Nikon’s advanced Creative Lighting System (CLS) supports a variety of features thanks to improved communication between the camera and compatible flash units.
Features available with CLS-compatible flash units
Choice of qA and A depends on the option selected with the master flash.
Available only in i-TTL, qA, A, GN and M flash control modes.
Available only in i-TTL flash control mode or when the flash is configured to emit monitor pre-flashes in qA or A flash control mode.
SB-910/SB-900/SB-800
Supported features
Single flash
i-TTL
i-TTL balanced fill-flash
41
Standard i-TTL fill-flash
42
qA
Auto aperture
43
A
Non-TTL auto
43
GN
Distance-priority manual
4
M
Manual
4
RPT
Repeating flash
4
Optical Advanced Wireless Lighting
Master
Remote flash control
4
i-TTL
i-TTL
4
[A : B]
Quick wireless flash control
-
qA
Auto aperture
4
A
Non-TTL auto
-
M
Manual
4
RPT
Repeating flash
4
Remote
i-TTL
i-TTL
4
[A : B]
Quick wireless flash control
4
qA/A
Auto aperture/non-TTL auto
44
M
Manual
4
RPT
Repeating flash
4
Radio-controlled Advanced Wireless Lighting
-
Color Information Communication (flash)
4
Color Information Communication (LED light)
-
Auto FP high-speed sync
45
FV lock
46
Red-eye reduction
4
Camera modeling illumination
-
Unified flash control
-
Camera flash unit firmware update
47
Not available with spot metering.
Can also be selected via the flash unit.
qA/A mode selection is performed on the flash unit using custom settings.
Choice of qA and A depends on the option selected with the master flash.
Available only in i-TTL, qA, A, GN, and M flash control modes.
Available only in i-TTL flash control mode or when the flash is configured to emit monitor pre-flashes in qA or A flash control mode.
Firmware updates for the SB-910 and SB-900 can be performed from the camera.
SB-700
Supported features
Single flash
i-TTL
i-TTL balanced fill-flash
41
Standard i-TTL fill-flash
4
qA
Auto aperture
-
A
Non-TTL auto
-
GN
Distance-priority manual
4
M
Manual
4
RPT
Repeating flash
-
Optical Advanced Wireless Lighting
Master
Remote flash control
4
i-TTL
i-TTL
4
[A : B]
Quick wireless flash control
4
qA
Auto aperture
-
A
Non-TTL auto
-
M
Manual
4
RPT
Repeating flash
-
Remote
i-TTL
i-TTL
4
[A : B]
Quick wireless flash control
4
qA/A
Auto aperture/non-TTL auto
-
M
Manual
4
RPT
Repeating flash
4
Radio-controlled Advanced Wireless Lighting
-
Color Information Communication (flash)
4
Color Information Communication (LED light)
-
Auto FP high-speed sync
42
FV lock
43
Red-eye reduction
4
Camera modeling illumination
-
Unified flash control
-
Camera flash unit firmware update
4
Not available with spot metering.
Available only in i-TTL, GN, and M flash control modes.
Available only in i-TTL flash control mode.
SB-600
Supported features
Single flash
i-TTL
i-TTL balanced fill-flash
41
Standard i-TTL fill-flash
42
qA
Auto aperture
-
A
Non-TTL auto
-
GN
Distance-priority manual
-
M
Manual
4
RPT
Repeating flash
-
Optical Advanced Wireless Lighting
Master
Remote flash control
-
i-TTL
i-TTL
-
[A : B]
Quick wireless flash control
-
qA
Auto aperture
-
A
Non-TTL auto
-
M
Manual
-
RPT
Repeating flash
-
Remote
i-TTL
i-TTL
4
[A : B]
Quick wireless flash control
4
qA/A
Auto aperture/non-TTL auto
-
M
Manual
4
RPT
Repeating flash
4
Radio-controlled Advanced Wireless Lighting
-
Color Information Communication (flash)
4
Color Information Communication (LED light)
-
Auto FP high-speed sync
43
FV lock
44
Red-eye reduction
4
Camera modeling illumination
-
Unified flash control
-
Camera flash unit firmware update
-
Not available with spot metering.
Can also be selected via the flash unit.
Available only in i-TTL and M flash control modes.
Available only in i-TTL flash control mode.
SB-500
Supported features
Single flash
i-TTL
i-TTL balanced fill-flash
41
Standard i-TTL fill-flash
4
qA
Auto aperture
-
A
Non-TTL auto
-
GN
Distance-priority manual
-
M
Manual
42
RPT
Repeating flash
-
Optical Advanced Wireless Lighting
Master
Remote flash control
42
i-TTL
i-TTL
42
[A : B]
Quick wireless flash control
-
qA
Auto aperture
-
A
Non-TTL auto
-
M
Manual
42
RPT
Repeating flash
-
Remote
i-TTL
i-TTL
4
[A : B]
Quick wireless flash control
4
qA/A
Auto aperture/non-TTL auto
-
M
Manual
4
RPT
Repeating flash
4
Radio-controlled Advanced Wireless Lighting
-
Color Information Communication (flash)
4
Color Information Communication (LED light)
4
Auto FP high-speed sync
43
FV lock
44
Red-eye reduction
4
Camera modeling illumination
-
Unified flash control
-
Camera flash unit firmware update
4
Not available with spot metering.
Can be selected using the [Flash control] item in the camera menus.
Available only in i-TTL and M flash control modes.
Available only in i-TTL flash control mode.
SB-R200
Supported features
Single flash
i-TTL
i-TTL balanced fill-flash
-
Standard i-TTL fill-flash
-
qA
Auto aperture
-
A
Non-TTL auto
-
GN
Distance-priority manual
-
M
Manual
-
RPT
Repeating flash
-
Optical Advanced Wireless Lighting
Master
Remote flash control
-
i-TTL
i-TTL
-
[A : B]
Quick wireless flash control
-
qA
Auto aperture
-
A
Non-TTL auto
-
M
Manual
-
RPT
Repeating flash
-
Remote
i-TTL
i-TTL
4
[A : B]
Quick wireless flash control
4
qA/A
Auto aperture/non-TTL auto
-
M
Manual
4
RPT
Repeating flash
-
Radio-controlled Advanced Wireless Lighting
-
Color Information Communication (flash)
-
Color Information Communication (LED light)
-
Auto FP high-speed sync
41
FV lock
42
Red-eye reduction
-
Camera modeling illumination
-
Unified flash control
-
Camera flash unit firmware update
-
Available only in i-TTL and M flash control modes.
Available only in i-TTL flash control mode.
SB-400
Supported features
Single flash
i-TTL
i-TTL balanced fill-flash
41
Standard i-TTL fill-flash
4
qA
Auto aperture
-
A
Non-TTL auto
-
GN
Distance-priority manual
-
M
Manual
42
RPT
Repeating flash
-
Optical Advanced Wireless Lighting
Master
Remote flash control
-
i-TTL
i-TTL
-
[A : B]
Quick wireless flash control
-
qA
Auto aperture
-
A
Non-TTL auto
-
M
Manual
-
RPT
Repeating flash
-
Remote
i-TTL
i-TTL
-
[A : B]
Quick wireless flash control
-
qA/A
Auto aperture/non-TTL auto
-
M
Manual
-
RPT
Repeating flash
-
Radio-controlled Advanced Wireless Lighting
-
Color Information Communication (flash)
4
Color Information Communication (LED light)
-
Auto FP high-speed sync
-
FV lock
43
Red-eye reduction
4
Camera modeling illumination
-
Unified flash control
-
Camera flash unit firmware update
-
Not available with spot metering.
Can be selected using the [Flash control] item in the camera menus.
Available only in i-TTL flash control mode.
SB-300
Supported features
Single flash
i-TTL
i-TTL balanced fill-flash
41
Standard i-TTL fill-flash
4
qA
Auto aperture
-
A
Non-TTL auto
-
GN
Distance-priority manual
-
M
Manual
42
RPT
Repeating flash
-
Optical Advanced Wireless Lighting
Master
Remote flash control
-
i-TTL
i-TTL
-
[A : B]
Quick wireless flash control
-
qA
Auto aperture
-
A
Non-TTL auto
-
M
Manual
-
RPT
Repeating flash
-
Remote
i-TTL
i-TTL
-
[A : B]
Quick wireless flash control
-
qA/A
Auto aperture/non-TTL auto
-
M
Manual
-
RPT
Repeating flash
-
Radio-controlled Advanced Wireless Lighting
-
Color Information Communication (flash)
4
Color Information Communication (LED light)
-
Auto FP high-speed sync
-
FV lock
43
Red-eye reduction
-
Camera modeling illumination
-
Unified flash control
-
Camera flash unit firmware update
4
Not available with spot metering.
Can be selected using the [Flash control] item in the camera menus.
Available only in i-TTL flash control mode.
The SU-800 Wireless Speedlight Commander
When mounted on a CLS-compatible camera, the SU-800 can be used as a commander for SB-5000, SB-910, SB-900, SB-800, SB-700, SB-600, SB-500, or SB-R200 flash units. Group flash control is supported for up to three groups. The SU-800 itself is not equipped with a flash.
Supported features
Single flash
i-TTL
i-TTL balanced fill-flash
-
Standard i-TTL fill-flash
-
qA
Auto aperture
-
A
Non-TTL auto
-
GN
Distance-priority manual
-
M
Manual
-
RPT
Repeating flash
-
Optical Advanced Wireless Lighting
Master
Remote flash control
4
i-TTL
i-TTL
-
[A : B]
Quick wireless flash control
41
qA
Auto aperture
-
A
Non-TTL auto
-
M
Manual
-
RPT
Repeating flash
-
Remote
i-TTL
i-TTL
-
[A : B]
Quick wireless flash control
-
qA/A
Auto aperture/non-TTL auto
-
M
Manual
-
RPT
Repeating flash
-
Radio-controlled Advanced Wireless Lighting
-
Color Information Communication (flash)
-
Color Information Communication (LED light)
-
Auto FP high-speed sync
42
FV lock
43
Red-eye reduction
-
Camera modeling illumination
-
Unified flash control
-
Camera flash unit firmware update
-
Available during close-up photography only.
Disabled when RPT is selected for flash control mode.
Available only in i-TTL flash control mode or when the flash is configured to emit monitor pre-flashes in qA flash control mode.
Notes and tips for optional flash units
When using an optional flash unit, be sure also to read the documentation supplied with the unit.
If the unit supports CLS, refer to the section on CLS-compatible digital SLR cameras. This camera is not included in the “digital SLR” category in the documentation for the SB-80DX, SB-28DX, and SB-50DX.
If the flash-ready indicator (c) flashes for about three seconds after a photograph is taken in i-TTL or non-TTL auto mode, the flash has fired at full power and the photograph may be underexposed (CLS-compatible flash units only).
i-TTL flash control can be used at ISO sensitivities between 100 and 12800.
At ISO sensitivities over 12800, the desired results may not be achieved at some ranges or aperture settings.
In mode P, the maximum aperture (minimum f-number) is limited according to ISO sensitivity, as shown below:
Maximum aperture (f-number) at ISO equivalent of:
100
200
400
800
1600
3200
6400
12800
4
5
5.6
7.1
8
10
11
13
If the maximum aperture of the lens is smaller than given above, the maximum value for aperture will be the maximum aperture of the lens.
The SB-5000, SB-910, SB-900, SB-800, SB-700, SB-600, SB-500, and SB-400 provide red-eye reduction in red-eye reduction and slow-sync with red-eye reduction flash modes.
“Noise” in the form of lines may appear in flash photographs taken with an SD-9 or SD-8A high-performance battery pack attached directly to the camera. Reduce ISO sensitivity or increase the distance between the camera and the battery pack.
When an SC-series 17, 28, or 29 sync cable is used for off-camera flash photography, correct exposure may not be achieved in i-TTL mode. We recommend that you select standard i-TTL fill-flash. Take a test shot and view the results in the camera display.
In i-TTL, do not use any form of flash panel (diffusion panel) other than the flash unit’s built-in flash panel or supplied bounce adapter. Using other panels may produce incorrect exposure.
Flash photography
Flash photography cannot be combined with some camera features, including:
video recording,
[Continuous H (extended)] for the release mode,
HDR (high dynamic range), and
silent photography.
Using FV lock with optional flash units
FV lock is available with optional flash units in TTL and (where supported) monitor pre-flash qA and monitor pre-flash A flash control modes (see the documentation provided with the flash unit for more information).
Note that when Advanced Wireless Lighting is used to control remote flash units, you will need to set the flash control mode for the master or at least one remote group to TTL, qA, or A.
Other flash units
The following flash units can be used in non-TTL auto (A) and manual modes. The options available do not vary with the lens used.
Available when the camera is used to select the flash mode.
Mounting an SB-27 on the camera automatically sets the flash mode to TTL, but setting the flash mode to TTL disables the shutter release. Set the SB-27 to A.
Metering areas for FV lock
The areas metered when FV lock is used with optional flash units are as follows:
Stand-alone flash unit
Flash control mode
Metered area
i-TTL
6-mm circle in center of frame
Auto aperture (qA)
Area metered by flash exposure meter
Remote flash units
Flash control mode
Metered area
i-TTL
Entire frame
Auto aperture (qA)
Area metered by flash exposure meter
Non-TTL auto (A)
Flash compensation for optional flash units
In i-TTL and auto aperture (qA) flash control modes, the flash compensation selected with the optional flash unit or the camera [Flash control] item is added to the flash compensation selected with the [Flash compensation] item in the photo shooting menu.
Studio strobe lighting
To adjust the color and brightness of the view through the lens so that shots are easier to frame, select [Off] for Custom Setting d6 [Apply settings to live view].