Nikon Speedlight SB-600 Shoe Mount Flash for Nikon

Note:  This review was originally posted to my Epinions account.

When I first got a Nikon D50, there were a few things I wanted to get. One thing I new I needed was a flash. This becomes evident mostly when taking indoor pictures. My cat would often get those green eyes commonly associated with pets. Pictures of rooms were yellowish or blurry. Even with the flash, they weren't great. There were also times outdoors when things would be backlit. I have a lot of pictures that would have benefited greatly from a flash.

My three choices were the SB-400, SB-600 and the SB-800. The SB-400, I'm told, is very basic. You can't even swivel from left to right with it. The SB-800, I'm told, is more expensive, but not worth it if you don't have one of the higher-end cameras. The only big difference between the 600 and the 800 is in setting up several flashes. I have no need for this, so I figured I'd save myself a hundred dollars or so and go for the SB-600.

If you do decide to get the SB-600, you'll need to buy four AA batteries. I've had a set for a while now and they've lasted a while. I would recommend keeping a spare set, just in case. I haven‘t had this one go out yet, so I have no idea if the power reduces or if the flash just stops working. (Note: Like most devices that use batteries, be sure to remove them when not using the flash, as they will eventually leak.)

You put the flash on using a hot-shoe adapter. Your camera should have a hot-shoe protector, which you'll need to take off before putting on the flash. Once on, the flash has a locking mechanism to help keep the flash on. I have actually left the flash unlocked only to have it slide off slightly.

The SB-600 is a bounce flash. This means that you can have it pointing strait up, forward or anywhere in between. If you have a light-colored ceiling, you can use it to diffuse the flash and give more even tones. You also have the option of moving the flash to the left or right. This is something you'll have to play around with to see how well it works. I could probably write an entire article just on how to use the tilt and swivel on a flash. The important thing is that you have options not available to you with your onboard flash and those two options do make a huge difference in your pictures. (You can, technically, point the flash towards you, but I don't recommend this.)

On the back of the flash is a display showing various settings and options. The flash will adjust depending on the focal distance. (The flash does have its limits and leaving the diffuser down causes the flash to simply go to 14mm.) If you turn the camera off, the flash goes to standby. You have to turn the flash back on before shutting it off, which is a bit annoying if you're in a rush.

I can say that I have yet to have a problem with the flash. The battery life has proven to be good and my pictures are better. I have yet to get red eye (or green eye) with it. Go to Flickr and look for pictures with the SB-600. Most of the pictures I've taken with the SB-600 are tagged as such. (You'll find some nice pictures, if I do say so myself...) The flash gets four stars.

Ten Digit Keypad = Add Tiny Geek Pit (Targus PAUK10U A0126554 Wired Keyboard review)

Note:  This is a review that I'm reposting from Epinions.  It has been modified slightly.


When I got a netbook, I soon realized that I’d need a ten-digit keypad.  I wanted something small and inexpensive.  I went to OfficeMax and found Targus USB Ultra Mini Keyboard Keypad for about $25.  It was small and under $30.  I also didn’t need to buy anything else, as it came with the cord to attach to the netbook.  There was no software to install, either.  I had a winner.

All I was looking for was something that had the ten-digit keypad.  I’m used to entering long strings of numbers using the ten-digit keypad and have become pretty good at it to the point where I find it difficult to enter numbers using the row of numbers at the top of the keyboard.  It was worth the $25 to buy the keypad just for that alone.

The keypad has been plug and play.  I didn’t have to download anything nor did I have to install stuff from a CD, which is important; my netbook doesn’t have an optical drive.  The one downside is that it does take a few seconds for the keypad to warm up.  There’s a green indicator light that lets you know when it’s good to go.  Actually, it's the number-lock key, but if you keep it on, it does serve this function well.  There have been a few times where I plugged the mouse in through the keyboard and couldn’t use the mouse until the keypad was ready.  At first, I thought the mouse had broken.  It took me a few seconds to realize what had happened.

Most laptops and netbooks come with several USB ports.  If you only have one on yours or you use all of them, the keypad has two USB ports.  I believe that they are USB 1.1, but I haven’t had a problem with them.  I’ve attached a USB mouse through the keypad and have been able to use both of them normally.  I’ve also been able to attach the mouse through a neighboring USB port on the netbook.

One big advantage is that, despite the name, the keys are big.  This makes things very easy, considering that I’m coming from a netbook with very small keys.   This is good both for people with big fingers or for those with not-so-good eyesight.

The only thing that I really question is a 000 key.  Presumably, this is meant for people that are dealing with whole powers of 1,000.  I find it ironic that I only need that key when I’m not using my netbook.  I’m a member of a site called Where’s George that tracks currency by entering the series and serial number.  Very rarely do I come across a serial number with 3 zeroes in it.  It almost always happens when I’m entering bills at home rather than when I’m away somewhere using the keypad.

The keypad has proven to be worth the $25.  One thing I’ve come to find about things designed to be small is that they’re often designed so small that they’re impossible to use.  This keypad has been the only exception so far.  It’s small and durable enough that I can carry it around with me in a backpack, but is still big enough that I can hit the key I want on the first try and not have problems with it.  I’d recommend this to anyone who has a netbook or laptop that doesn’t have a built-in 10-digit keypad.