Update January 2010: I’ve revisited this topic following my switch to Nikon, and the newer posts gives a more “concrete” comparison.
Neil Van Niekerk has just written a very interesting comparison between Canon and Nikon flash systems. Neil’s a very experienced TTL flash user, and uses both Nikon and Canon extensively, so there’s really no better person to discuss the subject.
His conclusion is that for on camera TTL (including bounced flash) the systems are just different. That’s all.
We often hear that Nikon’s flash system is better than Canon’s and being the curious fellow that I am I’ve tried many times in the past to get to the bottom of this question by searching the net. Until now I’ve never seen a decent comparison – probably due to the fact that there are so few people who are intimately acquainted with both systems.
I personally use Canon’s ETTL-II flash extensively, and I’ve never had an issue with it. It’s always worked extremely well for me. Clearly understanding the system is key to getting good results in either case.
However, I was very interested to note Niel’s thoughts concerning the better ease of use of Nikon’s off-camera TTL, so I took a peek at the SB-900 manual…
Here’s my own feature comparison based purely on reading the Nikon manual, my own experience with Canon, and the things that are important to my own use of flash.
Initial impressions
I certainly like the way that the SB-900 presents the information to the photographer, and I also like the way that the system allows the photographer to have total control over each flash group independently (for example, placing one group in TTL and another in manual). It seems easy to understand, and certainly slightly easier to grasp for someone new to off-camera TTL flash than Canon’s user interface.
Full TTL
In a full TTL situation the two systems are very different. With Nikon you control the flash exposure compensation of each flash group independently whereas with Canon you control the overall flash exposure and then the ratio between the A/B groups. Nikon’s approach is easy to understand. If Canon has an advantage here it’s that its very quick to change the ratio (and thus the output of two groups at once) with the simple turn of a dial – and this is something that I do all the time. It seems to me that the Nikon flash system would require me to alter each group in turn to achieve the same thing which may be less efficient.
In practice however I assume that both systems simply require the photographer to adapt. Like for Niel’s conclusions regarding on-camera TTL, I think that the systems are simply different – not really better or worse. In this case they’re so different that I can imagine that frequently switching between them would require an uncomfortable amount of mental gymnastics. However for those of us that use one system all the time I don’t think that there’s really an advantage to either approach. They both have their advantages and disadvantages, and they’re both so advanced as to excel in the right hands.
Mixed TTL/Manual
Where Nikon’s approach shines is in its flexibility. The ability to mix manual flash groups with TTL groups at will is extremely nice.
The most common usage scenario for this would be to use manual flash to light a stationary background object, and TTL for the moving subject. With Canon the nearest we can get is to use group C for the background. This group fires under ETTL independently of the A:B ratio, however since it’s ETTL it may change slightly between shots.
Nikon wins here.
Full Manual
The final scenario is that of full manual flash control of all groups via the master, and in this respect the two systems offer the same level of control, so there’s no winner.
Other differences
There are a couple of other small things that swing in Nikon’s favour. The most obvious one is the ability to use the pop-up flash as a commander. The second one is that the on-camera flash is in a group of its own (under Canon’s system it belongs to group A) thus there are four groups rather than just three; nevertheless I’m not sure how useful that is in practise.
Conclusion
Nikon’s flash system is perhaps a little more flexible for advanced users, however both systems are so well refined that the difference shouldn’t be blown out of proportion.
As for the all important flash exposure calculation, I’ve never had any issues with Canon – and I note that Neil didn’t bring up and issues either….
In your “full TTL” model, the Nikon system can work the same way you describe the Canon system — if you’re using the SU-800 as a commander. There’s a little switch in the battery compartment, which you set to either two-channel or three-channel mode.
In two-channel mode, you adjust the ratio rather than adjusting each group separately. In three-channel mode, you adjust each channel separately as you describe. But I don’t think you can do the thing you describe under “Mixed TTL/Manual” — if you’re in two-channel mode so you can adjust the ratio, then I don’t think you can have a third group.
So as you say — they’re similar, but different.
I haven’t used an SB-800 or SB-900 as a commander, so I don’t know whether the two-channel ratio-adjusting mode is available with them.
Thanks for the precisions Mark.
“There are a couple of other small things that swing in Nikon’s favour. The most obvious one is the ability to use the pop-up flash as a commander.”
I believe the new Canon 7D can now do the same thing. (realizing you wrote this in April and I’m replying in October). Which, given Canon’s product cycle, means it should only be a matter of a few short years before its available in all their bodies.
My Kameras: Nikon D700 and two Canon 5DII. My Flashs, 3x Nikon SB900, 1x Nikon Sb600 and 2x Canon Speedlite 580EX. I find, Canon Flash have more power, but the Nikon Flash verry verry fast – superb sharpness with Nikon Flashs (1/2 = 1/6000sek) I can shoot with Nikon Flahs with 1/1000 Sek. This is true! Test it! Canon Speedlite maximum 1/200 Sek. I love the Nikon Flashs. Regards from Cologne, Dirk
Hi,
Canons have FP flash too – up to 1/8000 IIRC.
Tim
I only have a D70s and a SB600, and I’m quite beginner using the flash. But shooting in commander mode is just amazing! The flash unit “feels” the light of the camera flash even if you put your hand on the sensor, or try to “hide” the flash unit from the camera’s “visibility”. It just works, and this is fantastic!
Nikon offers the best flashsystem on the market. Ask McNally he will tell you the same. Period.
Period? Without room for discussion?
I’m sure that Joe McNally would argue that the Nikon system is excellent, which it is, however I very much doubt that Joe McNally would make such a categoric claim, especially since he doesn’t use both systems.
I’m not sure which “flashsystem market” you’re referring to, but I can tell you that I can do things with my Profotos that I can’t do with my Nikon flashes, and visa-versa.
If you’re really just comparing Nikon vs. Canon then you’ve been blinkered – both systems are excellent. I would indeed give the slight edge to Nikon, but to dismiss Canon so off-handedly is an error. In the hands of a comptetant photographer both systems will give great results.