Nikon Speedlight SB-5000

£569/$597 Good on the radio, but not great

Bigger, better and more powerful than the SB-700, this is Nikon’s top-end flashgun, aimed at the professional market. It has a more powerful Gn 55 rating, a bigger 24-200mm zoom range, and a programmable repeat mode. The on-board control system is also more comprehensive. As expected, there’s the option of using an external battery pack, and TTL-BL or regular TTL modes can be selected directly.

Similar to the latest top-end Canon flashgun on test, the Nikon has built-in RF connectivity, as well as optical linking. But it’s not all good news: the Nikon only has a built-in receiver, so won’t work as an RF transmitter.

Performance

At the 105mm zoom setting, the Nikon equals the Canon 600EX II-RT and, more surprisingly, is only also matched by the diminutive Nissin flashgun.