Free ebooks ==> www.Ebook777.com www.Ebook777.com Free ebooks ==> www.Ebook777.com The Nikon Creative Lighting System The Nikon Creative Lighting System 2nd Edition www.Ebook777.com i ii The Nikon Creative Lighting System Mike Hagen is an avid adventurer who combines his passion for the outdoors with excellence in photography He is a skilled digital photography instructor, location photographer, class leader, and editorial writer He started Out There Images (OTI) in 1998 as a way to share his passion for photography with the rest of the world Mike is well known for his intensity, energy, and enthusiasm If you participate in a workshop with him, you will be pleasantly surprised by his generosity and infectious enthusiasm for imparting his knowledge to all participants Based in Washington State, USA, Mike has traveled extensively throughout the American West as well as the rest of the world Travel and adventure are his passion, so you’ll frequently find him somewhere far away from civilization, camera in hand, having a ball in the outdoors Mike Hagen - Author Mike Hagen has worn many hats in his short lifetime He graduated from college with a Mechanical Engineering degree and worked in Semiconductor Manufacturing for 10 years He is currently a small business owner, a freelance writer, and a professional photographer His passions are traveling, creating, writing, photography, and teaching He is happily married and the father of two beautiful children Mike aspires to live life to the fullest and to help others the same His enthusiasm and zest for life are infectious His devotion to God and family guides everything he does Mike can be reached at: Out There Images, Inc PO Box 1966 Gig Harbor, WA 98335 mike@outthereimages.com www.outthereimages.com Out There Images, Inc – “Get Out And Learn!” The Nikon Creative Lighting System The Nikon Creative Lighting System 2nd Edition Mike Hagen iii Free ebooks ==> www.Ebook777.com iv The Nikon Creative Lighting System Mike Hagen (www.outthereimages.com) Editor: Joan Dixon Copy Editor: Judy Flynn Proofreader: James Johnson Layout and Type: Jan Martí, Command Z Cover Design: Helmut Kraus, www.exclam.de Printer: Friesens Corporation Printed in Canada ISBN: 978-1-933952-99-4 2nd Edition 2012 © 2012 Mike Hagen Rocky Nook, Inc 802 East Cota St., 3rd Floor Santa Barbara, CA 93103 www.rockynook.com Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Hagen, Mike The Nikon creative lighting system : using the SB-600, SB-700, SB-800, SB-900, SB-910, and R1C1 flashes / by Mike Hagen 2nd ed p cm ISBN 978-1-933952-99-4 (soft cover : alk paper) Electronic flash photography Handbooks, manuals, etc Nikon camera Handbooks, manuals, etc I Title TR606.H34 2011 778.72 dc23 2011038055 Distributed by O‘Reilly Media 1005 Gravenstein Highway North Sebastopol, CA 95472 All product names and services identified throughout this book are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective companies They are used throughout this book in editorial fashion only and for the benefit of such companies No such uses, or the use of any trade name, is intended to convey endorsement or other affiliation with the book No part of the material protected by this copyright notice may be reproduced or utilized in any form, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without written permission of the copyright owner While reasonable care has been exercised in the preparation of this book, the publisher and authors assume no responsibility for errors or omissions, or for damages resulting from the use of the information contained herein This book is printed on acid-free paper www.Ebook777.com Table of Contents Table of Contents x Foreword CLS Background 6 What Are CLS and iTTL? What Works with iTTL? What Doesn’t Work with iTTL? Can I Use the SB-600, SB-700, SB-800, or SB-900 on My Old Camera Body? What Is D-TTL? Capabilities of CLS 12 Quick Start Guide 16 Flash Theory 17 18 18 21 22 22 23 30 30 Light How a Flash Fires Controlling the Power Stops Thirds of a Stop Guide Number Camera Sync Modes Which Sync Mode Should You Use? Making Good Use of Flash Power v vi Table of Contents 36 SB-600 Buttons, Modes, Menus, and Operation 37 51 53 55 SB-600 Buttons and Controls SB-600 Custom Settings Menus Using the SB-600 as a Dedicated Flash Using the SB-600 as a Remote Flash 58 SB-800 Buttons, Modes, Menus, and Operation 59 86 90 92 93 96 98 SB-800 Buttons and Controls SB-800 Custom Settings Menus Using the SB-800 as a Dedicated Flash Using the SB-800 as a Remote Flash Using the SB-800 as a Commander Unit Using the SB-800 as a Repeat Commander Unit Using the SB-800 as an SU-4 Unit (Commander or Remote) 106 SB-700 Buttons, Modes, Menus, and Operation 107 124 125 126 130 SB-700 Buttons and Controls Using the SB-700 as a Dedicated Flash Using the SB-700 as a Remote Flash Using the SB-700 as a Commander Unit Using the SB-700 as an SU-4 Remote Unit 134 SB-900 and SB-910 Buttons, Modes, Menus, and Operation 135 158 171 172 173 177 179 SB-900 and SB-910 Buttons and Controls SB-900 and SB-910 Custom Settings Menus Using the SB-900 or SB-910 as a Dedicated Flash Using the SB-900 or SB-910 as a Remote Flash Using the SB-900 or SB-910 as a Commander Unit Using the SB-900 or SB-910 as a Repeat Commander Unit Using the SB-900 or SB-910 as an SU-4 Unit (Commander or Remote) Table of Contents vii 186 SU-800, SB-R200, and R1C1 Operation 188 197 204 207 208 SU-800 Buttons and Controls Using the SU-800 as a Commander Unit SB-R200 Buttons and Controls Using the SB-R200 as a Remote Flash Using the R1C1 Kit 214 Five-Step Plan for Great Flash Photography 215 216 216 217 218 Step 1: Set Camera Shutter Sync Step 2: Set Flash Mode Step 3: Set Flash Power Step 4: Take Picture and Review Result Step 5: Change Settings as Needed and Shoot Again 220 Wireless Flash Camera Capabilities 222 222 10 226 226 226 Using the D70 as a Commander Using the D80, D90, D200, D300, D300s, D7000, or D700 as a Commander Using the D3000, D3100, D5000, D5100, D40, D40x, D50, or D60 as a Commander Using the D2-series or D3-series as a Commander Using the F6 as a Commander 228 Flash Beeps 11 viii Table of Contents 232 White Balance and Gel Usage 12 234 235 236 239 240 244 246 Automatic White Balance Factory Preset White Balance Custom (or Preset) White Balance Kelvin Values Using Gels Using Gels with the SB-900 Using Gels with the SB-700 and SB-910 248 Batteries and Power Options 249 13 249 250 251 Battery Choices for SB-600, SB-700, SB-800, SB-900, and SB-910 When You Need More Capacity Battery Management Battery Choices for SU-800 and SB-R200 252 Camera-Based Functions for Your Flash 14 253 254 257 258 259 260 FV Lock Auto FP High Speed Sync Mode Flash Shutter Speed Flash Off Modeling Light with DOF Preview Button Flash Bracketing Free ebooks ==> www.Ebook777.com Table of Contents ix 264 Case Studies and Examples 266 267 15 268 269 270 271 272 273 274 275 276 277 278 Event Photography: On-Camera Flash Combined with Ambient Window Light Event Photography: Single Flash on Flash Bracket in Low Light Situations Travel Photography: Single Dedicated Flash on TTL Cable Travel Photography: Single Dedicated Flash on TTL Cable Travel Photography: D200 Commander and SB-800 Wireless Remote Residential Scene: Commander and Remote Outdoor Portrait: Pop-up Flash Outdoor Portrait: Single Flash as Remote, D200 as Commander Outdoor Portrait: One Commander, Multiple Remotes Indoor Portrait: Single Commander on Cable and Single Flash as Remote Indoor Portrait: Commander and Multiple Remotes Product Shot: Multiple Remote Flashes Macro Photography: Two Remotes, D200 as Commander 280 Lighting Kit and Product Recommendations 16 281 282 Kit Recommendations Product Recommendations 286 Common Questions and Answers 17 293 Credits for Chapter Opening Images 295 Index www.Ebook777.com 286 Common Questions and Answers 17 Common Questions and Answers 287 Q: Does my D70 pop-up flash contribute to the exposure when it operates as a Commander? A: Yes it does, but its output is very low during the final exposure so you generally don’t have to worry about it too much (see next question) From a technique standpoint, the farther away you place the D70 from the subject, the less effect the pop-up flash has in the final exposure Q: Is there any way to eliminate the output from the D70 pop-up flash in Commander mode? A: No But there are a couple of simple ways to mask the output from the pop-up flash The first method is to use the Nikon SG3-IR flash blocker This will block the visible light from the pop-up flash and allow only UV/IR light to pass through The second method is similar, but much less expensive! Follow these steps: Cut off a strip of exposed film leader (yes, film) Tape film over front of pop-up flash Take picture Q: Does my D80, D90, D200, D300, D300s, D7000, or D700 pop-up flash contribute to the exposure when it operates as a Commander? A: It depends You can program the popup flash to be only a Commander and not contribute to the exposure by setting it to - - - in the Custom Settings Menus (CSM) Alternatively, you can have the flash contribute to the exposure by setting it for TTL or M in CSM Q: How I manage Remote flashes if there are two other people in the room with D70 cameras who want to use Remote flashes? A: Since the D70 only communicates on one frequency, Channel Group A, this is a problem! There are only a couple of good solutions: • Tell the other people to turn their Remote flashes off while you are shooting • Buy an SB-700, SB-800, SB-900, or SU800 as a Commander so you can use different Channels and groups • • • • • • Q: Why doesn’t my Remote flash fire? A: Here are some common causes: Pop-up flash is in the down position Wrong Channel Wrong group Remote flash is turned off Remote batteries are dead (READY light is not illuminated) Remote flash sensor is turned away from the Commander flash Q: Why does my SB-700, SB-800, or SB-900, or SB-910 still flash when I have it configured for - - - (Off) in Commander mode? A: When the Commander flash is configured for - - -, you have told it not to fire only during the actual exposure This means it won’t fire when the shutter is open The purpose of the Commander unit is to send out instructions to all of the Remote flash units through light pulses So you still see light coming from the Commander before the exposure, but not during the exposure 17 17 288 Common Questions and Answers Q: Why is the background so dark? A: You probably have your camera set for Normal Sync In this mode, the shutter speed defaults to 1/60 second, which is probably too fast to allow any ambient light into the camera Q: Why does my subject look so dark? A: Generally, the subject looks dark because the flash does not have enough power to light it up Here are some common ways to solve this problem: • Get the flash closer to the subject • Increase the power (flash compensation) • Increase your camera’s ISO • Zoom your flash more telephoto • Choose a larger aperture (e.g., f/2.8 or f/1.8) Q: Why is my subject so blurry? A: You probably have your camera set for Slow Sync or Slow + Rear Sync In these modes, the camera exposes for the ambient light and then pops the flash for fill flash There are a number of ways to remedy this “problem”: • Increase your ISO • Choose a larger aperture (e.g., f/2.8 or f/1.8) • Tell your subject to hold still • Change your sync mode to Normal, which will default your shutter speed to 1/60 second without necessarily exposing for the ambient light Q: Why are my colors blue (or red or some other weird color cast)? A: There are a couple answers to this question Your white balance isn’t set correctly If you are using flash, then you generally should set your white balance to Flash Then again, that isn’t always the best answer, especially if you are trying to balance the colors with ambient light See Chapter 12 for more information on white balance and gel usage You are using Slow Sync, which allows lots of ambient light into the photograph If the ambient light is blue or red or some other color, then your photograph will have that same color cast Q: I see my Commander flash firing, but I don’t see any Remote flashes responding I’ve checked Channels and groups, but nothing works Why? A: This problem always happens when the Commander flash’s batteries get low Change the batteries in the Commander and everything will work just fine, assuming the Channels and groups are all configured properly Free ebooks ==> www.Ebook777.com 289 Q: Why does my SB-600 and/or SB700 make all those loud beeps, but I can’t see any light coming from it? A: Most often this is because your Commander flash is telling your SB-600/ SB-700 Remote to operate in AA mode However, the SB-600/SB-700 can only operate as a TTL or Manual flash when it is configured as a Remote It does not have the ability to work in AA mode Q: Why don’t any of the buttons on my flash work? A: You have activated the button lock feature on your flash For the SB-600, press the MODE and – keys simultaneously to unlock the buttons For the SB-800, press the ON/OFF and SEL keys For the SB-900 or SB-910, press Function Button and Function Button Note that the SB-700 doesn’t have a button lock feature Q: Why won’t my flash head zoom when I place it on my camera? A: There are a number of reasons this might be happening: • Your Wide Angle Flash Adapter is out • You mounted a diffusion dome on the SB700, SB-800, SB-900, or SB-910 • Your flash isn’t fully attached to the camera’s hot shoe • You set the flash for M Zoom • You turned off the zoom function in the flash’s Custom Settings menus Q: Why does my flash go into Standby mode so quickly? A: The SB-600, SB-700, SB-800, SB-900, and SB-910 flashes go into Standby mode quickly in order to save power This is a good thing They are programmed by the factory to be in Auto Standby mode, which means they power down when the camera’s light meter shuts off To change this, go into the flash’s Custom Settings menus and configure them to your wishes Note: The flashes won’t go into Standby mode when they are configured as Wireless Remotes www.Ebook777.com 17 291 293 Credits for Chapter Opening Images Chapter Gerry Mulligan (Gerry M) Nikon D300, 17-55mm f2.8, SU-800 commander on camera Three SB-800 remote flashes (left, right, below) Chapter Mike Hagen (Mike_Hagen) Nikon D7000, 70-200mm f2.8 SB-900 commander on camera, two SB-700 remotes off camera in 42” umbrellas Chapter Mike Hagen (Mike_Hagen) Nikon D300, SB-800 remote off camera triggered by D300 pop-up in commander mode Chapter James Symmonds (chimphappyhour) Nikon D80, Tokina 100mm macro, two SB-800 remote flashes triggered by D80 pop-up commander Chapter James Symmonds (chimphappyhour) Nikon D300, Tokina 12-24mm f4, SB-800 remote with a snoot Triggered by D300 pop-up commander Chapter Gerhard Rossbach Nikon D700 and Nikon SB800 flash with a handheld softbox Chapter Mike Hagen (Mike_Hagen) Nikon D300, 12-24mm f4, SB-800, Harbor Digital Design diffuser Chapter Mike Hagen (Mike_Hagen) Nikon D700, 24-70mm f2.8 SB-900 commander on camera, SB-700 remote off camera in 42” umbrella Chapter Mike Pastore (Aviatorbumm) Nikon D300, 105mm f2.8, SB-800 commander on camera bounced off a gold/white reflector, SB-600 remote flash off camera under the flower Chapter 10 Mike Hagen (Mike_Hagen) Nikon D300, 28-75mm f2.8, SB-600 flash on camera, Sto-Fen flash diffuser 294 Credits for Chapter Opening Images Chapter 11 Mike Hagen (Mike_Hagen) Nikon D70, SB-600 remote flash off camera in 42” umbrella triggered by D70 pop-up commander Chapter 12 Mike Hagen (Mike_Hagen) Nikon D300, SU-800 commander on camera, two SB-800 remote flashes off camera at full power, tungsten gel on flashes to add color to foreground Chapter 13 Mike Hagen (Mike_Hagen) Nikon D700, 70-200mm f2.8, SB-900 on camera, Nikon flash diffuser Chapter 14 Mike Hagen (Mike_Hagen) Nikon D300, 28-75mm f2.8, SU-800 commander on camera, SB-800 remote in 32” umbrella Chapter 15 Gerhard Rossbach Nikon D700 and Nikon SB800 flash with a handheld softbox Chapter 16 Mike Hagen (Mike_Hagen) Nikon D300, 50mm f1.8, SU-800 commander on camera, two SB-800 remotes off camera in 42” umbrellas Chapter 17 Mike Hagen (Mike_Hagen) Nikon D70, 70-200mm f2.8, SB-600 on camera, Sto-Fen flash diffuser Index Index A E AA Mode 73, 146 A Mode 75, 149 Aperture 35 AS-20 Mounting Foot 209 Auto FP High Speed Sync Mode 254 Automatic White Balance 234 Event Photography 266 Extreme Close-up Adapter 213 B Batteries and Power Options 248 Battery Management 250 C Camera ISO 34 Camera Shutter Sync 215 Camera Sync Modes 23 Clamps and Brackets 285 Close-up Commander Mode 202 CLS Commander Transmit Window 188 Creative Lighting System Custom Settings menus (CSM) 158 D D2-series or D3-series as a Commander 226 D70 as a Commander 222 D80, D90, D200, D300, D300s, D7000, or D700 as a Commander 222 D3000, D3100, D5000, D5100, D40, D40x, D50, or D60 as a Commander 226 D-TTL F F6 as a Commander 226 Factory Preset White Balance 235 Flash Beeps 228 Flash Bracketing 260 Flash Mode 216 Flash Modes 145 Flash Power 216 Flash Shutter Speed 257 Flash Sync Speed 256 Flash Theory 16 Flash Zoom Setting 33 Front Curtain + Red-eye Sync 26 Front Curtain Sync 24 FV Lock 253 G Gels 240 GN mode 151 Guide Number 22 I Indoor Portrait 275 Intelligent Through The Lens iTTL K Kelvin Values 239 295 296 Index L Light Boxes 284 Light Stands 282 M Macro Photography 278 M Mode 151 O Outdoor Portrait 274 P Product Shot 277 Q Questions and Answers 286 Quick Start 12 R R1C1 Kit 208 Reflectors 284 RPT Mode 153 S SB-600 12, 36 Auxiliary Ready Light 38 SB-600 Buttons and Controls 37 +/– Buttons 45 FLASH Button 48 MODE Button 44 Zoom Button 47 SB-600 Custom Settings Menus 51 Using the SB-600 as a Dedicated Flash 53 Using the SB-600 as a Remote Flash 55 Wide Angle Adapter 38 Wide Area AF Assist Illuminator 39 SB-700 12, 107 SB-700 Buttons and Controls 107 Illumination Pattern Selector 120 MENU Button 121 Mode Selector Switch 115 Selector Dial and OK Button 112 Test Firing Button 119 ZOOM Button 113 SB-700 as a Commander Unit 126 Channel 128 Group 128 Mode Selector Switch 129 Other SB-700 Commander Functions 130 Output 128 SB-700 as an SU-4 Remote Unit 130 SB-800 12, 58 AA 101 Bounce Card 61 +/- Buttons 66 GN 102 M 102 ON/OFF Button 66 RPT 104 SB-800 as a Commander Unit 93 SB-800 as an SU-4 Unit 98 SB-800 as a Remote Flash 92 SB-800 as a Repeat Commander Unit 96 SB-800 Buttons and Controls 59 External AF Assist Illuminator Contacts 83 FLASH Button 81 Modeling Light Button 83 SEL Button 80 Two-Button Controls 85 SB-800 Custom Settings Menus 86 Sync Terminal 85 TTL 101 TTL BL 100 TTL Multiple Flash Terminal 84 Wide Area AF Assist Illuminator 62 Wide-Flash Adapter 60 Zoom Buttons 68 Index SB-900 12, 135 SB-900 and SB-910 Buttons and Controls 135 Bounce Card 136 External Power Source Terminal 139 Light Sensor for Auto Flash 139 MODE Button 145 Selector Dial and OK Button 141 Settings Menus 158 Sync Terminal 157 Test Firing Button 154 Two-Button Controls 157 Wide Angle Adapter 136 Wide Area AF Assist Illuminator 138 SB-900 or SB-910 as an SU-4 Unit (Commander or Remote) 179 SB-900 or SB-910 as a Repeat Commander Unit 177 Channel 178 Frequency 178 Group 178 Mode 178 Output 178 SB-910 12, 135 SB-R200 204 SB-R200 as a Remote Flash 207 SC-17 12 SC-28 12 SC-29 12 Settings Menus 158 SG-3IR Panel 212 Slow + Rear Sync 28 Slow Sync 27 SU-800 188 SU-800 as a Commander Unit 197 SU-800 Buttons and Controls 188 A - B Button 192 MODE Button 192 ON/OFF Button 190 Right and Left Buttons 190 SEL Button 193 Target Light Button 195 SX-1 Attachment Ring 210 Sync Mode 30 Sync Terminal 157 T Test Firing Button 154 Through The Lens TTL TTL BL Mode 72 TTL Mode 146 TTL Remote Cord 12 Two-Button Controls 157 U Umbrellas 283 W White Balance 232 Wireless Commander 13 Wireless Flash 220 Wireless Remote 12 297 Get in the Picture! c’t Digital Photography gives you exclusive access to the techniques of the pros Keep on top of the latest trends and get your own regular dose of inside knowledge from our specialist authors Every issue includes tips and tricks from experienced pro photographers as well as independent hardware and software tests There are also regular high-end image processing and image management workshops to help you create your own perfect portfolio Each issue includes a free DVD with full and c’t special version software, practical photo tools, eBooks, and comprehensive video tutorials Don’t miss out – place your order now! Free ebooks ==> www.Ebook777.com ROCKYNOOK COM Don’ tcl ose t hebookonusyet I nt er est edi nl ear ni ngmor eon t hear tandcr af tofphot ogr aphy? Looki ngf ort i psandt r i cks t oshar ewi t hf r i ends? Vi si t r ockynook com/ i nf or mat i on/ newsl et t er f orupdat esonnewt i t l es,accesst of r ee downl oads,bl ogpost s,oureBookst or e, aut horgal l er y,andsomuchmor e @r ocky_nook www.Ebook777.com ...Free ebooks ==> www.Ebook777.com The Nikon Creative Lighting System The Nikon Creative Lighting System 2nd Edition www.Ebook777.com i ii The Nikon Creative Lighting System Mike Hagen is an avid adventurer... Out There Images, Inc PO Box 1966 Gig Harbor, WA 98335 mike@outthereimages.com www.outthereimages.com Out There Images, Inc – “Get Out And Learn!” The Nikon Creative Lighting System The Nikon. .. Table 1.1 - These Nikon flashes are compatible with the Nikon CLS flash system Table 1.3 - These Nikon flashes are not compatible with the Nikon CLS CLS-Compatible Cameras D3000/D3100 Nikon Cameras