings. Go cordered if the flashes are close, or get something RF if you need to improvise based on location. I returned my and will be going with Pocket Wizards or Radio Poppers in the future.

    But the first fix is Nikons little IR filter for the pop up flash that should somewhat reduce the pre-flash blink issue.

    This would be better if the IR transmitter was aimed all around the unit for better cover. I couldn't even trigger flashs to the sides of the camera, 2 ft away!

    REVIEWS

    Reviewed by 143 customers

    Sort by

    Displaying reviews 1-20

    Back to top

    Previous | Next »

     
    5.0

    Excellent accessory...so far, so good

    By Mick the G.

    from Anaheim, CA

    About Me Pro Photographer

    Verified Buyer

    Pros

    • Consistent Output
    • Durable
    • Easy To Use
    • Fast Recycling
    • Lightweight
    • Powerful Output

    Cons

      Best Uses

      • Fill Flash
      • General Use
      • Night Photography
      • Photojournalism
      • Portraits

      Comments about Nikon SU-800 Wireless Speedlight Commander Unit:

      So far I've used this with an SB-600 and SB-800 together with my D300s and D300, also with my recently acquired Coolpix P7100 and I can see it's going to become an indispensable part of my equipment, I can envisage so many uses for it, macro, wedding, portraits etc., etc.,
      It's kinda pricy, but in my opinion well worth the money.

      • Was this a gift?:
      • No

      Share this review

       
      4.0

      great product

      By jpz

      from Puerto Rico

      About Me Photo Enthusiast

      Verified Buyer

      Pros

      • Easy To Use
      • Lightweight
      • Versatile

      Cons

        Best Uses

          Comments about Nikon SU-800 Wireless Speedlight Commander Unit:

          I just wish it was made with AA batteries... 4 stars for that...

          • Was this a gift?:
          • No

          Share this review

           
          5.0

          Great buy

          By John

          from Greensboro NC

          About Me Photo Enthusiast

          Verified Buyer

          Pros

          • Easy To Use

          Cons

          • Costly battery

          Best Uses

          • Portraits

          Comments about Nikon SU-800 Wireless Speedlight Commander Unit:

          I use the su 800 for Indoor photo's so that I am able to use more than one flash
          I don't have any problems

          • Was this a gift?:
          • No

          Share this review

          (1 of 1 customers found this review helpful)

           
          5.0

          Great for

          By Nick

          from Jacksonville, FL

          About Me Pro Photographer

          Verified Buyer

          Pros

          • Easy To Use
          • Lightweight
          • Reliable
          • Versatile

          Cons

          • Uncommon Battery

          Best Uses

          • Fill Flash
          • General Use
          • Night Photography
          • Off camera flash
          • Photojournalism
          • Portraits

          Comments about Nikon SU-800 Wireless Speedlight Commander Unit:

          When shooting for publications, I am continuously looking for quick and reliable solutions for triggering off-camera speedlights. I typically use the SU-800 in conjunction with PocketWizard Flex TT5 radio transceivers for the most reliable TTL solution. However, the infra red method works well and is surprisingly effective in a pinch or in controlled conditions when factors such as bright sunlight or line of sight are not an issue. Umbrellas and large light modifiers can often block the sensor on the flash. Make sure you have an extra battery in the bag because it does not use the typical AA or AAA and you might not be able to find the correct type locally. Having a screen to display the exposure settings for each of the 3 possible groups is a nice touch for those such as myself who prefer a visual representation and have a short memory for such things. Overall, it's a great product for anyone looking at a TTL solution and works wonderfully with compatible radio triggers.

          • Was this a gift?:
          • No

          Share this review

           
          4.0

          Nice piece

          By John urphotos

          from Little neck ny

          About Me Semi-pro Photographer

          Verified Buyer

          Pros

          • Consistent Output
          • Easy To Use
          • Fast Recycling
          • Lightweight

          Cons

          • Battery type
          • Line of sight issues

          Best Uses

          • Fill Flash
          • General Use
          • Portraits
          • Weddings

          Comments about Nikon SU-800 Wireless Speedlight Commander Unit:

          I just started using this product and plan to use this product along with my radiopopper px system for wedding shoots. Working the su 800 commander with the radiopopper and sb900 speedlight works very well together on the practice phase. The only things that I don't like about the product (as insignificant as it is) is the fact that I am having a hard time finding rechargeable batteries fully compatible with the unit and the line of sight issues between the su800 commander and the speedlight when not working with the radiopopper which would all be taken care of when using pocketwizards (which by the way I heard complaints about when you get to a certain distance), all in all, the su800 is great to a very long distance when using it along with the radiopopper over a great and unrealistic distance

          • Was this a gift?:
          • No

          Share this review

          (2 of 2 customers found this review helpful)

           
          5.0

          More powerful than expected

          By wid801

          from Salt Lake City, UT

          About Me Photo Enthusiast

          Verified Buyer

          Pros

          • Consistent Output
          • Easy To Use
          • Lightweight
          • Powerful Output

          Cons

          • Bulky

          Best Uses

          • Indoor
          • Portraits

          Comments about Nikon SU-800 Wireless Speedlight Commander Unit:

          I purchased this commander unit to avoid using the pop-up flash for controlling speedlights. The pre-flash causes some people to blink. The SU-800 uses infrared light to connect with speedlights so there isn't the preflash problem.

          For indoor use, the ability to bounce or angle the signal off walls is very impressive. Like a billiards shot off three walls, I was pleased to be able to fire my lights even away from direct line-of-sight from camera position. I haven't used it outside in bright light, so I can't speak to outdoor or longer distance firing.

          Overall, easy to use, lightweight on the camera. I wished Nikon built it with a swiveling head, but I haven't missed a shot due to not being able to rotate the commander. You can also connect via a SC-29 cable to point it wherever you want.

          • Was this a gift?:
          • No

          Share this review

           
          5.0

          True Wireless TTL

          By DougC

          from Houston, TX

          About Me Photo Enthusiast

          Verified Buyer

          Pros

          • Consistent Output
          • Easy To Use
          • Lightweight
          • Versatile

          Cons

          • none

          Best Uses

          • Fill Flash
          • General Use
          • Night Photography
          • Portraits

          Comments about Nikon SU-800 Wireless Speedlight Commander Unit:

          Works like a champ! Extends the usefulness of the R1C1 kit and gives full remote control of the SB600, SB800 and SB900. Simple operation. Wish I had bought it years ago.

          • Was this a gift?:
          • No

          Share this review

           
          5.0

          Easy to control wireless Speedlights!

          By ES Behh

          from Boston, MA

          About Me Photo Enthusiast

          Verified Buyer

          Pros

          • Consistent Output
          • Durable
          • Easy To Use
          • Fast Recycling
          • Lightweight

          Cons

            Best Uses

            • General Use
            • Multiple flashes

            Comments about Nikon SU-800 Wireless Speedlight Commander Unit:

            If you've learned how to use Nikon's Creative Lighting System with multiple wireless speedlights, you're probably impressed with what it can do...and frustrated at having to dig through multiple menus on the back of the camera. The SU-800 eliminates that hassle.

            Now you can move your speedlight off the camera to provide a better angle to your subject, and if you have multiple speedlights you can easily control them from one device. This is much faster than using the controls on the camera or a master speedlight like an SB-900.

            • Was this a gift?:
            • No

            Share this review

             
            5.0

            Great for controlling off camera flash

            By Wally

            from Pell City, AL

            About Me Pro Photographer

            Verified Buyer

            Pros

            • Consistent Output
            • Durable
            • Easy To Use
            • Fast Recycling
            • Lightweight

            Cons

              Best Uses

              • Portraits

              Comments about Nikon SU-800 Wireless Speedlight Commander Unit:

              I use the product to control one or more off camera flash units in portrait photography. Works great as it allow balancing lighting on the fly. Easy to use. Set up is virtually automatic with my SB900's. It is a serious time saver.

              • Was this a gift?:
              • No

              Share this review

               
              5.0

              I Would buy this product again and again

              By marvin

              from Richmond, va

              About Me Photo Enthusiast

              Verified Buyer

              Pros

              • Easy To Use
              • Fast Recycling
              • Powerful Output

              Cons

                Best Uses

                • General Use
                • Portraits

                Comments about Nikon SU-800 Wireless Speedlight Commander Unit:

                this is a great product I am planning to buy next week. Works great with my sb-900

                • Was this a gift?:
                • No

                Share this review

                 
                4.0

                Very easy to use

                By Wapuh

                from Houma, LA

                About Me Photo Enthusiast

                Verified Buyer

                Pros

                • Consistent Output
                • Easy To Use
                • Lightweight

                Cons

                  Best Uses

                  • General Use

                  Comments about Nikon SU-800 Wireless Speedlight Commander Unit:

                  I use with a D90, and a couple of sb700s. I like using the su800 more than the built-in flash commander (a little more reach and flexibility when using the nikon TTL extension cable). I would have liked to have purchased a radio type system but the cost was too much. So far I haven't had any problems except when trying to use a flash hidden to backlight the subject.

                  • Was this a gift?:
                  • No

                  Share this review

                   
                  2.0

                  Limited usefulness outdoors

                  By Bill

                  from Tampa

                  About Me Photo Enthusiast

                  Pros

                    Cons

                      Best Uses

                        Comments about Nikon SU-800 Wireless Speedlight Commander Unit:

                        Indoors it works very well, but outdoors in bright sun, even at close range with sensors aimed generally at each other, I experience a lot of non-fires.

                        • Was this a gift?:
                        • No

                        Share this review

                        (2 of 2 customers found this review helpful)

                         
                        4.0

                        Works great inside

                        By jcdovala

                        from Thousand Oaks, CA

                        About Me Pro Photographer

                        Verified Buyer

                        Pros

                        • Easy To Use
                        • Lightweight

                        Cons

                        • Weak Output

                        Best Uses

                          Comments about Nikon SU-800 Wireless Speedlight Commander Unit:

                          The SU-800 is easy to use and does the job well inside cover (buildings, studios, caves,etc) Trying to use it outside (not sure about night) is another matter. You're much better off using an SB-800/900 as a commander and you'll have far better control. This controller has its place for closeups and where the SB commander flash may influence the exposure. I would recommend with the above caveat.

                          • Was this a gift?:
                          • No

                          Share this review

                          (1 of 1 customers found this review helpful)

                           
                          5.0

                          A must-have for strobist

                          By Stanley

                          from San Francisco, CA

                          About Me Pro Photographer

                          Verified Buyer

                          Pros

                          • Consistent Output
                          • Easy To Use
                          • Lightweight
                          • Versatile

                          Cons

                            Best Uses

                            • Portraits

                            Comments about Nikon SU-800 Wireless Speedlight Commander Unit:

                            Use it with SB-800 and SB900.
                            Very versatile.

                            • Was this a gift?:
                            • No

                            Share this review

                            (4 of 4 customers found this review helpful)

                             
                            4.0

                            Much Better than Pop-Up Commander!

                            By JP

                            from Lexington, KY

                            About Me Pro Photographer

                            Verified Buyer

                            Pros

                            • Consistent Output
                            • Durable
                            • Easy To Use

                            Cons

                              Best Uses

                              • Fill Flash
                              • General Use
                              • Portraits

                              Comments about Nikon SU-800 Wireless Speedlight Commander Unit:

                              I finally upgraded to this after 3 years of using pop-up flashes and SB800s & 900s as commanders. I wanted greater reliability in daylight conditions and extended range. This does the trick for a better price point than getting into pocket wizards, radio poppers or skyports. The only reason I gave it four instead of five stars is that there are still situations where line of sight prevents your remotes from firing reliably, but it is so much better than what I was doing before that it doesn't bother me. Also, much of that can be fixed with the SC-29 or a slight change in setup. I use this with 2-3 speedlights and it is great having the dedicated control panel instead of having to use the camera menu system. Love it!

                              • Was this a gift?:
                              • No

                              Share this review

                               
                              4.0

                              Works well but a bit pricey

                              By Fay

                              from CT

                              About Me Semi-pro Photographer

                              Verified Buyer

                              Pros

                              • Easy To Use
                              • Lightweight

                              Cons

                                Best Uses

                                • Portraits

                                Comments about Nikon SU-800 Wireless Speedlight Commander Unit:

                                I use this at events. It is small and light weight. Very simple to use. It is just pricey for what it is.

                                • Was this a gift?:
                                • No

                                Share this review

                                 
                                5.0

                                Clever Little Thing...

                                By Byronski

                                from penriff

                                About Me Semi-pro Photographer

                                Verified Buyer

                                Pros

                                • Versatile

                                Cons

                                  Best Uses

                                  • Portraits

                                  Comments about Nikon SU-800 Wireless Speedlight Commander Unit:

                                  The Su-800 is very simple to use, I use it to control 3 SB 800's and it makes the whole thing easy peasy !

                                  • Was this a gift?:
                                  • No

                                  Share this review

                                   
                                  5.0

                                  A musty have gear for creative lighting.

                                  By Ray Bazan

                                  from Rockport, TX

                                  About Me Pro Photographer

                                  Verified Buyer

                                  Pros

                                  • Easy To Use

                                  Cons

                                    Best Uses

                                      Comments about Nikon SU-800 Wireless Speedlight Commander Unit:

                                      This is a must have gear if you are serious about creative lighting. Ray

                                      • Was this a gift?:
                                      • No

                                      Share this review

                                       
                                      5.0

                                      Love my set up now

                                      By Alex

                                      from Seattle

                                      About Me Semi-pro Photographer

                                      Verified Buyer

                                      Pros

                                      • Consistent Output
                                      • Easy To Use
                                      • Fast Recycling
                                      • Lightweight

                                      Cons

                                        Best Uses

                                        • Fill Flash

                                        Comments about Nikon SU-800 Wireless Speedlight Commander Unit:

                                        I use the wireless speedlight commander with my new Nikon R1 WIRELESS CLOSE-UP SPEEDLIGHT SYSTEM and am just getting used to it but I do love it - going to practice some more today.

                                        • Was this a gift?:
                                        • No

                                        Share this review

                                         
                                        5.0

                                        Great addition when using 3 flashes

                                        By Anna

                                        from Delaware

                                        About Me Photo Enthusiast

                                        Verified Buyer

                                        Pros

                                        • Easy To Use
                                        • Lightweight
                                        • Versatile

                                        Cons

                                          Best Uses

                                          • General Use

                                          Comments about Nikon SU-800 Wireless Speedlight Commander Unit:

                                          using other flash units

                                          • Was this a gift?:
                                          • No

                                          Share this review

                                          Displaying reviews 1-20

                                          Back to top

                                          Previous | Next »

                                          Batteries & Power

                                          General Brand -  123A 3V Lithium Battery
                                          • Price: $3.99
                                          • GBP 2.52
                                           

                                          Sync Cords & Flash Remotes

                                          Nikon -  SB-R200 Wireless Remote Speedlight
                                          • Price: $159.95
                                          • GBP 101.10
                                          USA
                                           

                                          What's in the Box

                                          Nikon SU-800 Wireless Speedlight Commander Unit
                                          • SS-SU800 Soft Case
                                          • 1-Year Warranty
                                           
                                           
                                          See any errors on this page? Let us know.

                                          Close

                                          Close