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Yongnuo flashes are some of the best third party flashes for Nikon cameras and the brand offers a wide range of flashes for Nikon DSLRs. However, with the great number of models available in the market, it’s hard to choose just one that’s right for you. In this article I will help you choose the best Yongnuo flash for your Nikon camera.
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The following Yongnuo flashes are designed to work with Nikon DSLR cameras. If you own one of these cameras, investing in a high-quality flash will give you more control and power while taking pictures. In the world of
The Yongnuo 968 II TTL is one of the most expensive Yongnuo flashes in the market. It boasts of the ability to handle HSS (High-Speed Sync) at 1/8000. Other lenses like the YN560IV don’t have HSS, which makes it an inferior option to this one. HSS will allow you to shoot midday in full sun with no shadows interfering with your work.
This flash features inbuilt i-TTL support for on-camera use that helps in communicating with the camera and deciding what zoom to be used and how much power to put out. It also has a guide number of 197’ at 200mm and ISO 100. This is a high amount of power that will serve you well in your work.
It is powered using four AA batteries, and can also be powered externally. It has USB ports for triggering. You can use it off-camera using Yongnuo triggers. The flash head rotates 360 degrees and tilts from -7 degrees to 150 degrees. This helps you to bounce off the light as you wish and take amazing shots.
A bright and powerful LED light powers this Yongnuo flash, which can be easily modified for different brightness levels. It also has a diffuser and a color transfer filter built-in. These features alone make it a fantastic flash, but it also comes with a manual control monitor that allows you to have even more direct control of how it affects your
The YONGNUO YN560 IV is the most versatile Yongnuo flash in the market. It is a manual flash, unlike the YN968N II TTL. It has a guide number of 190’, seven stops lower than the YN968N II TTL which has a guide number of 197’.
It runs on four AA batteries as well. It tilts from -7° to 90° and a 270° rotation. It has a recycle time of 3 seconds, which matches the YN968N II TTL. This is an impressive feature considering you get to purchase it for a cheaper price.
The flash has a wireless transmitter and receiver which makes it ideal when you need to use many flash sets. It also has a 2.4Ghz radio transmitter capable of transmitting up to a distance of 328’ to trigger other flashes. The Yongnuo 560 IV has 3 groups and 16 channels to assist you in grouping flashes in the same group for easier control of power output.
One set of batteries will last for about 1500 flashes. The optical triggering range is 66-82’ for indoors and 33-49’ for outdoors. It has an audible sounds indicator that goes on depending on the status the flash is in.
If you're looking for a solution that can work with a variety of cameras, this choice is compatible with Nikon cameras. A built-in wireless controller makes it a flexible choice, allowing you to monitor up to three groups of flashes with ease. It has a high light output, allowing you to keep a tight grip on your subject.
With a guide number of 190′ at ISO 100 and 105mm, the YN560-IV is a strong camera. With a zoom range of 24-105mm, which can be extended to 18mm with the built-in wide-angle diffuser, the device is also very versatile. This performance can also be modified in 1/3 and 1/2 EV steps from 1/1 to 1/128 power.
The YONGNUO YN560-III has a guide number of 190’, the equivalent of YN560IV. It has a 2.4Ghz receiver. This one doesn’t have a transmitter as the YN560IV does. It therefore cannot trigger another flash. It can be triggered using the following triggers; YN560TX, RF-603, and RF-602.
This flash comes with a hot shoe for normal on-camera use. The optical trigger range for this flash is 66-82' indoors or 33-49' outdoors, which is the same as the YN560IV. It has a large LCD screen for viewing and adjusting the settings. The LCD screen has a light button that lights up to help you see the LCD display when in dark spaces.
The YN560-III is an AA-powered Speedlight that is optimized for convenience rather than absolute color accuracy. The output can be adjusted in 1/3-stop increments from maximum power to 1/128. The zoom head has a range of 24–105mm and a flip-down diffuser panel.
Due to the locking flash head's -7 to 90° tilt and 270° rotation, full bounce and swivel lighting are possible. For easier off-camera firing, the flash can also be activated optically with instant sync or skip pre-flash options. The flash's connectivity is further enhanced by a built-in PC sync port, and a Multi mode allows for stroboscopic lighting effects.
The Yongnuo YN560 III also has a built-in radio, which is useful for those who don't want to get tangled up in cables. Other features include a backlit LCD screen that allows users to easily adjust settings. Another flaw is the lack of remote control functionality. Many people prefer this feature because of the long shots and different angles of visualization it provides.
The Yongnuo YN720 Lithium is a good build quality flash option, for those who don’t prefer TTL functionality. The YN720 is powered by a high-capacity 2000mAh lithium-ion battery, which allows it to recycle in 1.5 seconds at full power and fire up to 750 times per charge.
A 2.4 GHz wireless transceiver is built into it, allowing it to be shot remotely from up to 328 feet away or used as a master to monitor the mode and output of compatible flashes. It can also be used as an optical slave in multi-flash setups that don't need radio transmission. The Speedlight has a zoom range of 20 to 200mm and can be modified to have a 14mm panel if a wider spread is needed.
The YN720 has a 6-group flash control feature as a master control unit, allowing remote control of flash mode, flash output, focal length, stroboscopic times, and stroboscopic frequency on the YN720/YN685/YN560 III/YN560 IV/YN660.
The Yongnuo flash is equipped with a large dot matrix screen that makes the interface display simple and straightforward making the operation easier. The flash shows the battery's remaining power in real-time, allowing the user to quickly determine the battery's status. After being idle for an extended period of time, the product enters sleep mode or powers off automatically.
Nikon cameras are famous due to their high sensor sensitivity and good performance in poor lighting. However, you might still require to boost their performance when shooting in dimly-lit by pairing them with a flash.
The features below can help you choose a Yongnuo flash that is compatible with the Nikon camera model you are using. The table below provides a comparison between the features of these flashes.
| Flashes | Guide Number | Zoom Range | Recycle Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yongnuo 968N II TTL | 197’ at ISO 100 and 200mm | 20-200mm | 3 |
| Yongnuo 560 IV | 190’ at ISO 100 and 105mm | 24-105mm | 3 |
| Yongnuo YN560 III | 190’ at ISO 100 and 105mm | 24-105mm | 3 |
| Yongnuo YN720 | 60’ at ISO 100 and 200mm | 20-200mm | 1.5 |
Most Nikon cameras come with a built-in flash that is powerful enough to illuminate a nearby subject and capture sharp and bright photos. The main reason you might opt for a third-party flash, such as the Yongnuo YN560 III, is the flexibility limitation.
Keeping in mind that the built-in flash mostly pops up on the top of the camera body, it illuminates the direction the camera is facing. Usually, this is a limitation as you might not want to directly illuminate the subject to avoid flares or hard shadows.
When shopping for a third-party flash, consider getting one with a versatile head that allows you to rotate or tilt depending on the direction you want the light to go. For instance, when shooting interior photos, you can make the flash face the ceiling and then bounce the light off the ceiling.
For the flash to generate a burst of light, it requires energy, which usually comes from AA or lithium-ion batteries. Just like the camera batteries, flash batteries differ in capacity and power rating. Since the flash is meant to illuminate the subject when shooting, if the flash battery dies before the camera battery dies, the camera is unusable.
Before buying a flash, ensure its battery life matches that of the Nikon camera. For instance, if the Nikon camera battery has a rating of around 600 shots on a full charge, consider getting a flash with a battery life of around 700 flashes per charge, such as the Yongnuo YN20 Lithium.
This ensures the camera will shoot until its battery dies before the flash battery dies. However, note that the power consumption varies depending on the application. For instance, a longer subject distance that requires more flash power can make the battery die faster.
Some Nikon cameras do not come with a built-in flash, so you might need an external flash even if you don't want to change the direction of light. Generally, you will be looking for a flash you can mount on the camera and use on the go, just like a built-in flash.
When shopping for a flash, check whether you can mount it on the camera. For example, the Yongnuo 560 III comes with a hot shoe that allows you to mount it on the camera and use it as a normal flash.
Like most camera flashes, the Yongnuo flash lasts between 1/20000 when used at low power and 1/400 at full power. It is advisable that you use a flash that gives LED light, such as the Yongnuo 968N II TTL, which is much better and more durable than incandescent flashes.
Generally, you will need a bounce light or pop light to fill in the shadow of the subject when shooting a portrait image in a dim area. It is also advisable that you angle the camera flash to avoid the illumination from hitting back to the camera lens.
The Speedlight is mostly used when you want to aim direct light at your subject, as it offers more power. On the other hand, a strobe is commonly used in studio shooting.
Yongnuo flashes are amazing when you need a good flash without needing to break the bank. Most of these flashes are compatible with Nikon cameras and therefore that enables you to use them at a go for more creative freedom that comes with that feature. You can also check out my review of the best Youngnuo flash for Canon cameras.
