2. Z 5 Online Manual
  3. Technical Notes
  4. Compatible Flash Units

Compatible Flash Units

The Nikon Creative Lighting System (CLS)

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

Supported features

Flash unit

SB‑5000

SB‑910/
SB‑900/
SB‑800

SB‑700

SB‑600

SB‑500

SU‑800

SB‑R200

SB‑400

SB‑300

Single flash

i‑TTL

i‑TTL balanced fill-flash1

4

4

4

4

4

—

—

4

4

Standard i‑TTL fill-flash

4 2

4 2

4

4 2

4

—

—

4

4

qA

Auto aperture

4

4 3

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

A

Non-TTL auto

—

4 3

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

GN

Distance-priority manual

4

4

4

—

—

—

—

—

—

M

Manual

4

4

4

4

4 4

—

—

4 4

4 4

RPT

Repeating flash

4

4

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

Optical Advanced Wireless Lighting

Master

Remote flash control

4

4

4

—

4 4

4

—

—

—

i‑TTL

i‑TTL

4

4

4

—

4 4

—

—

—

—

[A : B]

Quick wireless flash control

4

—

4

—

—

4 5

—

—

—

qA

Auto aperture

4

4

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

A

Non-TTL auto

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

M

Manual

4

4

4

—

4 4

—

—

—

—

RPT

Repeating flash

4

4

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

Remote

i‑TTL

i‑TTL

4

4

4

4

4

—

4

—

—

[A : B]

Quick wireless flash control

4

4

4

4

4

—

4

—

—

qA/A

Auto aperture/
non-TTL auto

4 6

4 6

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

M

Manual

4

4

4

4

4

—

4

—

—

RPT

Repeating flash

4

4

4

4

4

—

—

—

—

Radio-controlled Advanced Wireless Lighting

4 7

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

Color Information Communication (flash)

4

4

4

4

4

—

—

4

4

Color Information Communication (LED light)

—

—

—

—

4

—

—

—

—

Auto FP high-speed sync 8

4

4

4

4

4

4

4

—

—

FV lock 9

4

4

4

4

4

4

4

4

4

Red-eye reduction

4

4

4

4

4

—

—

4

—

Camera modeling illumination

4

4

4

4

4

4

4

—

—

Unified flash control

4

—

—

—

4

—

—

4

4

Camera flash unit firmware update

4

4 10

4

—

4

—

—

—

4

  1. Not available with spot metering.

  2. Can also be selected via the flash unit.

  3. qA/A mode selection is performed on the flash unit using custom settings.

  4. Can be selected using the [Flash control] item in the camera menus.

  5. Available during close-up photography only.

  6. Choice of qA and A depends on the option selected with the master flash.

  7. Supports the same features as remote flash units with optical AWL.

  8. Available only in i‑TTL, qA, A, GN, and M flash-control modes.

  9. Available only in i‑TTL flash control mode or when the flash is configured to emit monitor preflashes in qA or A flash control mode.

  10. Firmware updates for the SB‑910 and SB‑900 can be performed from the camera.

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.

Flash Photography

Flash photography cannot be combined with some camera features, including:

  • silent photography,

  • movie recording, and

  • HDR (high dynamic range)

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.

Supported features

Flash unit

SB‑80DX
SB‑28DX
SB‑28
SB‑26
SB‑25
SB‑24

SB‑50DX
SB‑23
SB‑29
SB‑21B
SB‑29S

SB‑30
SB‑27 1
SB‑22S
SB‑22
SB‑20
SB‑16B
SB‑15

Flash mode

A

Non-TTL auto

4

—

4

M

Manual

4

4

4

G

Repeating flash

4

—

—

REAR 2

Rear-curtain sync

4

4

4

  1. 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.

  2. Available when the camera is used to select the flash mode.

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 manual 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.

Metering Areas for FV Lock

The areas metered when FV lock is used with optional flash units are as follows:

Picture taken with

Flash control mode

Metered area

Stand-alone flash unit

i‑TTL

6‑mm circle in center of frame

Auto aperture (qA)

Area metered by flash exposure meter

Remote flash units controlled via Advanced Wireless Lighting

i‑TTL

Entire frame

Auto aperture (qA)

Area metered by flash exposure meter

Non-TTL auto (A)
Notes on Optional Flash Units

  • Refer to the flash unit manual for detailed instructions.

  • 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 SB‑80DX, SB‑28DX, and SB‑50DX manuals.

  • 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.

  • The camera provides AF-assist illumination as required. AF-assist illuminators on optional flash units will not light.

  • 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 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.

Modeling Illumination

  • Pressing the control to which [Preview] has been assigned using Custom Setting f2 [Custom controls] causes CLS-compatible flash units to emit a modeling flash.

  • This feature can be used with Advanced Wireless Lighting to preview the total lighting effect achieved with multiple flash units.

  • The effects of shadows cast by the flash are best observed directly rather than in the shooting display.

  • Modeling illumination can be turned off by selecting [Off] for Custom Setting e5 [Modeling flash].

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 d7 [Apply settings to live view].