Artificial Light Part Two

Options for Off Camera Flash

The previous instalment of this series covered the options available with on camera flash. It talked in terms of my Nikon ecosystem but, in essence, it showed how using the bounce and swivel function of any Speedlight out performed a static pop-up flash. It also demonstrated how being able to direct the light, even just a little bit, offered a greater amount of creative control. It stands to reason therefore that ultimate control would come from being able to move the flash away from the camera and positioning it anywhere you wanted. So, sticking to the Nikon D610 and SB-600 Speedlight, what are the available options?

Sync Cords

The sync cord is one of the easiest ways to achieve off camera flash. For the Nikon system, the SC-29 allows the flash to be mounted at the end of an expandable cable with the other end, containing all the AF illumination gubbins, sitting on the camera’s hot shoe. Using a Nikon dedicated cable preserves the TTL functionality.

A disadvantage of this option is that the maximum distance between the flash and camera is determined by the length of the cable which, for the SC-29, is less than a metre. Secondly, whilst not expensive (around £30 second hand), it is still infinitely more costly than simply taking advantage of the features available with the existing equipment.

Nikon Creative Lighting System

The Nikon Creative Lighting System allows for compatible flashes to talk to each other via the power of science. In this instance, infra-red science. Although the built-in flash of the D610 was rubbished in the previous article, the fact it can be used as a commander flash for the SB-600, is an ace up its sleeve that will leave the naysayers searching for a sentence beginning with ‘but the disadvantage of this . . . ‘.

Set the Built-in-flash to Commander Mode

With the built-in flash popped-up and set to Commander Mode, it fires shortly before exposure (akin to the red-eye reduction feature) which then prompts any ‘watching’ compatible flashes to fire during exposure. Moreover, including the built-in flash, the camera can control three groups of flashes from its menu, allowing for different power outputs as the lighting requirements dictate.

One scenario could see two SB-600s in Group A and one SB-910 in Group B. The built-in flash can be configured to fire for exposure or not. Changing the settings for an individual group will affect all flashes in that group whilst preserving the settings elsewhere. One group for example could be set to TTL and another manually to half power.

This gives a great deal of flexibility in how you want to light your scene but the disadvantage of this method is that everything has to be in line of sight for the flashes to fire. This may be an issue if one of the flashes is hidden away hoping to light up a dingy corner of the image.

Wireless flash triggers

At its most basic level, the wireless trigger is similar in concept to the sync cord. It takes the flash and allows it to be placed somewhere else but without the limiting factor of a finite length of cord. The Neewer FC-16, for example, comes with a trigger and receiver for one flash and has a range of 25 metres. However, with no central control centre, each flash has to be set individually and on the flash itself. This could be tiring with just one flash 25 metres away but, with multiple flashes: positively unscalable. A new Neewer FC-16 is around the same price as the second hand SC-29 sync cord.

The final option combines the best of all those described above and consists of a transmitter which mounts to the camera’s hot shoe and, just like the Nikon Creative Lighting System, it allows for central configuration of groups of flashes. Dedicated to each manufacturers specific lighting standards allowing for TTL exposures, these devices open the door above and beyond the relatively limited power of Speedlights.

Final Thoughts

This instalment has been a gear centred investigation as to the options available to move a flash away from a camera. The assumption has been that this will allow for more control of artificial light and will be put to the test with the Nikon System when Gwyneth returns to her modelling duties for Part 3 of the series.