Bower SFD328 - Flash Escravo Digital

Comments about Bower SFD328 Digital Slave Flash:

Powerful, but the slave doesn't seem to behave that well with my Nikon D7000. Adjustable output would be nice... but you get what you pay for. Good recharge cycle.

Comments about Bower SFD328 Digital Slave Flash:

Used it for some test shots at home, and a few days later when I used it at the wedding I bought it for, it stopped working entirely.

Comments about Bower SFD328 Digital Slave Flash:

I use this for my Canon 300D when I have an indoor shoot. It works well and does what it promises to do. This is my first hotshoe flash, so I don't have much to compare it to - but the difference between this and the on camera flash really is amazing. You will have to do a little bit of experimenting with your aperture and shutter speeds in order to get the desired result (which makes it not so desirable for a changing environment). If you are a continuous shooter it will not be able to keep up. I usually do bursts of 3 - the first one I get the flash, the second gets no flash, and the third the flash is back. bottom line, if you don't have a ton of money this is just fine until you do.

Comments about Bower SFD328 Digital Slave Flash:

I was looking for a slave flash and after a little research and price checking I got this. It came with a flash bar which I am using to mount my Canon DSLR and Flip Ultra HD on a monopod. This now allows me to shoot photos and video at the same time. Plus it also works on my 35mm Yashika Rangefinder. Can't get more bang for the buck than this.

Comments about Bower SFD328 Digital Slave Flash:

I use the product on special events like prom and weddings to enhance light on the images that bring out people in dramatic fashion. What's great about this flash is that it's very bright and can hold up on batteries good and what's bad about it is that it's not a Nikon products just like my other camera equipment.

Comments about Bower SFD328 Digital Slave Flash:

I bought it because I'm a wedding photographer, so it worked one event, and then the next one just flashed like 3 times. I returned it and received a new one, but that one if flashed like 5 times the first event I used it. So I contacted bower on they webpage but never answer me. I own a Fujifilm S1000fd with external flash capability with it's hotshoe.

Comments about Bower SFD328 Digital Slave Flash:

So far so good. I have been using this flash primarily for still lifes since I've got it. Ideal uses are for bounce lighting and a fill light when using a natural light source. Very simple, basically one flash setting, so if you want more control over your flash options and settings this probably isn't for you. However it has worked great for me as I primarily work with natural light anyway.

Comments about Bower SFD328 Digital Slave Flash:

I use it with my FUJI s100fd and it does a great job.

Comments about Bower SFD328 Digital Slave Flash:

use this product on take along shoots as well as
some indoor shots!

Comments about Bower SFD328 Digital Slave Flash:

This flash is pretty simple as it lacks any controls other then ON/OFF, Normal, Slave 1, Slave 2. It can be inserted into the hotshoe of your camera and fired without the pop up flash, or used as a simple slave unit with your existing flash. Works well as a bounce or as part of a creative lighting system but the output isn't anything too remarkable. The battery compartment is TOO small for the batteries and is hard to get open. It comes with a mounting bracket and sync cord but they really aren't needed if you have a hotshoe. If not, it can be used with ANY camera. It's best for fill flash, bouncing, portraits, and just adding more light to a room.

Comments about Bower SFD328 Digital Slave Flash:

This flash is underwhelming to say the least. I'm on a budget like most people and this flash seemed to suit my needs; however, it doesn't work well as a bounce flash and it's power output has VERY limited range. It DOES work well as a portrait flash or a general fill flash, or if you just need light from a different angle for creative purposes. The battery compartment is WAY too small and awkward. Changing batteries is not fun with this flash. If you're serious about photography save up for a real speedlite because this will not meet your needs. But I suppose it is good enough to keep just as an extra light source if needed. It comes with a mounting bracket for the camera and tripod as well as a sync cable.

Comments about Bower SFD328 Digital Slave Flash:

I bought this unit to use as a slave for my Panasonic ZS5 compact camera. I am happy with the performance of the unit. It produces good light output on the telephoto end. The Panasonic has a wider (25mm) view then what the flash covers. So some pictures have a spot light effect. A little editing and adjustment of wide angle takes care of that problem.

Build quality is ok. The unit is made of cheap plastic and feels that way. The hot shoe connector feels weak and seems like it could break very easily. Manual zoom head needs to be pulled evenly or it will bind to the side. Overall I am happy with the unit and price point. You just have to be aware of the physical limitations and work with it. I would recommend the flash unit with precautions.

Comments about Bower SFD328 Digital Slave Flash:

I bought this flash last summer and I really liked it. I have worked with better ones, but not a better one for this price. I thought it was pretty durable, but my 1 year old son managed to destroy it. I shopped around for a while, but decided to just buy the same flash again because I thought it suited my needs just fine and it was reasonably priced.

Comments about Bower SFD328 Digital Slave Flash:

When I first got this flash, I tried it using 18-55mm lens and it turns out to be GOOD. And i'm gonna try it on my 55-250mm lens.

I even increased the shutter to be 1/100 with ISO 100 and still it gave me best results..

Finally, I really recommend this flash to you :)

Comments about Bower SFD328 Digital Slave Flash:

Depending on how you intend to use this product will determine your satisfaction. I own an SB-800 and an SB-600 and I wanted a third flash to use as a slave for either fill or backgound lighting. The output from this flash is great for those uses. I am not sure about attaching it to a hot shoe, because I haven't used it that way.

The differences between the more expensive flashes and this one are obvious. The constuct is a little flimsy and as others have stated, the battery compartment is a little tough to open and close. I also think the contacts are a little off, because it took some fiddleing with to get it going.

That being said, I am happy with this flash, because it is doing what I am looking for it to do and the price is right.

Comments about Bower SFD328 Digital Slave Flash:

I purchased this flash for my Sony DSLR A200 and it's great. You do need to make sure that you have the hot shoe adapter because it will not slide on without it. It definetly makes the photos brighter and better exposed.

Comments about Bower SFD328 Digital Slave Flash:

It was a Christmas gift for my wife. She picked it. She is a Novice photographer and this was her first flash. She says it works great. [...]

Comments about Bower SFD328 Digital Slave Flash:

The flash is easy to use for beginners but can also be used by advanced photographers. It's easy to set up and can be used immediately.

Comments about Bower SFD328 Digital Slave Flash:

Great flash. Output is fantastic. No complaints.

Comments about Bower SFD328 Digital Slave Flash:

I asked for a fully manual flash for off-camera use and was recommended this one. However, it has no manual output power control! The build is flimsy: as you're handling it squeaks and rattles, it feels like it's going to fall apart any moment. You have to force the batteries in, it just doesn't seem right: I thought for a second it was using AAAs not AA, it was so tight. I guess you get what you pay for. I will be bringing it back to the store.