Typical life span of a SB800.

Was using my SB800 for a wedding today. Heard a gunshot like sound and
the tube must have blown, after 1 1/2 years worth of use and about
15,000 exposures. Just wonder if the tube can be replaced and is it cost
effective?

--
Reality is a picture perfected and never looking back.

"____" wrote in message
...

Was using my SB800 for a wedding today. Heard a gunshot like sound
and
the tube must have blown, after 1 1/2 years worth of use and about
15,000 exposures. Just wonder if the tube can be replaced and is it
cost
effective?

--
Reality is a picture perfected and never looking back.

15,000 exposures would be a lifetime of photographs. How long do you
examine each of those exposures and how many were worth keeping?

In article ,
"Frank Arthur" wrote:

"____" wrote in message
...

Was using my SB800 for a wedding today. Heard a gunshot like sound
and
the tube must have blown, after 1 1/2 years worth of use and about
15,000 exposures. Just wonder if the tube can be replaced and is it
cost
effective?

--
Reality is a picture perfected and never looking back.

15,000 exposures would be a lifetime of photographs. How long do you
examine each of those exposures and how many were worth keeping?

500 per wedding, I edit them down to 450 and turn them over to the
company I work for. They decide what the bride gets, 450 is my contract.

What does it matter, the question is related to whether the flash has
died prematurely- My Q flash has lasted multiple year before requiring a
tube.

For the record I estimate my image archive is well over 100,000 images
including film as well as strictly digital capture. I try to weed really
bad stuff right away, but chucking stuff arbitrarily is sometime not a
completely wise approach even if you have two of very similar shots.

So the question remain concerning the flash? Any knowledgable takers?

--
Reality is a picture perfected and never looking back.

Frank Arthur wrote:
"____" wrote in message
...

Was using my SB800 for a wedding today. Heard a gunshot like sound
and
the tube must have blown, after 1 1/2 years worth of use and about
15,000 exposures. Just wonder if the tube can be replaced and is it
cost
effective?

--
Reality is a picture perfected and never looking back.

15,000 exposures would be a lifetime of photographs. How long do you
examine each of those exposures and how many were worth keeping?

If he's a pro who has the good fortune to be working 5 days a week,
that's 40 exposures a day.

--
--
--John
to email, dial "usenet" and validate
(was jclarke at eye bee em dot net)

On 2008-09-27 22:12:25 -0700, ____ said:


Was using my SB800 for a wedding today. Heard a gunshot like sound and
the tube must have blown, after 1 1/2 years worth of use and about
15,000 exposures. Just wonder if the tube can be replaced and is it cost
effective?

Probably best to ask Nikon that question. My understanding is that it
runs about $140 to replace a flash tube. That is a lot cheaper than a
new SB800. Turnaround time, in my experience, is about two business
days plus shipping time.

--
Waddling Eagle
World Famous Flight Instructor

In Canada we get 2 years warranty on Flash and Cameras. I always buy my
Photo gear on my credit card so I get the extended warranty offered by the
credit card company.

Last time I had a flash unit fixed for a blown flash tube the cost was $40
for tube and $85 for labour and shipping.

15k exposures on a flash tube is nothing it could possibly be a blown
capacitor.

Frank Arthur wrote:
"____" wrote in message
...
Was using my SB800 for a wedding today. Heard a gunshot like sound
and
the tube must have blown, after 1 1/2 years worth of use and about
15,000 exposures. Just wonder if the tube can be replaced and is it
cost
effective?

15,000 exposures would be a lifetime of photographs. How long do you
examine each of those exposures and how many were worth keeping?

I've scanned over 10,000 slides and negatives since about 1999. Those
were shots that were (mainly) worth scanning...

Once upon a time, a Nat Geo article took an average of 29,000 frames on
film. This has actually reduced with digital

--
-- r.p.e.35mm user resource: http://www.aliasimages.com/rpe35mmur.htm
-- r.p.d.slr-systems: http://www.aliasimages.com/rpdslrsysur.htm
-- [SI] gallery & rulz: http://www.pbase.com/shootin
-- e-meil: Remove FreeLunch.
-- usenet posts from gmail.com and googlemail.com are filtered out.

In Canada we get 2 years warranty on Flash and Cameras. I always buy my
Photo gear on my credit card so I get the extended warranty offered by the
credit card company.

Last time I had a flash unit fixed for a blown flash tube the cost was $40
for tube and $85 for labour and shipping.

15k exposures on a flash tube is nothing it could possibly be a blown
capacitor.

"C J Campbell" wrote in message
news:2008092807053916807-christophercampbell@hotmailcom...
On 2008-09-27 22:12:25 -0700, ____ said:


Was using my SB800 for a wedding today. Heard a gunshot like sound and
the tube must have blown, after 1 1/2 years worth of use and about
15,000 exposures. Just wonder if the tube can be replaced and is it cost
effective?

Probably best to ask Nikon that question. My understanding is that it
runs about $140 to replace a flash tube. That is a lot cheaper than a
new SB800. Turnaround time, in my experience, is about two business
days plus shipping time.

--
Waddling Eagle
World Famous Flight Instructor

In article ,
Alan Browne wrote:

Frank Arthur wrote:
"____" wrote in message
...
Was using my SB800 for a wedding today. Heard a gunshot like sound
and
the tube must have blown, after 1 1/2 years worth of use and about
15,000 exposures. Just wonder if the tube can be replaced and is it
cost
effective?

15,000 exposures would be a lifetime of photographs. How long do you
examine each of those exposures and how many were worth keeping?

I've scanned over 10,000 slides and negatives since about 1999. Those
were shots that were (mainly) worth scanning...

Once upon a time, a Nat Geo article took an average of 29,000 frames on
film. This has actually reduced with digital

In article ,
"J. Clarke" wrote:

Frank Arthur wrote:
"____" wrote in message
...

Was using my SB800 for a wedding today. Heard a gunshot like sound
and
the tube must have blown, after 1 1/2 years worth of use and about
15,000 exposures. Just wonder if the tube can be replaced and is it
cost
effective?

--
Reality is a picture perfected and never looking back.

15,000 exposures would be a lifetime of photographs. How long do you
examine each of those exposures and how many were worth keeping?

If he's a pro who has the good fortune to be working 5 days a week,
that's 40 exposures a day.

--

In article , "G"
wrote:

In Canada we get 2 years warranty on Flash and Cameras. I always buy my
Photo gear on my credit card so I get the extended warranty offered by the
credit card company.

Last time I had a flash unit fixed for a blown flash tube the cost was $40
for tube and $85 for labour and shipping.

15k exposures on a flash tube is nothing it could possibly be a blown
capacitor.

"C J Campbell" wrote in message
news:2008092807053916807-christophercampbell@hotmailcom...
On 2008-09-27 22:12:25 -0700, ____ said:


Was using my SB800 for a wedding today. Heard a gunshot like sound and
the tube must have blown, after 1 1/2 years worth of use and about
15,000 exposures. Just wonder if the tube can be replaced and is it cost
effective?

Probably best to ask Nikon that question. My understanding is that it
runs about $140 to replace a flash tube. That is a lot cheaper than a
new SB800. Turnaround time, in my experience, is about two business
days plus shipping time.

You guys have been very helpful- it's much appreciated, I'll contact the
dealer I frequent.

--
Reality is a picture perfected and never looking back.

____ wrote in news:internetphobic-
:


Was using my SB800 for a wedding today. Heard a gunshot like sound and
the tube must have blown, after 1 1/2 years worth of use and about
15,000 exposures. Just wonder if the tube can be replaced and is it cost
effective?


Loud bang usually = capacitor blown. The tube will be visibly (even through
the lens) blackened if it was the tube that blew.

Not sure about the SB 800 but my Metz has blown a Capacitor and it was like
a gun shot. $100 or so to fix it and the new cap recycles faster.