Sunpak PF30XN Digital SLR Camera Dedicated i-TTL Flash for Nikon

by SUNPAK

Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 3 x 2.5 inches ; 9.4 ounces
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S.
• ASIN: B000JC9BXG
• California residents: Click here for Proposition 65 warning.
• Item model number: PF30XN
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (39 customer reviews)
• Date first available at Amazon.com: November 11, 2006

Product Description

Sunpak's Digital SLR Camera Dedicated TTL Flash Bounce head tilts 90- Degree vertically has i-TTL flash control and an illumination range up to 16 1/2'. Sunpak is one of the world's largest manufacturers of electronic flash equipment. It has earned a reputation for advanced technical achievement and superior quality. Sunpak electronic flashes are produced for professionals, advanced amateurs, enthusiasts, and casual photographers. They are designed to work with today's auto focus cameras having dedicated flash capabilities. All Sunpak flash units offer advanced features, which provide the widest range of creative control. They are supported by a wide spectrum of system accessories, such as dedicated modules, filters, adapters, batteries and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

40 of 41 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars great addition to anyones gear bag, January 8, 2011

By 

G. Onyango (NY, New York) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Sunpak PF30XN Digital SLR Camera Dedicated i-TTL Flash for Nikon (Electronics)

I'm a very enthusiast amateur hobbyist photographer and I used this on my Nikon D3000. I read all the time that everyone should get a flash, the on camera flash is never good enough; but of course i always thought my cameras look great(comparing to point and shoot). Over the last few months I've been looking for ways to take better pictures, i picked up a 35mm dx fast lens and it made a world of difference but while taking christmas pics I noticed there was never enough light so I decided to get a flash and after research settled on this one. let me tell you this flash is amazing; I uploaded the picture of my two year old that I took using this flash here so you can check it out yourself. that picture was taken with no lights on and one window partially open 15 feet away.

I have to say that I have read a bit about flashes prior to purchasing one and understanding guide numbers and how they are used, ttl, etc. I also looked at prices here on amazon, B&H and other random sites as comparisons and for the money I thought this flash was my best option and I was not disappointed. I have not seen any other flashes at this price or lower that performs as well as this flash.

As everyone said the one downside to the flash is the high charge time, however you can compensate for that with the proper batteries so after doing more research on the right batteries I bought Energizer Ultimate L91BP-4 Lithium AA Battery 4 Pack and it cut down the charge time to literally about 2 seconds.

this is a great flash and anyone looking for one in this price range should definitely look at this, being that Sunpak does have a history of making solid flashes plus the price point and performance I simply see it as a no-brainer for anyone in the market and on a budget. Before I ordered this one i added the SB600 to my wishlist hoping to buy it in a few months but I honestly don't know if i'll need to after using this one. That being said I don't do paid events and I only shoot for myself, friends and family.

18 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Nice flash - Bounce flash on a budget., December 14, 2010

By 

M. Pentecost (Sacramento, CA) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Sunpak PF30XN Digital SLR Camera Dedicated i-TTL Flash for Nikon (Electronics)

I have to say, I am pleasantly surprised by how good this flash unit is. It works with TTL with my Nikon D-40, and the pictures it takes are very nice when using it for indoor bounce flash. The price can't be beat - and the unit feels more sturdy than I anticipated.

The one downside for some might be that it recycles on the slow side (8 seconds), so if that doesn't bother you (it doesn't me), then as always, YMMMV.

I included a set of pictures I took - one with this unit, and one with the built-in flash. As you can see, bounce flash is superior.

Pros -

Affordable
Great results
iTTL
Exposure compensation options on flash

Cons -

AA batteries
Recycle time

Overall this flash exceeds my expectations.

18 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great for the pice, October 12, 2010

By 

Photogirl - See all my reviews

This review is from: Sunpak PF30XN Digital SLR Camera Dedicated i-TTL Flash for Nikon (Electronics)

It's not a bad flash for most consumers. The recycle time is a little on the slow side (8-10 seconds) That should be acceptable for most photography. I've heard that if you use higher mAh batteries you can bring the recycle time down a little lower. I was using 2500mAh, fully recharged and I was in the 7-8 second range. I've thought about modifying the case to accept 4 batteries and see what that does to the recycle time. If you don't have the $200+ to spend on the Nikon SB600 this is a good alternative. If you have the coin, go with the Nikon.