Nikon SB-400 Speedlight i-TTL Shoe Mount Flash Imported
Remember the Essentials
Batteries are required but not included with this item. Please be sure to purchase batteries for this item.
The Nikon SB-400 Speedlight is 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.
Designed as an entry-level external flash, this flash is ideal for the compact D-40 digital SLR camera, but it is also useful for hobbyists and professionals looking for a handy i-TTL flash unit offering an effortless bounce flash function. 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.
- Multiple Flash Exposure Modes
-
- i-TTL Balanced Fill-Flash with compatible cameras (e.g. D40)
- Manual Flash with D-40 only
- Bounce Capability
- Flash head tilts up to 90°.
- Shooting Range
- The SB-400 has a flash shooting distance range of between 2' (0.6 m) to 66' (20 m) depending on the camera's ISO setting.
- Improved Safety
- Safety lock on flash shoe.
| Mount | Shoe |
| Guide No. | 98' (29.87 m) ISO200 at 18 mm position |
| Angle of Coverage | 56° |
| Vari-Power | None |
| TTL Dedication | Yes |
| Bounce Head | Yes |
| Swivel Head | None |
| Zoom Head | None |
| Off Camera Terminal | None |
| Recycle Time | Approximately 2.5 seconds - 3.5 |
| Power Source | 2x AA Alkaline Batteries |
| Dimensions (WxHxD) | 2.6 x 2.2 x 3.1" / 6.60 x 5.59 x 7.87 cm |
| Weight | 4.5 oz / 128 g Without batteries |
REVIEW SNAPSHOT®
by PowerReviews(based on 361 reviews)
Ratings Distribution
99%
of respondents would recommend this to a friend.
Pros
- Lightweight (314)
- Easy to use (250)
- Fast recycling (221)
- Consistent output (185)
- Durable (137)
Cons
- Weak output (14)
- Slow recycling (12)
- Not interchangeable (5)
Best Uses
- General purpose (288)
- Fill flash (168)
- Portraits (138)
- Night photography (80)
- Photojournalism (37)
- Reviewer Profile:
- Photo enthusiast (121), Enthusiast (65), Casual photographer (49), Semi-pro photographer (33), Semi-professional (24)
- Was this a gift?:
- No (134), Yes (13)
Most Liked Positive Review
Glad I found it
When I need flash to perform wedding, portrait, macro, still life, or interior architectural photography, I use one to three flash units that are optically linked or radio linked. I did not ...Read complete review
When I need flash to perform wedding, portrait, macro, still life, or interior architectural photography, I use one to three flash units that are optically linked or radio linked. I did not think I needed a flash like the SB-400 until a colleague of mine accidentally left one behind at an event we were shooting. Before I returned it to her, I had the opportunity to play with it and here are the things I liked:Pros1. Flash communicates very well with my digital body for fast and accurate flash shots2. Works well for taking fill-flash shots in available light3. Tilting flash head has four positions: direct, 60 degree, 75 degree, 90 degree4. Tilting flash head is useful for bouncing flash off ceiling5. Simple to operate6. Does not need safe-sync like my older flash units do7. Perfect for the times when I only need to carry one flash unit with my digital body8. Small size and low weight makes it easy to carry9. Unlike the camera’s built-in flash, the SB-400 has its own power supply and therefore does not drain the batteries in the camera body10. Uses two standard AA batteries instead of proprietary batteries11. Locking feature securely attaches flash to hot shoe12. Covers wide angle lenses well13. When the SB-400 is mounted in the hot shoe, its flash head is slightly higher and slightly forward when compared to the built-in flash. As a consequence, it does not create as large of a shadow when used with certain lenses.14. SB-400 flash casts a much smaller shadow than the built-in flash does when used with my 14-24mm f/2.8 lens set at the 14mm focal length.15. SB-400 flash casts a much smaller shadow than the built-in flash does when used with my 20-35mm f/2.8 lens with lens hood when set at the 20mm focal length.16. Very useful for close-up and macro shots17. Works well with the manual focus 105mm macro lens up to a 1:2 reproduction ratio. In aperture priority mode at ISO 100, at 1:2 reproduction ratio, the exposure is correct from f/2.8 to f/32.18. Works well with the pre-set aperture 105mm short mount macro lens provided the exposure mode is set to manual and the correct non-CPU data is set.19. In aperture priority mode, works well with 105mm macro lens from 1:2 to 1:1 reproduction ratio provided tilting head is placed in 60 degree, 75 degree, or 90 degree bounce flash position and a bounce flash card is used.20. Shoe mounted SB-400 and second flash connected to camera via PC sync cord both sync properly21. SB-400 and radio controlled remote flash will synch correctly when transmitter is connected to camera via PC sync cord22. Light output (f/11 at one meter at ISO 100) is one stop brighter than built-in flash 23. Good balance when mounted on camera (my bigger flash units are top heavy when mounted in the hot shoe)24. Plus/Minus exposure compensation also controls SB-400 flash exposure25. Plus/Minus flash exposure compensation controls SB-400 flash exposure26. Slim design is very attractive both on and off the camera27. Custom fitting protective case is very useful28. The price is reasonable Here are the things I did not like:Cons1. Does not work on my Nikon 35mm SLR cameras (F2, F4, and N70/F70)2. Does not work on my 35mm rangefinder cameras3. Does not work on my medium format cameras4. Not suitable for the times when I need to use multiple flash units5. Cannot use commander mode to trigger remote flash units6. Does not work well for fill-flash shots with another flash unit7. When using front-curtain sync with optically controlled remote flash, remote flash fires out of synch (built-in flash will correctly sync optically controlled remote flash unit provided the built-in flash is set to manual exposure and full power)8. When using rear-curtain sync, the preflash that determines the correct exposure will trip an optically controlled remote flash. The remote unit will not fire with the rear curtain flash unless the shutter speed is long enough to give the remote flash unit time to recharge.9. Tilting flash head does not have the fifth position (45 degree) like my other flash units10. Cannot bounce shoe-mounted flash off the ceiling when holding camera in portrait orientation11. No PC connection so that flash can be used detached from hot shoe12. Requires an expensive sync cord (Nikon TTL cord CS 17, 28, or 29) to use flash at a remote distance from the hot shoe13. No open flash feature14. No battery level indicator15. Light output (f/11 at one meter at ISO 100) is one stop dimmer than my bigger flash units16. Unable to set flash manually to full power for maximum light output (note: D40, D40x, and D50 cameras have feature that allows manual control of light output)17. In some shooting situations, 1-3 preflashes are needed to determine the correct exposure (I have not yet figured why the camera preflashes in some situations and not others)By the way, the day before I returned her flash, I ordered mine from B&H in New York.
VS
Most Liked Negative Review
Spend the extra money ...
Good for amateur photographer. Has bounce settings of 0,60,75, and 90 degrees. Will not bounce for vertical pictures. Slow recycling which results in inconsistent output. Recommended but go with the SB600 if you...Read complete review
Good for amateur photographer. Has bounce settings of 0,60,75, and 90 degrees. Will not bounce for vertical pictures. Slow recycling which results in inconsistent output. Recommended but go with the SB600 if you can afford it.
REVIEWS
Reviewed by 361 customers
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Displaying reviews 1-20
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Pros
- Easy To Use
- Lightweight
- Versatile
Cons
Best Uses
- General Use
- Night Photography
Comments about Nikon SB-400 Speedlight i-TTL Shoe Mount Flash:
I shipped this as a gift so haven't actually gotten back the review. But based on recommendations from my friend that has used this flash it's a great flash for a moderate price.
- Was this a gift?:
- Yes
Pros
- Fast Recycling
- Lightweight
Cons
Best Uses
- Fill Flash
- General Use
Comments about Nikon SB-400 Speedlight i-TTL Shoe Mount Flash:
Use this for a travel bag for fill light in photography. Portable, lightweight, Nikon brand
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
- Durable
- Easy To Use
- Lightweight
Cons
Best Uses
- Fill Flash
- General Use
Comments about Nikon SB-400 Speedlight i-TTL Shoe Mount Flash:
Great flash for everyday use - so much better than the built in flash.
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
- Consistent Output
- Easy To Use
- Fast Recycling
- Lightweight
- Versatile
Cons
Best Uses
- Fill Flash
- General Use
- Portraits
Comments about Nikon SB-400 Speedlight i-TTL Shoe Mount Flash:
I bought the SB-400 Speedlight for use with the Coolpix P-7100 and it works great. Battery life is longer than I expected(over 200 pics at a b-day party and still going)and recycle time was very quick. I have not tried it yet on my D90 but its compact size and weight should be fine.
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
- Consistent Output
- Easy To Use
- Fast Recycling
- Great value
- Inexpensive
- Lightweight
- Versatile
Cons
- No CLS
Best Uses
- Fill Flash
- Indoor Photography
Comments about Nikon SB-400 Speedlight i-TTL Shoe Mount Flash:
I have a huge SB600 that I love, but this flash really impressed me. Unbelievably small and lightweight, fits in a front pocket with ease. Much faster and stronger than the built-in flash, and with the plus of having a flipping head that allows bouncing to the ceiling. Very well built, even has a lock. Cheap, small and good: easily the best flash in it's class. It's actually as good as the SB600 for most shots, and is so compact you can always have it with you!
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
- Consistent Output
- Easy To Use
- Fast Recycling
- Lightweight
Cons
Best Uses
- General Use
Comments about Nikon SB-400 Speedlight i-TTL Shoe Mount Flash:
I'm a mom and wanna-be photog. I bought this so I could take better indoor photos of my kids and it's perfect. I can just stick it on, turn it on and snap away knowing that I won't get the washed out white-face, red-eye look. Using it with my NIKON D3000.
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
- Consistent Output
- Easy To Use
- Lightweight
- Powerful Output
- Versatile
Cons
Best Uses
- Fill Flash
- General Use
Comments about Nikon SB-400 Speedlight i-TTL Shoe Mount Flash:
This is my first speedlight and I love it! It was so easy to use and it really helped me to get the lighting that I needed.
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
- Fast Recycling
Cons
Best Uses
- Fill Flash
- General Use
- Portraits
Comments about Nikon SB-400 Speedlight i-TTL Shoe Mount Flash:
Great value for the money! good bouncing qualities. Fast refresh. Best for the price.
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
- Easy To Use
- Lightweight
- Versatile
Cons
- Slow Recycling
Best Uses
- General Use
Comments about Nikon SB-400 Speedlight i-TTL Shoe Mount Flash:
I use this mainly for photographing hummingbirds that gather on my front porch. Afternoons, there isn't much natural light, so this helps me add light. It is very easy to attach and to use. I like the flexibility of flash unit.
The drawback is you do have to wait for it to be ready sometimes, so it's hard to use for bursts.
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
- Consistent Output
- Easy To Use
- Fast Recycling
- Lightweight
- Powerful Output
Cons
Best Uses
- Fill Flash
- Night Photography
Comments about Nikon SB-400 Speedlight i-TTL Shoe Mount Flash:
FROM LIMITED RESEARCH I THINK THAT THIS ITEM MIGHT BE AVAILABLE IN THE UK FOR TWICE THE PRICE.
GIVEN THE LIMITS OF THE CAMERA (NON DSLR) THIS FLASH WAS THE PERFECT ACCESSORY. HAVE USED IT TO FILL AND COMPENSATE AND GIVEN THE RESTRICTIONS, ITS GREAT.
AS FOR THE FRIENDS I MADE AT B and H.....
PG
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
- Consistent Output
- Easy To Use
- Fast Recycling
- Lightweight
- Powerful Output
Cons
- Does not swivel
Best Uses
- Fill Flash
- General Use
Comments about Nikon SB-400 Speedlight i-TTL Shoe Mount Flash:
I use this flash for most of my indoor pics and they turn out amazing! Bouncing off the ceiling works great and the flash makes the lighting look very natural. It is very lightweight and takes a good number of shots before the batteries need to be replaced. The only downside is that the flash does not rotate side to side so portrait shots don't turn out as evenly lit. Great recycle time!
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
- Durable
- Easy To Use
- Fast Recycling
- Lightweight
Cons
Best Uses
- Fill Flash
- General Use
Comments about Nikon SB-400 Speedlight i-TTL Shoe Mount Flash:
Great flash for every day shots. Too small for semi- pro or pro photographers. Very fast to recharge. Very good build quality, nifty little case.
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
- Consistent Output
- Easy To Use
- Fast Recycling
- Lightweight
Cons
Best Uses
- Fill Flash
- General Use
Comments about Nikon SB-400 Speedlight i-TTL Shoe Mount Flash:
I purchased this SB-400 for use at my museum to shoot candid people shots. It was an excellent purchase. We already had a Sunpak PZ40X and this little flash was leaps and bounds better. It is very easy to use and has a quick recovery rate. I'd recommend this unit over ANY other off brand. The price difference is worth it!
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
- Easy To Use
- Fast Recycling
- Lightweight
- Powerful Output
Cons
Best Uses
- Fill Flash
- General Use
- Night Photography
- Portraits
Comments about Nikon SB-400 Speedlight i-TTL Shoe Mount Flash:
After being disappointed with the flash limitations on my point and shoots over the years I expected the flash on my new Nikon D5100 would be much better. It's only slightly better. I try to never use a flash, however when you need a flash, you really need an external flash like the Nikon SB-400. It was highly recommended by Ken Rockwell as being small, powerful, inexpensive and can be bounced off the ceiling. Like most of Ken's recommendations, he was spot on, I love this flash. When I need it, it works perfectly. [...] I am very satisfied, you will be too.
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
- Consistent Output
- Durable
- Easy To Use
- Fast Recycling
- Lightweight
- Powerful Output
Cons
Best Uses
- General Use
Comments about Nikon SB-400 Speedlight i-TTL Shoe Mount Flash:
Bought this to get a little more flash range on my Coolpix P7000. Very happy with it. And it uses AA batteries.
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
- Consistent Output
- Durable
- Easy To Use
- Fast Recycling
- Lightweight
- Powerful Output
- Versatile
Cons
Best Uses
- Fill Flash
- General Use
- Night Photography
- Photojournalism
- Portraits
Comments about Nikon SB-400 Speedlight i-TTL Shoe Mount Flash:
For all the flash that I need (fill and some occasional bounce), this does the job wonderfully. It has enough power to illuminate subjects at reasonable ranges when I shoot with my 50/1.4G on a D7000. Initially skeptical, I quickly realized that this flash unit allows me to shoot flash shots MUCH faster than attempting to use the in-camera pop-up flash. Additionally, the quality of the flash is MUCH nicer. I recommend purchasing an SC-29 cord with it to overcome this flash unit's inability to swivel. All in all, though, if you need some extra flash power and don't want to spend the big bucks, then this is a highly-recommended flash unit!
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
- Consistent Output
- Durable
- Easy To Use
- Fast Recycling
- Lightweight
- Powerful Output
- Versatile
Cons
Best Uses
- Fill Flash
- General Use
- Night Photography
- Photojournalism
- Portraits
Comments about Nikon SB-400 Speedlight i-TTL Shoe Mount Flash:
I bought this to replace the SB-600 which was just too fancy for my needs, and I couldn't be more pleased. The simple on/off switch makes the unit idiot-proof, and its compact size means it will stay on the camera more and will see more action than the bulky SB-600 did. You could buy two of these flashes and still be money ahead over the SB-700, so if your needs are simple and you want amazing bounced-light indoor shots of your kids, this flash is for you.
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
- Consistent Output
- Easy To Use
- Fast Recycling
- Lightweight
- Powerful Output
Cons
Best Uses
Comments about Nikon SB-400 Speedlight i-TTL Shoe Mount Flash:
very easy to use, while not as powerful as the SB-900 it is great in most situations
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
- Consistent Output
- Easy To Use
- Fast Recycling
- Lightweight
Cons
Best Uses
- Fill Flash
- General Use
- Portraits
Comments about Nikon SB-400 Speedlight i-TTL Shoe Mount Flash:
I bought this speedlight after I read many positive reviews. It is exactly as described. Small, lightweight, and works great. I also have an SB-600 which has worked great for 5 years, but it gets to be heavy on the camera all day. This SB-400 is great for everyday use for indoor photography, but doesn't rotate like the 600. Plan on cropping landscape pictures with the 400.
- Was this a gift?:
- Yes
Pros
- Consistent Output
- Durable
- Easy To Use
- Fast Recycling
- Lightweight
- Powerful Output
- Versatile
Cons
Best Uses
- Fill Flash
- General Use
- Night Photography
- Photojournalism
Comments about Nikon SB-400 Speedlight i-TTL Shoe Mount Flash:
So light weight, and perfect for bouncing light off of the ceiling for great looking indoor photos. must buy for carry. who wants to lug around a giant SB-600? this and a 50mm 1.8 and snap away!
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Displaying reviews 1-20
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Batteries & Power
Required item:
- Price: $1.23
- GBP 0.79
-
- Original: $13.99
- Save: $1.40
- Price: $12.59
- GBP 8.04
Flash Diffusers
- Price: $10.95
- GBP 6.99
Reflectors
- Price: $39.95
- GBP 25.51
Sync Cords & Flash Remotes
- Price: $49.95
- GBP 31.89
- Price: $14.99
- GBP 9.57
What's in the Box
- Soft Case SS-400
- 1-Year B&H Store Warranty
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