Nikon SB-5000

Creative lighting with fewer limits

To us, the arrival of Nikon's new radio control Advanced Wireless Lighting System looks like the start of something big — wireless flash control that's not dependent on line-of-sight. The near-total flash placement freedom of a radio control system gives you more creative lighting options than ever.

The SB-5000 is Nikon's first Speedlight to offer this radio control system. With a compatible DSLR (Nikon D5 or D500 as of January 2016 — look for more compatible camera models to be released in the future), a WR-A10 wireless remote adapter and WR-R10 wireless remote controller (both units sold separately), you can control up to six groups of SB-5000 Speedlights from anywhere at all within 98 feet, even from another room.

The SB-5000 also offers traditional optical wireless control, so it can be used with any combination of Nikon DSLRs or Speedlights without radio control. You can even mix optical wireless control flash groups with radio control flash groups to get the most out of all your gear.

Keeps cool under pressure

The SB-5000 is also the first Speedlight with Nikon's innovative hot-shoe mount flash cooling system. The Speedlight's highly efficient heat-shedding design allows more than 100 consecutive flash firings at full output without overheating. As Nikon puts it, "great shots don't wait for a flash to be ready, and neither should you."

What are you waiting for?

If the above-listed innovations weren't enough to get your drool reflexes going, Nikon's flagship SB-5000 Speedlight also features a smaller form factor with intuitive, easy-to-find controls and quick access to your most frequently used settings and functions. When using radio control with a compatible DSLR, you can adjust flash settings right from the camera's menu. What can't you do with a lighting system that affords so much creative freedom? We dare you to find out.