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Best Flash for Nikon D7100 [2023 Review]

In: 
Published: 13/03/2023

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The Nikon D7100 is a top-rated DSLR camera from the Nikon lineup that continues to grow in popularity among photographers. The Nikon D7100 offers an exhilarating new level of image quality, speed, connectivity, and creativity. In this article, I are going to help you choose the best flash for Nikon D7100 that can keep up with all its amazing features.  

My Top Nikon D7100 Flash Reviews 

This article will look at the best flash for your Nikon D7100, considering the price points, available features, and other information about various flash sets. Although there are many reliable flashes on the market, the following have proven to be powerful and affordable, making them suitable for real estate photographers.

 
Brand:
Nikon SB-5000
 
Brand:
SB-500
 
Brand:
Nissin I600
Batteries Required:
4 AA batteries
Batteries Required:
2 AA batteries
Batteries Required:
4 AA batteries
Item Weight:
14.9 ounces
Item Weight:
8 ounces
Item Weight:
10.6 ounces
4.4
4.6
4.0
Brand:
Nikon SB-5000
Batteries Required:
4 AA batteries
Item Weight:
14.9 ounces
4.4
Brand:
SB-500
Batteries Required:
2 AA batteries
Item Weight:
8 ounces
4.6
Brand:
Nissin I600
Batteries Required:
4 AA batteries
Item Weight:
10.6 ounces
4.0

D7100: SB-5000

The Nikon SB-5000 flash is one of the most sophisticated flashes for real estate photographers. It is the best shoe-mounted flash with a cooling system and a heat shedding system which efficiently vents heat allowing for up to 100 full-power flashes in a row.

Nikon SB-5000 AF Speedlight

The flash is completely congruent with Nikon's i-TTL automated exposure technology featuring a strong guide number of 113’ at ISO 100 and 35mm. SB-5000 introduces powerful radio control Advanced Wireless Lighting compatible with DSLR that allows the flash and camera to handle six sets of flashes wirelessly.

The SB-5000 features a 24-200mm zoom head that can be expanded over 14mm using the use of the incorporated panel screen. SB-5000's tiny footprint makes it easier to find commonly used settings like Flash Mode, Flash Compensation Value and Zoom Head Position.

For bounce capabilities, the top inclines from -7 to +90 degrees and rotates right and left at 180 degrees.  Slow, high-speed, 1st, and 2nd curtain choices all allow full sync mode. The flash is powered by four AA batteries and also features a rapid recycling time of 1.8-2.6 sec.  The biggest disadvantage of this flash is that it is heavy, and it is expensive when compared to the similar SB 500.

Nikon SB-5000 AF Speedlight
4.4
Pros:
  • Compatible with other i-TTL flashes such as SB-700
  • It has 24-200mm zoom with a 14mm panel
  • It has a good build quality to easily carry around
Cons:
  • Much more expensive than any other Nikon flashes
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SB-500

The Nikon SB-500 features a 24/78.7 guide number at ISO 100 which means it isn't as strong as SB-5000, yet it's still a powerful flash that can be used as a commander to activate other flashes. It covers a 24 mm or 16 mm lens' field of vision.

Nikon 4814 SB-500 AF Speedlight (Black)

The SB-500's flash head can tilt 90 degrees upward and rotate straight at 180 degrees to the right and left to reduce artificial shadowing. The flash has Nikon Creative Lighting System such as Modeling flash, i-TTL technology which manages the flash color information communication. 

You can also use the Nikon SB-500 as a master flash or as a remote flash since it features Advanced Wireless Lighting. You'll never run out of power with the SB-500 since it runs on Ni-MH and AA-size alkaline batteries that are widely accessible. Compared to the SB-5000 flash, the total weight of the Speedlight is significantly reduced.

The SB-500 flash is an effective and efficient LED flash for DSLR users in either FX or DX formats. The recycling duration is relatively inadequate at 3.5 seconds because of its restricted power supply of two AA-size batteries. 

Nikon 4814 SB-500 AF Speedlight (Black)
4.6
Pros:
  • Because of its small size, your flash will fit easily into your camera bag
  • With the built-in LED light, you can highlight your video recordings
  • The SB 500 is lightweight hence easy to carry
Cons:
  • The flash will run out of batteries faster than conventional flash units because it only requires two
  • Lacks manual controls
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Nissin I600

To enable for bounce flash from numerous angles, the Nissin I600 head inclines up to 90 degrees and spins horizontally 180 degrees in each direction. By moving the selection dial to the preferred slave mode, Manual or TTL, the Nissin I600 may also be used for more creative off-camera illumination.

Nissin I600

The Nissin I600 features a robust metal hot shoe that ensures a secure connection to cameras. Even in bright ambient light, the built-in high-speed sync capability offers shutter speeds up to 1/8000s, making it excellent for open aperture photographs.

This flash is operated by four AA batteries which last for 220-1500 flashes and has a recycle period of between 0.1 and 5.5 seconds, depending on the output utilized which is slow compared to the SB-500. For optimal battery and product lifespan, this flash also has overheated protection and an energy-saving mode. However; because the flash consumes batteries more quickly, users are encouraged to use rechargeable batteries.

Full manual control and a variety of preset settings are also available on the Nissin I600 to help you get the perfect lighting arrangement. You can choose from first and second curtain synchronization, high-speed synchronization, slow-speed synchronization, or red-eye reduction modes, as well as power settings ranging from 1/1 to 1/256.

Nissin I600
4.0
Pros:
  • It is a powerful flash device with intuitive controls and many accessories available
  • With 4 AA batteries, it's powerful and still has a long battery life
  • It has got user-friendly controls that can be used by inexperienced photographers
Cons:
  • It’s rather heavy for a flash this price
  • The flash has a low recycling time, unlike the SB 5000, which means you’ll have to wait longer between shots
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Features to Consider in a Flash for Nikon D7100

There are plenty of compatible flashes for the Nikon D7100, but only a few can help you shoot amazing photos. If you want to make sure you buy an option that offers a new level of image quality, speed, and connectivity; there are a few things to consider when choosing a flash for your Nikon D7100.

Comparing Flashes for Nikon D7100

FlashGuide NumberRecycle Time (Seconds)Dimension (Inches)
Nikon SB-5000 113’ at ISO 100 and 35mm1.8-2.62.87 x 5.39 x 4.07
Nikon SB-500 79’ at ISO 1003.56.93 x 3.43 x 4.57
Nissin 1600 60’ at ISO 100 and 200mm1.7-3.04.41 x 2.87 x 3.86
Hand holding a flash for Nikon cameras

Guide Numbers

A flash guide number essentially indicates how far the light can go when the camera is set to its best settings. The flash with a higher guide number would be able to illuminate subjects that are farther apart. For example, the Nikon SB 600 has a high guide number of 30/98 and the SB 700 has a guide number of 28/98 hence a higher guide number.

Through the Lens (TTL)

TTL is defined as an automatic flash mode. The flash's initial burst of light is calculated to determine the best exposure settings automatically. The Nikon SB 700 has TTL mode compared to Yongnuo YN560 IV which has only the manual mode. 

Tilting

One of the big advantages of flashes is that they can easily be bounced.  The more a flash head rotates, the more bouncing possibilities you'll get. To further eliminate background shadows and allow for innovative light modulation, the SB 600 head rotates 270 degrees and tilts 90 degrees.

Wireless Control

Many newer flash units come with built-in wireless capability, so you won't need an adapter to use the flash off-camera. The SB 600, for example, has a wireless mode that greatly expands its capabilities, allowing you to apply light from various angles or use several flashes to achieve different results.

High Speed Sync

Most flashes would have a few sync modes, such as rear curtain and slow sync, to choose from. This flash mode fires bursts of light indefinitely, allowing you to use a shutter speed faster than the camera's flash sync (typically 1/250). The SB 700 features high-speed sync, which allows you to sync the flash to shutter speeds up to your camera's maximum shutter speed.

Recycling Time

The flash recycle speed shows how easily the flash can be reactivated. The flash recycle pace is critical to remember if you shoot a lot of action. The Nikon SB 600 has a high recycling time of approximately 3.5 seconds.

Flash Zoom 

Hot shoe flashes have a zoom feature to prevent illuminating areas of the scene that aren't being photographed. Light is scattered out to the sides on a high angle setting, but the light is diverted in a tighter fashion on a telephoto setting, meaning no light is lost out to the sides.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can You Use a Flash in Outdoor Photography?

Normally, camera flashes are designed to be used in low-light scenarios. However, there are scenarios where you might need to use a flash in daylight, especially around 11 am or 3 pm when your subject might have a shadow behind. Using a flash will help to eliminate the shadow.

Does the Nikon D7100 have TTL?

Yes, the Nikon D7100 has TTL. Using TTL, the camera and the flash can effectively communicate to establish the ideal exposure that balances both the subject and the ambient light.

On Nikon D7100, How Do I Set Standard TTL?

The flash mode setting on the Nikon D7100 is automatically switched depending on how the camera's metering is mounted. When spot metering is enabled, the camera defaults to Standard TTL.

Conclusion

If you want to capture good photographs all of the time, you'll need to acquire a separate flash to meet these requirements. With one of these flashes for the Nikon D7100, you can make the most out of your camera, even in low light conditions.

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