Priced £499, the SB-5000’s radio control is designed to remove the need for direct line of sight between master and salve flash units, and boost reliability when shooting in bright sunlight, according to Nikon.
Nikon claims that the unit’s on-board cooling system allows more than 100 ‘rapid-fire’ shots when operated at full power.
Built to be compact, the flash weighs 420g. It tilts down to 7° or up to 90°, and rotates 180° horizontally to the left and right.
Key features also include a guide number of 34.5m at ISO 100, an FX-format zoom range of 24-200mm (14mm when using the built-in wide panel), plus three illumination patterns.
The SB-5000 is due to go on sale in March.
Press release
London, UK, 5 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 (ISO100, m), 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 420g. 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.
Simon Iddon, Head of Product Management, Nikon UK, says: “The new SB-5000 is an exciting all-round flash for pros who demand the best from their kit. Nikon is continuously proving it excels in the field of photographic creative lighting, with reliable and versatile systems. The new cooling system in this Speedlight is an example of this, as it eliminates unnecessary cuts offs and increases the number of consecutive firings, while the radio control tackles common problems like line of sight obstruction and bright sunlight. The new SB-5000 will consistently deliver, ensuring that handling the demands of being a professional photographer is easier than ever before.”
Footnote disclaimer
*The SB-5000 boasts the world’s first onboard cooling system among clip-on type compact flash units, as of December 1, 2015.
ENDS
