Fuji cameras and compatibility with CLS

[giellaleafapmu]

Dear All,

probably this topic is somewhere but I simply cannot find it anywhere. Does anyone know where to find a list of cameras which are compatible with Nikon CLS (Creative Lighting System)? I know for sure that several Fuji's model are compatible and that some non-compatible Nikon models work with the SU-800 or a SB-800/900/910 as commanders, for instance the D-200 based Fuji S5 Pro works with the pop-up as commander but i cannot find any complete list, not even in Nikon's home-page. In particular, does anyone know whether the X fake rangefinders line can be made to work with the system?

GLF

 

[kanzlr]

They can't.
The X use Fujis own flash protocol. No wireless support. Heck even some standard radio triggers do not work 🙁

 

[giellaleafapmu]

They can't.
The X use Fujis own flash protocol. No wireless support. Heck even some standard radio triggers do not work 🙁

Ok, thank you for the answer, that's what I believed, still I can't understand either of Fuji or Nikon. They belong to the same group what's the heck with this? Also, why Nikon is not able to put together a proper document with all the information on CLS? It't their (very good) system, one should be able to check what is compatible with what without going around in forums. Not even the S5 Pro compatibility is stated anywhere in Nikon's page (or if it is it has been hided very well indeed)!

GLF

 

[sevo]

l I can't understand either of Fuji or Nikon. They belong to the same group

They don't. Nikon is part of the Mitsubishi keiretsu, Fujifilm is Mitsui. Whose other camera maker is Sony.

 

[giellaleafapmu]

They don't. Nikon is part of the Mitsubishi keiretsu, Fujifilm is Mitsui. Whose other camera maker is Sony.

Ok, so...I don't understand anything anymore, as I heard a lot of rumor about a close relation between the two companies which I believed it was partially confirmed by the fact that they shared/exchanged a lot of parts of their bodies for many models. Anyway, it doesn't matter, I was seriously considering a mix of Fujis and Nikon bodies but flash compatibility (or a different good wireless system, maybe a dedicated pocket wizard MiniTT1 for X-Pro) would be almost necessary, ok one can trigger anything with infrared or a basic RadioTrigger but that would mean going back to all manual again, no thanks. I'll wait, maybe if the system will evolve in a real Pro tool (like the name) something will appear.

GLF

 

[gavinlg]

They can't.
The X use Fujis own flash protocol. No wireless support. Heck even some standard radio triggers do not work 🙁

Only the very cheapest crappest radio triggers - all the main brands like pocket wizards and sky ports and radio poppers work perfectly. The one that you're thinking of didn't work because it's tolerances were out of spec. Not the cameras fault.

Also you can use a canon TTL cord for fuji flashes - and retain the TTL.

 

[willie_901]

The Fuji APS-C cameras work with Pocket Wizards. Less expensive triggers may or may not work. You would be able to control remote strobes manually, but not automatically. You are correct, Fuji does not support CLS-like functionality with multiple strobes. I doubt they ever will.

I know of no companies with cross-company compatible, fully-automated strobe control systems. Fuji used to buy bodies from Nikon but that stopped a long time ago.

The Nikon SB800 user manual is available in PDF form and it describes the CLS compatabilies for many Nikon bodies.