Nikon SB-800 instruction manual Creative Lighting System

Creative Lighting System

The SB-800 features a new Nikon Speedlight system, called Creative Lighting System or “CLS.” This system offers additional flash shooting possibilities with digital SLRs by taking advantage of camera’s digital communication capabilities. CLS is available only when the SB-800 is used with compatible Nikon SLRs cameras. The SB-800 offers these major features:

•i-TTL mode

This is a new TTL auto flash mode in the Creative Lighting System. Monitor Preflashes are fired at all times. The subject is correctly exposed by the light from the flash lighting and the exposure is less affected by the ambient light than in the conventional TTL mode (p. 37).

•Advanced Wireless Lighting

With the Advanced Wireless Lighting, wireless multiple flash operation in the TTL (i-TTL) mode can now be accomplished with digital SLRs. In this mode, you can divide the remote flash units into three groups and control the flash output independently for each group, expanding your range of creative multiple-flash shooting techniques (p. 76).

•Flash Value Lock

Flash Value, or “FV,” is the amount of flash exposure for the subject. Using FV Lock with compatible cameras, you can lock in the appropriate flash exposure for the main subject. This flash exposure is locked in, even if you change the aperture or composition, or zoom the lens in and out (p. 61).

•Flash Color Information Communication

When the SB-800 is used with compatible digital SLRs, color temperature information is automatically transmitted to the camera. In this way, the camera’s white balance is automatically adjusted to give you the correct color temperature when taking photographs with the SB-800.

•Auto FP High-Speed Sync

High-Speed flash synchronization at your camera’s highest shutter speed is now possible. This is useful when you want to use a wider aperture to achieve shallow depth of field to blur the background (p. 60).

•Wide-Area AF-Assist Illuminator

In autofocus operation, the SB-800 emits AF-Assist illumination over a much wider area as compared to existing Speedlights. This enables you to perform autofocus photography in dim light even when you change the camera’s focus area with cameras supporting this function (p. 62).

See your equivalent camera’s instruction manual for details on the Creative Lighting System.

Preparation

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