Nikon's Creative Lighting System is AMAZING

I've been a keen amateur photographer for 35 years and have always been uncomfortable using flash light. Until now.
Flash often meant hit-and-miss results, poor exposure, ghost-like flesh tones, horrid colours, stark shadows, not to mention red-eye. But this changed when I started using a Speedlight SB-800 on my D200... consistent balanced exposure and great colour. But that's just the start of it. Using the D200 as controller of multiple Speedlights opens up a whole new world in photographic lighting. Admittedly the apparent complexity of using multiple Speedlights is, at first, rather daunting! Here Simon Stafford's Magic Lantern Guide"Nikon AF Speedlight Flash System" is helpful. I've added 2 SB-600s to my Speedlight system. I set each Speedlight to"remote", use the SB-800 as key light, one SB-600 as fill, and one SB-600 to light the background. Then all the control is from the camera. In the D200 menu the exposure value of the Speedlights can be dialled up/down in 1/3 ev steps. All TTL-metering and, of course, wireless. After one practise shot it's easy to dial-in the required values and then it's plain sailing... shot-after-shot perfectly exposed with great shadows and wonderful flesh tones. Use bounced light, different positioning/configuration of Speedlights, diffusion dome, coloured gel filters ... all is factored-in by the system to give astonishing results. A veritable portable studio!
Note: I found that while Nikon's user manuals explain the use of each component of the CLS, I had to search around to find a clear & simple explanation of how to use multiple Speedlights! Nikonians.org has an article entitled"Nikon D200 and Nikon's Creative Lighting System" which is most helpful.

Great bit of Kit

I have looked at the other reviews for this product and agree entirely. It is light, couldn't be easier to use, and has improved pictures from my D50 in all kinds of conditions, indoors and out. If the popup flash on your camera isn't doing the job and you don't want to spend a hefty wedge of cash on a big complex flash that will probably be used once then sit in a draw for the next ten years buy this one and you will end up carrying it around all the time!

The Nikon Su-4 Slave Flash Review

This is an excellent simple to use piece of equipment. It features a rotating base for the flash unit and a light sensor on a swivelling barrel allowing great freedom of placement for the secondary flash. A diffuser for the built-in flash of the Nikon D50 allows a softer light emisson although the SU-4 is at its best with the SB 800 as the master unit and the SB 600 mounted on the Su-4 itself. Although the SB800 and SB600 flash units feature the TTL integrated lighting system the Su-4 takes all the hard work away from adding a second or third flash unit

Nikon SK-7 Flash Bracket

Mounting a Nikon flashgun above the camera using the accessory shoe is convienient but gives very poor modelling, whereas mounting it slightly to the side, and even better, slightly above the lens with the SK-7, gives much better modelling.

The SK-7 is a handy little gadget for supporting either the SU-4 unit (for remote control), the SC-17 unit (for film cameras) or a SC-28/SC-29 unit (for digital cameras) AND AN APPROPIATE FLASHGUN, to the side of the camera.

Every kit bag should have one!

Better than anything released since

This flashgun went on the market in the late 1980s, but I would be hard pressed to find one that I'd prefer to use with my Coolpix 5700. A guide number of 28 means that the range can be up to 10m (with aperture 2.8) away from the subject. The Speedlight works with the vast majority of Nikon cameras, takes 4 AA batteries (I use Uniross 2000 mAh rechargeables), and is good for over 200 flashes before changing the battery. It recycles for me in less than five seconds at full battery.