What does CLS refer to?

[Top]

What is meant by Creative Lighting System? What advantages does it have over regular off camera flashes?

[Kym]

Need to ask a Nikonian but I understand it to be TTL metering and wireless auto control of Nikon flashes (SB800,600,900) making lighting setup easier.

[MarkChap]

CLS is Nikons wireless off camera flash system

Creative Lighting System

[maccaroneski]

One additional advantage to those referred to by Kym is that if you have a compatible camera and speedlight (say a D90 and an SB600) then you don't need any additional hardware (triggers etc). On the downside, it effectively requires line of sight between the camera and speedlight.

[Top]

Thanks, so it is just another term for wireless system?

But how come when I ask for opinions for a YONGNUO RF-602 people tell me to get the SU-800 for the sake of CLS?

What are the differences between the two?

[Kym]

A bunch of items on the subject... Google (http://www.lmgtfy.com/?q=Creative+Lighting+System+nikon) is your friend :D

[MarkChap]

CLS will retain full TTL functionality (iTTL for Nikon ?)

RF-602 radio triggers will alloy only manual control of the flash. They will however allow a greater freedom in as much as you don't need line of site for the radio triggers.

[campo]

it effectively requires line of sight between the camera and speedlight.

When you're indoors (eg a house, not a warehouse) you can often get away without line of sight as CLS uses the infrared spectrum to trigger flashes and infrared bounces off walls etc...whilst this is not the official recommendation it is handy to know.

If you want a guaranteed firing, you'll need to use radio triggers but as MarkChap says you'll be manually setting flash levels. PocketWizard radio triggers have full eTTL for canon, but are yet to release a Nikon version...

[reaction]

I think CLS has more than just wireless and TTL. But never having used the Canon version I don't know what the extras are.

[campo]

http://www.nikonusa.com/Learn-And-Explore/Nikon-Camera-Technology/Camera-Flashes.page

[kiwi]

Basically, CLS means that the speedlight(s) work seamlessly with the metering to allow perfectly managed exposures by magic.

If you use a 3rd party flash, you can still get there, but the magic is manual

[reaction]

Basically, CLS means that the speedlight(s) work seamlessly with the metering to allow perfectly managed exposures by magic.

If you use a 3rd party flash, you can still get there, but the magic is manual

yeh, but isn't that just TTL?

[kiwi]

also the ability to manage multiple speedlights and managing from the camera or a su-800 the flash settings

[campo]

also the ability to manage multiple speedlights and managing from the camera or a su-800 the flash settings

and to elaborate further - you can even have up to 3 groups of slave speedlights in addition to the "master"

so, you could have an "unlimited" number of speedlights, each one being assigned to a specific group and you control the power of each group, in addition to the Master unit.

it's all TTL, and all right from where you are standing...wireless triggers don't do this with nikon gear (yet)

[kiwi]

Indeed, there's a video about, might have been mcnally, something like 4 banks of 10 speedlights shooting someone smashing a pumpkin up with a baseball bat

Funnily enough very soft light as the speedlights all crosslit to create a softbox effect

[reaction]

yes, but I mean don't other brands' own camera+speedlight combos do this as well? Not talking about using 3rd party stuff.

[kiwi]

Probably, but the magic aint as good so I understand

[campo]

the link below suggests it may be possible (see rotating image in top right). Can any canon shooters confirm?

http://www.usa.canon.com/dlc/controller?act=GetArticleAct&articleID=2966

Everything I've heard on the internet and also from my peers in the industry backs Kiwi's statement of "but the magic aint as good..."