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Best Flash for Nikon D850 [2023 Review]

In: 
Published: 31/05/2023

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The Nikon D850 has an excellent build, image processor, and resolution, which are ideal features for real estate photography. However, it lacks a full power built-in flash and optical low pass filter for real professional lighting performance. For this reason, I'm giving you options to find the best flash for Nikon D850 with full-power flashes.

My Top Flash for Nikon D850 Reviews

After testing several advanced wireless lighting flashes, the moderately compact flash unit of the Nikon SB-700 AF Speedlight won the top spot as the best flash for the Nikon D850 because of its fast recycle time, curtain sync, full power pops, high-speed sync, cooling system, and illumination patterns that can record detailed imagery.

Best Overall
Brand:
Nikon SB-700 AF Speedlight
Best Third Party
Brand:
Godox V860II-S TTL
Best for the Money
Brand:
Neewer NW561 Flash
Recycle Time:
2.5 sec
Recycle Time:
1.5 sec
Recycle Time:
0.1-5 sec
Batteries:
4 AA batteries
Batteries:
2000mAh lithium battery
Batteries:
4 AA batteries
4.6
4.5
4.4
Best Overall
Brand:
Nikon SB-700 AF Speedlight
Recycle Time:
2.5 sec
Batteries:
4 AA batteries
4.6
Best Third Party
Brand:
Godox V860II-S TTL
Recycle Time:
1.5 sec
Batteries:
2000mAh lithium battery
4.5
Best for the Money
Brand:
Neewer NW561 Flash
Recycle Time:
0.1-5 sec
Batteries:
4 AA batteries
4.4

Nikon SB-700 Speedlight Flash

Nikon improved the weather-sealing and optional battery grip for the D850, making the camera perfect for exterior shoots. By pairing it with high-speed sync of the Nikon SB-700 AF Speedlight, you would gain complete control over your creative lighting system and ensure correct exposure across the zoom coverage ranges.

Aside from having a remote control switch, the lightweight handling of this swinging flash head would help you efficiently move across spaces or interiors.

As this LED video light fully supports TTL functions, the flexible control options and rotating head of this moderately compact flash unit would give you versatility in programming the settings within the zoom range and front and rear curtain sync.

A superb cooling system, a fast recycle time of 2.5 seconds, and curtain sync let you shoot at slow shutter speeds.

Nikon SB-700 Speedlight Flash
Best Overall
Nikon SB-700 Speedlight Flash
4.6
Pros:
  • Fast recycle time of 2.5 seconds
  • Curtain sync lets you shoot at slow shutter speeds
  • A combination of a rotating head and remote control switch is perfect for bouncing light when using tilt-shift lenses
  • Compatible with the Nikon i-TTL and has an impressive zoom range of 24-120mm with flash value lock and illumination patterns
Cons:
  • Requires switching to spot metering to use i-TTL
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Godox V860II-S TTL

The beginner-friendly functions, built-in wireless transmission, high-speed sync, and flash exposure lock of the Godox V860II-S TTL Flash will make a good optical TTL slave for the Nikon D850.

Even if you shoot using a short shutter speed, the 650 full power pops of this high-quality flash can compete with the bright sunlight.

The automatic flash exposure compensation and flash exposure lock enable you to focus on controlling the shooting settings of the D850 within the zoom range.

Godox V860II-S TTL
Best Third Party
Godox V860II-S TTL
4.5
Pros:
  • Features Nikon i-TTL support with flash exposure compensation and high-speed curtain sync for shooting outdoors in sunny conditions
  • Transmitter lets you modify exposure parameters
Cons:
  • Controls are not intuitive enough
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Neewer NW561 Flash

With the absence of a built-in and high-quality flash, you would need to spend on advanced wireless lighting. For a cost-friendly flash head with curtain sync, the Neewer NW561 Flash gives a powerful light output across the zoom coverage ranges for shooting real estate photos.

Compared to a round zoom head design, the swinging flash head is helpful if your D850 doesn't have a hot-shoe. At second curtain sync for slower shutter speeds, this mode would let you fire the flash when it detects light from other speedlights in a creative lighting system.

At 2.9 seconds, it has a slower recycling time than the SB-700. However, its cooling system enables you to make consecutive full-power flashes.

Neewer NW561 Flash
Best for the Money
Neewer NW561 Flash
4.4
Pros:
  • Stable color temperature and illumination patterns over the entire power range
  • Vertical and horizontal tilting for on and off-camera use for illuminating small spaces
  • Full power, wide zoom range, and built-in wireless transmission across the zoom range
Cons:
  • It doesn't have a TTL capability and Nikon i-TTL support, so you would need to modify the speedlight strength manually
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Yongnuo YN-560 IV

Another option for the best Nikon D850 flash is the Yongnuo YN-560 IV Flash. With its long-range manual and auto modes and powerful ISO capacity, you can easily modify the illumination patterns for a zoom range between 24 and 105 mm.

In low light situations, the YN-560 IV provides control advanced wireless lighting with its high ISO capacity and the ability to control other flashes across the zoom coverage ranges.

As opposed to the round head zoom design of the SB-700, this flash head with a second curtain sync can automatically save your current settings.

Yongnuo YN-560 IV
Yongnuo YN-560 IV
4.6
Pros:
  • Fast recycle time and full power pops that's ideal for fast-paced shoots
  • Geat cooling system offers multi-mode for multiple consecutive flashes with high-speed sync over the entire power range
  • At full power, it can produce brighter images, especially if you bounce the flash against a white wall
Cons:
  • Doesn't provide Nikon i-TTL support
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Read up on the top Yongnuo flashes for Nikon cameras in my comprehensive guide.

Yongnuo YN968N

The Yongnuo YN968N Flash is another third-party flash that works great with the wide sensor of the Nikon D850. With its pull-out diffuser, curtain sync, and flash value lock, you can expand the coverage for wide-angle lenses.

Due to a full-frame sensor, the Nikon D850 is also suitable for shooting videos. You can pair it with the YN968N's powerful guide number for you to use a wide range of ISO values.

In addition, the D850 has a powerful flash control mode across the zoom range, which makes the light from flash enter the camera through the lens using an automatically calculated output for rear curtain sync and across the zoom coverage ranges.

With the addition of an exemplary wireless connection, you can easily navigate at short distances while having a powerful LED video light.

YONGNUO YN968N Speedlite
YONGNUO YN968N Speedlite
4.4
Pros:
  • High powered LED light that you can adjust the brightness easily
  • High-quality flash that is compatible with Nikon Cameras
Cons:
  • Slow recycle time of 3 seconds at maximum power
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Godox Thinklite TTL TT685N

For experienced real estate photographers, the quick recycling time and high-speed sync of the Godox Thinklite TTL TT685N Flash makes it the best flash for shooting faster.

While this Godox flash doesn't have a studio strobe power, the transmitter still provides several off-camera flash options, high-speed curtain sync, and full support for Nikon i-TTL.

At full power, you can shoot with a softbox or umbrella to add bounce light.

Godox Thinklite TTL TT685N
Godox Thinklite TTL TT685N
4.6
Pros:
  • Boasts superb image quality because of the spherical elements and full power pops
  • Auto and manual coverage for both wide-angle and zoom lenses
  • Fully supports TTL functions for control advanced wireless lighting
Cons:
  • Uses a screw-down clamp for the hot shoe instead of a lever.
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Conclusion

While the Nikon D850 already provides excellent image quality, its built-in flash isn't reliable. You can achieve real professional lighting performance by pairing it with any of the recommended flashes above. Make sure that the features would suit your real estate photography style. You can also read up on the best lens for the Nikon D850.

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