Nikon School The Speed of Light: Joe McNally Creative Lighting DVD + 8 Spare AA Batteries with Charger + Accessory Kit for Nikon SB-600 & SB-800 Flashes Review

This review covers the DVD only.

I am concerned about the description of this product. Firstly, it is billed as an "Instructional DVD" which it is NOT! Furthermore, even the product description on this page is more about photographer Joe McNally that the item itself.

After a short uninformative introduction we are taken on location with professional photographer Joe McNally in a desert-like setting near Las Vegas. I quickly warmed to this man and recognised a consummate professional. I liked his style and delivery and there is no doubt he knows exactly what he is talking about.

Mr McNally was on a professional assignment with three very different human subjects and as the day wore on he explained what he was doing in relation to the changing natural light right through to sunset. Then we switched to a school at 7 am where he set about a number of tasks which included individual student portraits, team and action shots. All the photographs he took were with any number of Nikon SB 600 or SB 800 strobes and occasionally with the camera's own integral pop-up flash unit.

Throughout the whole process, Mr McNally explained what he was doing and frequently referred to various flash settings. On one occasion he spoke of using setting "B" as opposed to either A or C. On another he mentioned reducing something by a factor of one. Very briefly, we had a glimpse of these settings on the back of the flash which were displayed in a manner very similar to the settings on Nikon DSLR cameras.

But that was it and the DVD came to an end. Then I checked the menu and found further items separately headed Nikon SB 600 and Nikon SB 800 added as though they were an afterthought. Selecting the SB 600, all I got was some 3 minutes of Mr McNally telling me it was a flash gun with a multi-directional head which came with it's own little stand and diffuser. That was all!

Thinking I should have watched the SB 800 first, I selected that option and found another short presentation which was much the same. None of the settings or display functions were shown at any time. We were not even shown how to switch the unit on or even change batteries. NOTHING! To put it bluntly, it was all a bit like saying "you get in the car, switch on the engine, put it in gear and, hey presto, you are a driver!"

This is not the first time I have been disappointed by a product with the name "Nikon School" emblazoned in Nikon's own distinctive yellow and black colours. And disappointed is the right word.

I am now looking for a tutorial DVD about Nikon Speedlights having wasted good money thinking I had already purchased one.

NM

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Product Description:
Kit includes: 1) Instructional DVD; 2) (4) - 2700mAh AA NiMH Rechargeable Batteries w/5 Hour 110-220v Charger; 3) (4) - 2700mAh AA NiMH Rechargeable Batteries; 4) Deluxe 6 Piece Cleaning Kit; 5) Nikon Lens Pen Cleaning System; 6) LCD Monitor Screen Protectors. Nikon teamed with Joe McNally, one of today's most talented and respected professional photographers, to produce The Speed of Light, a DVD highlighting the Nikon Creative Lighting System. Joe is well known within the industry for his ability to produce technically and logistically complex photography through his expert use of color and light. Join him on location in Las Vegas as he takes you through ten shooting scenarios. Learn how to get more from your Nikon SB-800 or SB-600 Speedlights by watching how he works ' starting with a simple one-Speedlight solution and advancing to more creative and challenging multiple wireless Speedlight set-ups that showcase the ease and versatility of the Nikon Speedlight system. Professionals and amateurs alike will learn how the Nikon Creative Lighting System lets you tailor the light to the scene'and to your imagination. Spend a little time with a Nikon SB-800 and SB-600, and they quickly become essential creative tools. This DVD lets you go on location with an award-winning professional photographer and discover his state-of-the-art lighting techniques that rely on the powerful and portable Nikon Speedlight system. Pick up The Speed of Light and check out what's possible - the rest is up to you! The Nikon LensPen's unique design makes cleaning your lens fast, simple and effective. The result is a crystal clear lens surface and better pictures in just seconds. The Deluxe 6-Piece Cleaning Kit includes: Hurricane Air Blower, Booklet of Lens Cleaning Tissues; Lens Cloth; Lens Cleaning Liquid; Blower Brush; Cotton Swabs.

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