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Speedlights—Advanced Wireless Lighting —Digital-age flash system that highlights subjects with light and shadow

1. Illumination all around us


Indirect lighting is commonly used as interior lighting, while structures, both manmade and natural, are often illuminated.

Not only are some city structures such as skyscrapers lit up at night, but so are many of the world's natural wonders such as Niagara Falls. Illumination adds another dimension to what we see around us, whether it is manmade or natural. This is also true in our homes, where lighting has become more important than ever before and is now an essential part of interior design. Lighting not only brightens our homes but brings us peace of mind as well.

Artificial lighting in photography has also evolved.

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2. Lighting in photography

The Nikon Speedlight is a powerful flash unit that provides a variety of lighting options that are simply not possible with a built-in flash. For example, with portrait photography, direct lighting which illuminates the subject face-on can leave the subject looking flat and shallow, with skin texture often being lost (photo 1). This is why bounce flash (diagram 1) is so effective. With a Speedlight aimed at a ceiling or wall, light can be “bounced” to illuminate the subject. The results are natural-looking portraits with balanced shadow. In photo 2, bounce flash casts a soft embracing light over the sleeping baby. Bounce flash is also effective when shooting pets, which can be sensitive to sudden bursts of light. Bounce flash also works well in capturing the texture of stuffed toys. Photographers can produce more stunning images if they understand how lighting works. Bounce flash can be used to artistically highlight a subject with light and shadow.


Photo 1: Photo taken without bounce flash


Photo 2: Bounce flash softens the image


Diagram 1: How bounce flash works
Instead of directly illuminating the subject face-on, bounce flash reflects light off a ceiling or wall. By using this technique, it is possible to diffuse light so that it softly surrounds a subject's face. Photographers can take natural-looking portraits without casting unwanted shadows on backgrounds.

Auto Flash Operation*1 is the most common method to control light output. With Nikon's current Auto Flash system, a Speedlight fires a series of monitor flashes prior to shooting. A sensor in the camera measures light reflected off all objects within the frame, and this data is added to brightness data also taken within the entire frame. The results are then analyzed and light output is controlled so that the optimum balance between subject and background is achieved. This system enables even beginner photographers to take stunning shots, and without having to make complicated camera settings.

  • *1Auto Flash Operation: The light emitted by a Speedlight passes through the camera lens and is measured by a sensor in the camera. Data is sent from the camera to the Speedlight to control light output. Nikon calls this system i-TTL Auto Flash.

The Speedlight fires with the optimum light output level, which is calculated through the monitor pre-flashes.
How Nikon Auto Flash works

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3. Advanced Wireless Lighting (AWL)—Multi flash shooting for the digital age

There are times when one Speedlight unit may be not enough to achieve the desired effect. Nikon enables photographers to easily enjoy wireless multi flash shooting by combining multiple Speedlight units and a compatible digital camera that supports “Advanced Wireless Lighting (AWL)”. AWL allows photographers to control shadows so that the subject is artistically rendered with greater depth. In close-up shooting, this technique is also effective in rendering subtle texture. AWL's Commander Function*2 provides control of up to three groups of remote Speedlight units (any quantity per group). In addition, its wireless feature allows photographers to place flash units wherever they like and immediately begin shooting, leaving the camera to allocate flash output to each flash unit.

  • *2Commander function: Provides an integrated control of flash settings such as flash mode and light output for multiple remote Speedlight units. Three types are available: Speedlight, Wireless Speedlight Commander, and built-in flash type.

The master flash unit controls three remote flash unit groups (A, B and C).
How AWL works

With multiple flash shooting, subject depth is usually achieved by adjusting light from the left and right of the subject. If light from above is added, depth is further accentuated. This technique produces images with soft, natural light and greater depth from in front of the subject through to the background. It is ideal for shooting food, accessories and miniature models. Using this technique, photographers can try numerous lighting setups to find what suits them best.


With 1 flash unit: Lower part of the frame is in shadow


With 2 flash units: Bouquet is illuminated from both side


With 3 flash units: Well-balanced lighting is achieved with background illumination

In the digital photography age, when users can immediately see the results of their efforts, the Speedlight expands the enjoyment of photography by providing greater flexibility in creative lighting