Nikon DX Portrait Kit with AF-S DX 35MM F/1.8G & SB-700 Flash

The SB-700 Speedlight enhances your photography by providing versatile lighting options, which are crucial for portrait photography. Its i-TTL compatibility ensures accurate exposure metering, allowing you to focus on composition without worrying about manual settings. The flash's ability to bounce and swivel gives you creative control over light direction, helping to reduce harsh shadows and create flattering portraits. Additionally, the built-in diffusion panel and bounce card allow for softer light, making skin tones appear more natural.

The AF-S DX 35mm F/1.8G lens is ideal for portrait photography due to its wide aperture of f/1.8, which allows for excellent subject isolation and beautiful background blur. This lens facilitates low-light shooting, making it easier to capture portraits in various lighting conditions. Its sharp optical design, featuring an aspherical element, helps to maintain image clarity and reduce distortion, ensuring that your portraits are sharp and well-defined.

Yes, the SB-700 Speedlight can be used off-camera, particularly when employing its Commander Mode for advanced wireless lighting control. This functionality allows you to set up multiple off-camera flashes, giving you the ability to create dynamic lighting setups and control the lighting ratios between different sources. Using the flash off-camera can enhance your portraits by providing a more three-dimensional look and allowing for greater creative freedom in your lighting design.

For portrait photography with the SB-700, start by setting the flash to i-TTL mode for automatic exposure control. Experiment with bounce flash techniques by tilting the head upwards to bounce light off ceilings or walls, which softens the light. Adjust the flash exposure compensation to achieve the desired brightness, typically between -1 and +1 EV, depending on the ambient light. You can also utilise the different illumination patterns to tailor the light distribution to your composition needs.

The Super Integrated Coating applied to the AF-S DX 35mm F/1.8G lens significantly improves image quality by reducing flare and ghosting, which can occur in high-contrast lighting situations. This enhancement leads to greater contrast and more accurate colour reproduction, allowing for vibrant and true-to-life images. The coating ensures that light is transmitted effectively through the lens elements, thereby increasing overall sharpness and clarity in your portraits.

The SB-700 offers various modes, including slow sync, high-speed sync, and stroboscopic flash. Slow sync is excellent for capturing moving subjects against a nighttime background, enabling both ambient light and flash to illuminate your subject. High-speed sync is beneficial for shooting in bright conditions while using wide apertures, allowing you to freeze motion effectively. The stroboscopic mode can create unique effects by firing multiple flashes in quick succession, which can add a sense of motion to your portraits.