Blog
Light it right: Nikon launches the SB-5000 radio controlled Speedlight (05.01.2016)
Amsterdam, The Netherlands, 5th January 2016: Nikon updates its revered range of professional flashes with the brand new SB-5000. This agile Nikon Speedlight is the first to incorporate radio control, and the world’s first compact flash unit to boast an onboard cooling system.*
Built to conquer difficult shooting situations, the SB-5000 is perfect for professional photographers who want the flexibility to create complex on- and off-camera setups. Wireless radio control removes the need for a direct line of sight between the master and the slave, and increases reliability when shooting in bright sunlight. Nikon’s new built-in cooling system enables more than 100 rapid-fire shots with the flash operating at full power. With a light, compact build and uncluttered controls, this new Speedlight offers unparalleled lighting performance in the field and in the studio.
Control in demanding situations
Fast and reliable, the SB-5000 equips photographers to step up to more diverse lighting challenges. The SB-5000 can be radio controlled as part of an Advanced Wireless Lighting setup or controlled traditionally using line-of-sight optical signals, which means legacy Speedlights can still be used for multiple flash setups. Unified Flash Control allows control of the SB-5000 from the camera menu, or a computer running Camera Control Pro 2 when the unit is attached to the camera body. In addition, the new cooling system enables this compact flash unit to achieve 120 shots at 5-second intervals, or 84 shots at 3-second intervals without overheating. Thermal protection has never been better.
Additional features
• Key specs: the SB-5000 offers a guide number of 34.5, a wide FX-format zoom range of 24-200mm (14 mm with built-in wide panel), and three illumination patterns.
• Compact build, uncluttered control: the compact flash body weighs in at just 420 g. The uncluttered control panel allows for a large and easily legible information display. The flash head tilts down to 7° or up to 90°, and rotates 180° horizontally to the left and right.
• Accessories: the built-in wide panel and bounce card, plus the supplied diffuser dome, combine with Nikon’s optional colour filters to extend your creative options further.
Zurab Kiknadze, Product Manager, Lenses, Accessories & Software, Nikon Europe, says:
‘Nikon has always been the frontrunner in the field of photographic creative lighting, continuously proving its worth in reliability, versatility and total system integration. The incorporation of radio control ensures the new SB-5000 will deliver even in the face of common problems like line-of-sight obstruction and bright sunlight. And thanks to the new cooling system, which increases the number of consecutive firings and eliminates unnecessary cut offs, the SB-5000 performs with exceptional control. It’s an exciting all-round flash for pros who demand consistently strong performance.’
*The SB-5000 boasts the worlds-first onboard cooling system among clip-on type compact flash units, as of December 1, 2015.
