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

I consider myself to be reasonably intelligent. I have a first class honours degree from a respected university and I am a keen and reasonably able amateur photographer. But the manual for my SB-800 speedlight is one of the most unhelpful documents from a front-line manufacturer I've ever seen. The manuals for their cameras aren't bad, but the document that comes with my flash is an abomination. It was only when I came across an instructional video on Youtube that I realized what I had been missing. Until now I had been using the flash on auto in the same way that one did with conventional dedicated flashes from other manufacturers, but the results had been disappointing.So it was with some desperation that I decided to shell out £13 on a book that might shed some light (pun intended) on this device. And very good it is too.Good points:A separate section for each of the three flash units, which can be read in isolation from the others. Where the information is the same for another unit, it's repeated rather than referring the reader to a common section, which makes it simple to follow the thread without interruption.Clearly written, with flash photography first principles articulated for those who need to be reminded.Many images of the control panel for each flash to show unambiguously what are the flash displays for each setting.Good advice on what settings are likely to work best in what situation.Bad points:The indexing is poor. On more than one occasion I have thought 'I remember seeing a section on something, but where is it?'. This reduces the book's suitability as a quick guide.I liked this book, and I suspect that anyone who inwardly howled with frustration at the Nikon manual will also like it. The SB-800 has a horrible user interface (from what I've seen from the section on the 900, this has been improved) and so this book is very useful to help get to grips with the multiple steps necessary to make the thing do what you want it to do. Unfortunately, to be able to work efficiently with this flash, I'm going to have to practise with it, until I have the motions fixed in my head (all those double-button pushes, and buttons that have multiple functions depending on the day of the week, or something) but at least I have the book to refer to.At the full undiscounted price it is overpriced, in my opinion; £13 is just about the upper limit for its value, but I am pleased that I bought it.

This is an excellent book. It is aimed squarely at users of the SB600, SB-800 and SB-900 and R1C1 flash units.Previous books on this subject have had a preponderance of general advice about flash photography. This book deals with the detail of getting the best from the flash units listed. Each flash is given a section of its own and the text and pictures go into close detail about its operations-down to the "What does this button do?" level. This is not to say that it is for novices: I am a professional photographer, have used Nikon flash gear for 20 years, and found a ton of stuff I didn't know.The only slight criticism I have is the somewhat down-home, jokey nature of the text in some places. It never gets seriously annoying, but it does grate a little.So, if you own any of the flash units with which it deals, then I would recommend this book most highly as a way of improving your knowledge of the units and hence improving your flash photography

I was playing around with the idea of updating my flash, having recently bought a Nikon D300s, which left my earlier flash behind. This book gave me a huge amount of information about the CLS, and completely convinced me that this was the way to go. Unfortunately, the book had been published befroe the SB700 was available, so some of the information was out of date. However, there is really no great problem in interpolation, and the book has been a great help in learning how to use CLS, and the SB700.Would have been five stars, but four is right until an update.

The Nikon Creative Lighting System is probably the best flash system available for any of the main camera brands, but the instruction manuals are probably the worst. If you own any of the flashguns named in the title and have found that, despite reading the instruction book from cover to cover, you are still in the dark (ho ho) then this book should set you right. It's published by the Nikonians organisation and is thorough, clear and knowledgeable. The illustrations in the book are pretty dire but this is not a book about lighting technique (try Hicks and Schultz's books for that) but a book explaining how to use Nikon flash guns. I've found it invaluable.

For me the book was helpful I have had over forty years experience at photography very little of this using a flash I bought a Sb 900 to go on my D3 for me the book went into more detail than the manual and had a lot of information for beginners and experienced flashers In no way is this a copy of the manual also as a ex printer I thought the book was well laid out and printed as for the pictures they are good enough for the author to make his point

Arrived last week and I have had a fumble through it. It seems well laid out to me, its a much better accompaniment that Nikon's User Manual.Looking forward to getting stuck into it in depth.

Gave me the information I required. Will be of great help as a reference book in future. Helped me choose the flashgun I needed.

Excellent manual on Nikon flashgun useWell worth the price