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New SB-5000 gives new opportunities for wireless lighting (24.03.2016)
Nikon's speedlight SB-5000 is very similar to SB-910 in terms of design, but everything necessary has been fit into an even more compact body. The guide number of this new speedlight is 34.5 and the zoom range IS 24-200 mm (14 mm with the built-in wide panel in place) considering the focal lenght of FX format lens. Thus, this new speedlight is powerful enough for using both indoors and outdoors. New Speedlight is also equipped with Nikon’s Creative Lighting System (CLS) that has justified itself in the previous models.
First speedlight in the world with Active Cooling System
Since the small body of the speedlight fits a powerful light source, the flash bulb tended to become overheated with the previous models. SB-5000 is the first speedlight to feature a built-in active cooling system. Now, you can take 84 shots with a 3 second interval. Before the actual testing, I had a little concern that maybe this flash light could also be used as a blow dryer that very noisily cools the overheating flash bulb. Fortunately that is not the case. Active Cooling System is quiet – the environment has to be totally quiet for you to even notice it and even then, the only thing you hear is a quiet sough.
Advanced wireless Creative Lighting System
All the technology is moving towards being wireless. Older flashes had a built-in control system based on IR light. But there was a problem – if you wanted to position the speedlight so that it is hidden and there was no chance to see the light of the master flash directly or as a reflection, this system did not work. SB-5000 features a radio triggering based on radio waves that allows for a precise control over the flash power, flash mode, and grouping of multiple remote flashes. Camera is attached to a tiny remote controller WR-R10 and this creates a two-way communication and flash lights and flash groups are managed through a rear display. It is possible to manage up to six distinct flash groups. SB-5000 is still equipped with the infrared light based triggering system. That is also a very good opportunity because now you can use the new speedlight with the existing older speedlight models as well.
Different usage possibilities of speedlight
With infrared based system, the daylight tended to diffuse the infrared light produced by the speedlight. There is no such problem with radio triggering. It is very easy to use a flash or a group of flashes wherever. These speedlights are small and light weight and it is easy to wirelessly position them wherever on the set. You don't have to walk to the flash lights in order to change the parameters; you can just change these through the master flash menu or camera display.
