speedlight for Nikon (Page 4): Larry what is Nikon creative light system? Keith K...

keith k

Larry what is Nikon creative light system?
Keith K

CO

The Nikon creative lighting system gives you the ability to get the flash off-camera and control them wirelessly. The camera's pop-up flash can be used to control the off-camera flash (you need to go into the camera's menu and activate commander mode). The Nikon SU-800 unit can control speedlights in up to three groups. Nikon also makes the SG-31R IR panel when using the camera's pop-up flash as a commander. It blocks light from the pop-up flash so it doesn't add its own light to the photo.

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GoofyNewfie Loc: Kansas City

CO wrote:

The Nikon creative lighting system gives you the ability to get the flash off-camera and control them wirelessly. The camera's pop-up flash can be used to control the off-camera flash (you need to go into the camera's menu and activate commander mode). The Nikon SU-800 unit can control speedlights in up to three groups. Nikon also makes the SG-31R IR panel when using the camera's pop-up flash as a commander. It blocks light from the pop-up flash so it doesn't add its own light to the photo.

It works very well with some limitations. It uses the infrared light emitted from the flash, so the remote speedlights need to be able to see the commander flash (as Nikon calls it), to get exposure information. I’ve used it successfully outside in full sun using the SU-800 unit

Unfortunately, the Nikon D5200’s pop-up flash is not capable of controlling off-camera speedlights. For that, you need a 7000 series or higher body.

Radio transmitters remove that “line of sight” requirement and allow you to put speedlights around corners, behind you, in other rooms and in modifiers like a softbox. I switched to the Godox system because of that. I have a Godox TT 685 for Nikon I want to sell because I want to move up to the lithium ion powered version

larryepage Loc: North Texas area

The latest iteration of CLS uses wireless control also. It requires new equipment, which I don't have, so I've not tried it yet.

I never had the need for more complex flash illumination, so haven't learned the intricacies of either the IR or the wireless system, but I have seen them demonstrated during Nikon events at my local store. They can support lighting effects that range from pretty simple to quite complex.

keith k

so does that mean any speedlight I use with my 5100 will only work on the camera itself? That certainly would limit its usefulness

thanks
Keith K

GrandmaG Loc: Flat Rock, MI

GoofyNewfie wrote:

It works very well with some limitations. It uses ... (show quote)

Wouldn’t the SU-800 commander solve that? That’s what I use on my D500 because there is no pop up flash.

DBQ49er Loc: Dubuque, IA

keith k wrote:

so does that mean any speedlight I use with my 5100 will only work on the camera itself? That certainly would limit its usefulness

thanks
Keith K

Did you mean to type D5100? I use the SC-29 flex coil attached to the flash slide and attach the other end to the bottom of the flash SO I can hand hold the flash off the camera for lighting affects.

GoofyNewfie Loc: Kansas City

GrandmaG wrote:

Wouldn’t the SU-800 commander solve that? That’s what I use on my D500 because there is no pop up flash.

Yep! I think the SU-800 has a more powerful IR signal than the pop-up and it also emits no visible light.
Plus, you don’t have to dig into the camera menu to change settings.

GoofyNewfie Loc: Kansas City

keith k wrote:

so does that mean any speedlight I use with my 5100 will only work on the camera itself? That certainly would limit its usefulness

thanks
Keith K

There are several Nikon speedlights that will work as a “Commander” to control other CLS-capable speedlights. The SB-600 is not one of them. Anything above that have that capability built in. You still have to have it connected to the flash shoe either directly or with a cord as DBQ49er pointed out.

CO

GoofyNewfie wrote:

It works very well with some limitations. It uses ... (show quote)

Yes, I'm very familiar with how it works. I've used the Nikon creative lighting system with my Nikons. My SB700 flash works with the system. I've used it off-camera and used the camera's pop-up flash to trigger it. It has always worked great.

I use my PocketWizard radios for that now. I put my flash on a PocketWizard Flex-TT5 and put a PocketWizard Mini-TT1 on my camera. Those units support TTL metering.

I use PocketWizard Plus III and Plus X units for my studio strobes. I've had some studio setups where I connected the Plus units to the strobes, had my SB-700 on the Flex-TT5, and the Mini-TT1 on my camera.

The PocketWizard Flex-TT5 and Mini-TT1 transmit the PocketWizard standard and controlTL channels simultaneously. The Mini-TT1 on the camera triggered both the strobes and SB-700 simultaneously.

GoofyNewfie Loc: Kansas City

CO wrote:

Yes, I'm very familiar with how it works. I've used the Nikon creative lighting system with my Nikons.

I know you do.
I think we’re on the same page with Nikon and flash.

I meant to add onto your good info for the OP, but forgot to address my add on to Keith.
Cheers!

Tim Stapp Loc: Mid Mitten

The D5100 on board flash will NOT work in Nikon's Commander mode. I ave one.

I have an SB700 and a couple Yongnuo YN685s and a matching Yongnuo radio trigger and a receiver for the SB700. The Yonguos have built in receivers and transmitters. The can be controlled from the transmitter on the camera's hot shoe.

keith k

Thanks Tim This is a little more complex than I realized. Seems the D5100 will work with speedlight on camera but not remotely without a transmitter connected to shoe?

Keith

GoofyNewfie Loc: Kansas City

keith k wrote:

Thanks Tim This is a little more complex than I realized. Seems the D5100 will work with speedlight on camera but not remotely without a transmitter connected to shoe?

Keith

That’s what we’ve been saying.

The photo below was shot using the pop-up flash from a D200 to control 2 SB-800’s... one in the box under some typing paper, they other off to the right and a bit behind. The interface on the SB-800 is harder to use, harder to get to the remote operation screen. I think the SB700 is easier.

racerrich3 Loc: Los Angeles, Ca.

[quote=CO] "If you shoot video with your camera, the LED video assist lights on the SB-500 might be useful. I've never tried that flash so I don't know how good it is."

SB-500 $246.95 excellent basic flash, has LED video assist lights.

i have two. use at least 1 many times when i do red carpet stuff, like interviews. it has 3 led settings. :-)