The Nikon Creative Lighting System: Using the SB-600, SB-800, SB-900, and R1C1 Flashes [Paperback]

Mike Hagen (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 7, 2009

Flash photography, especially advanced light modeling with modern iTTL flash systems, has become an art by itself, which should be mastered by every aspiring amateur photographer - and even professionals are often helpless when it comes to using the full potential of these systems.

Many photographers are already well versed in photography but don't have a clue about flash photography. It is a brand new world, so the book starts at a basic level and then moves up from there so that advanced users also gain insight.

The book shows a simple, step by step method for setting up and using the newest Nikon iTTL flash units. It solves people's frustrations with flash and specifically, shows them how to use their SB-900, SB-800 and SB-600 strobes. It also has a complete chapter showing system configuration so readers can duplicate the photos on their own.

The book teaches everything you want to know about using Nikon's iTTL flash system. It shows all the steps required to set up consistent and amazing flash photos.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Mike Hagen, a mechanical engineer by training, worked for a semiconductor company for 10 years in various roles as an engineer, production manager and engineering manager. His passion however is photography. He resigned from his corporate position in order to run his photography business full time. He leads photographic workshops around the USA and the world. These workshops are very successful and reach thousands of people every year. Topics include digital cameras, travel workshops, safaris, wireless flash, portrait photography, Photoshop, digital workflow, and Nikon Capture NX.

Product Details

• Paperback: 250 pages
• Publisher: Rocky Nook; 1 edition (March 7, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1933952415
• ISBN-13: 978-1933952413
• Product Dimensions: 6.1 x 0.8 x 9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (37 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #534,068 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Mike Hagen is a professional photographer and an avid adventurer who effectively combines his enthusiasm for both pursuits. He established Out There Images, Inc., to share his passion for photography, and he is a popular workshop leader. Recently Mike was named Managing Director of the Nikonians Academy.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

86 of 97 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars Neither Precise nor Comprehensive February 27, 2009

By Conrad J. Obregon TOP 500 REVIEWERVINE™ VOICE

Format:Paperback

Amidst all the hype about megapixels and flicker, a new technology seemed to slip in under the radar. The Nikon Creative Lighting System (CLS) arrived and gave users of the brand an unprecedented way to control large numbers of lights with an ease that would help to make better images (whatever better means). Lots of Nikon flash guns, or speedlights as they are now called, could be spread around a subject and fired again and again, while the photographer looked at resulting images on the camera monitor and adjusted the speedlights without ever leaving the shooting place until the photograper got just the lighting desired. Unfortunately, with this increase in versatility came an increase in complexity. It's this complexity that Mike Hagen is attempting to deal with.

The book includes chapters on the CLS system and flash theory in general; the buttons, modes and operations of each of the speedlights in the system, including the SB600, SB800, SB900, the SU800, the SB200, and the R1C1; the capabilities of the Nikon cameras that are integrated into the CLS system; batteries; and technique, including some examples of the use of the system.

The author aims primarily at the functions of the equipment rather than applications about which there is little discussion. For example, multiple flashes are quite useful in lighting interiors but there is no mention of this in the book. Nikon actually provides a pamphlet with their speedlights that does a better job of showing applications.

Unfortunately, the author often shows a lack of precision in discussing topics. For example, he indicates that the flash will tell you that it was not powerful enough to illuminate a scene by placing a minus sign in the upper right hand corner of the speedlight screen when a scene is underexposed. One might assume that this is some form of pre-metering but actually one must first take a picture, using the flash, to get this indicator. He also doesn't mention that the flash indicator on the flash will blink and that on some Nikon cameras, an indicator will blink in the viewfinder. For another example, Hagen tells you that you can press the zoom button to change the dispersion pattern of the SB800, but doesn't show you an image of the zoom button. That's because there is no separate button for zoom on the SB800; you have to use the multifunction dial for this purpose.

Some important subjects are omitted completely, like the integration of the speedlight with the camera. For example, there is no mention of the difference in shooting in aperture mode, shutter mode or manual mode. Similarly Hagen fails to provide important information that would allow one to figure out how to handle unique situations, like the fact that the flash tube only lights with one brightness and that it varies its illumination effects by the length of time it is on, or that in high speed mode the flash fires more than once, meaning that it will put out less illumination for each burst.

Users are hungry for information about the CLS system, and this book is the best available on CLS. Let's hope a better one comes along.

30 of 35 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars Flash operation good, not enough technique, poor example photos March 3, 2009

By GadgetHound

Format:Paperback

The detail in the book on how to operate the functions of each flash unit is explained well and there were several useful tables of information. I liked the author's writing style and sense of humor yet even though he obviously knows his material, I feel like i need to get another reference for more info on how CLS works and how to set up multiple flash arrangements.

Of the 16 chapters only one covers case studies and examples on how to set up and use multiple flashes using CLS. The author didn't follow a standard format for each case study so the level of detail provided for each example is different. The most annoying part was that this chapter doesn't show clearly how the flashes are positioned to create the example photo (and that makes a big difference in being able to get the result shown). I've seen other books and web tutorials use diagrams and drawings to show where flash units would be positioned to create the image but those are absent from this book. The final photo is shown and a long list of settings is provided but positioning is critical in a book about lighting and here the author chose to describe it in words instead of using illustrations. For example "The SB-800 key light on the left side was set for CH2..." The term , 'key light' is not defined and 'left side' is a relative term and I couldn't tell if it was left side from the reader's perspective or left side of the model in the photo. In a different chapter, the author actually shows a photo of the lighting equipment with the subject posing in the photo but again the figure is not adequately labeled and in his explanation "Group A is on the left, Group B is on the right, and Group C is behind the subject" I was only able to identify the Group C set of flashes. My point is that the illustrations could have been more explicit and there was too much ambiguity for a beginner like me.

Ironically I found many of the photos used for the illustrations to be very mediocre (dark, washed out/low contrast) and somewhat confusing. I'm not sure if that had to do with the photo itself or the publishing. In one chapter describing various flash modes and comparing bounce flash to direct flash there are 4 photos of a subject meant to illustrate the difference between the methods but they all look relatively the same, when in reality these methods should produce noticeably different results. Throughout the book there were several examples of photos intended to show a side by side comparison of varying settings, but the comparison photos look too subtle to highlight the point being made. There could have been greater attention made to the types of photos selected to illustrate certain points.

I liked the book for showing how to operate the flashes but I was hoping for more on multiple flash technique and more explicit detail showing how the lighting was arranged in the case studies photos.

31 of 37 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Finally! An Easy Guide to Nikon Speedlights & CLS February 22, 2009

By RML

Format:Paperback

I was fortunate to purchase the first copy of Mike's new book and have taken his Nikonian Class on the Nikon CLS system. The class was great as you would expect from the Director of the Nikonians School and his knowledge of the system is impressive to say the least. Mike has done a really great with the book going into detail with pictures and screen shots of how to use and improve your pictures using Nikon flash and digital cameras. The numerous screen shots show step by step how to access, control and set the menus on the SB600, SB800 and SB900 and the SB-R200 and SU800. You see all the menus so there is no confusion. Things like the Commander modes on D300, D700 and D3, etc., become no brainers with his easy to follow book as he references the flash and the camera settings. It's easy to understand the improvement in your pictures when you know how to control the flash on and off the camera, using diffusers and umbrellas and other techniques. If you shoot Nikon and don't really understand the flash system, or even if you think you do, you will be pleasantly surprised. I shoot with an D700, D300 and have a SB400, SB800 and SB900.