Excellent flash for the (home) studio use!

* MOBILE flash head
The Yongnuo YN-560 Mark III is now the third version of the YN-560 series. In size and appearance it is similar at first glance strongly the Nikon SB-900th The YN-560 III has a movable head, which can be adjusted in five stages by lockable steeply upwards to head forward. The Blitzopf is horizontally rotatable about 270 °, ie 180 ° to the left and 90 ° to the right. Thus, the flash is not as flexible as the SB-900, which can be rotated by 360 °. The flash head has a zoom setting that is in the range of 24-105mm. This makes it possible to use the flash well for virtually all situations.

* Brightness *
The brightness and thus the flash range is expressed in the guide number. The maximum distance of an object that can be illuminated correctly even with a flash, is calculated from the guide number divided by the iris diaphragm. The bigger the guide number, the more distant objects can illuminate correctly lightning so yet. The YN-560 III has a powerful guide number of 58 at ISO 100 and 105mm measured. The Nikon SB-900/910 comes under the same conditions only to a guide number of 49. In Aperture 5.6 and ISO 100 could be the YN-560 III illuminate a 10.4 meters distant object, while the SB-900 only 8 , 8 meters would bring.

* CONTROL *
YN-560 III can be controlled in different ways. One can use it as a classic shoe mount, which is mounted directly on the camera. It is also possible to let the flash as a slave flash trigger optically by another flash, which can be set here that A possibly emitted Red-eye Reduction (preflash) is ignored. All these modes operate reliably.

The of the YN-560 III highlight however is the built-in radio receiver. This is compatible with models RF-602 and RF-603 offered also by Yongnuo. The advantage of a radio receiver is that a reliable release is not influenced by optical barriers. So you can have a flash, the sensor concealed by equipment or even located in the next room, with a radio receiver trigger reliably. There are 16 channels available, so you can not get in the way with other photographers in the vicinity.

* MANUAL CONTROL *
The Yongnuo YN-560 III is a manual flash. That means he gets from the camera does not transmit readings. The intensity of the flash must be set manually. The idea to regulate the flash manually will scare some. How do you know how the flash must be set for? Do I need to an expensive light meter?

Manual control is indeed a great disadvantage when it comes to making photos on the fly outside of a studio. If you want to make, such as photos of children playing, you will probably take so long with the attitude that the children have already been played. Here then it is advisable, in fact, an automatic flash, like the Nikon SB-910 Speedlight for FX and DX SLR cameras (LZ 34 at ISO 100).

In a (home) studio environment or else indoors things look quite different, however. Here is a manual control is not disadvantageous, but even desirable! This is because that an illumination works more reliably and does not depend on any measurement errors, measurement tolerances or the camera. With a manual control can be achieved very consistent exposure results.

* TIPS FOR SETTING THE CAMERA CAMERA *
It also does not need a light meter to achieve great results quickly. As a rule of thumb the following. The camera in the manual mode ("M") switch. A shutter speed of 1/160 second pretend. Set the aperture so that no ambient light can be seen on the screen, so the image is black. Only when that is achieved, the flash is switched on and the flash energy is regulated until the desired exposure result.

Here are just a little practice is necessary until you get the hang of. The setting takes then under normal circumstances, a total of perhaps one or two minutes. Whether the image is overexposed or underexposed, you can just see on the camera screen and possibly take the histogram to help. That's all less dramatic than it seems at first, and also not "adventurous". Anyone who has ever auseinanergesetzt with manual exposure, will hardly want to miss it again in studio environments.

* DISPLAY *
The settings you can make using buttons arranged below the display and the current status is displayed on the screen. The display is clearly arranged and easy to read front as well as laterally. Turns you add the display lighting, the display from above, however, no longer be read.

* SETTING THE FLASH *
The flash output can be adjusted in one-third increments between 1/128 and 1/1 power. Overall, there are therefore 22 levels of brightness. These can be selected via the crosshairs. With left and right, the flash output is halved each or can be doubled (eg from 1/8 to 1/4). With the up and down keys are 1/3 levels available (eg from 1/16 to 1/16 +1/3 level). That goes without any problems facing the display. Depends of lightning but in about 2 meters high, you can not read the display. Then you should either bring down the flash to regulate or adjust the settings blind wisely.

The other settings are easy to make. The label is essentially self- explanatory.

* Reliability *
The YN-560 III works impeccably and reliably. Failures were in spite of long use no. The recycle time at full flash output (1/1) is 3 seconds. By comparison, the Nikon SB-900 are around 4 seconds.

The flash is powered by 4 AA batteries / accumulators. In Test ichEneloop batteries have used and had good experiences. The term is good, without that I would have the number of flashes measured, which would have little meaning because of the different used flash amount. Nevertheless, one is well advised to take a sentence or two spare batteries on longer missions.

* Facilities and included *
In flash head is a wide-angle diffuser and a white pull-out map for setting catchlights.

Supplied by the flash is also a manual, a stand and a storage bag. Everything makes a solid impression. A removable diffuser is unfortunately not there.

* Processing *
The Yongnuo YN-560 III is well made, but does not come close to the quality of the Nikon SB-900/910. He must, however, not well. The flash makes a solid and stable impression and not to be touched with fingertips. Nothing about him is shaky or raises fears that it would fall apart when one looks at him askance.

* PRICE *
The price of the Yongnuo YN-560 III is very reasonable 65-75 euros on Amazon.

Radio transmitters (RF-603 RF603 N3 Remote Trigger Trigger Nikon D5000 D5100 D7000 D3100 D90 Yongnuo) for both Nikon and Canon) Yongnuo RF-603 / C1 - Available Set Radio Trigger and Flash Trigger for Canon).

Conclusion
The Yongnuo YN-560 III is a very good manual adjustable system flash. It convinces through quality of workmanship, reliability and features. The integrated radio receiver is very convenient. Truly unbeatable is the reasonable price. You get a tiny fraction of the price of a high quality Canon or Nikon flash which is optimally suited for studio use.

The Yongnuo YN-560 III is less suitable for dynamic contrast situations outside of enclosed areas. Who wants children playing or similar photograph, should rather choose an automatic flash system (eg Nikon SB-910 Speedlight for FX and DX SLR cameras (LZ 34 at ISO 100) or Canon Speedlite 600EX-RT (EOS flash unit with integrated radio trigger, Guide Number 60)). Who on the other hand wants to establish a convenient studio equipment or expand an existing equipment, is the place to go really well. Also in conjunction with the appropriate channels for the cameras a very strong buy recommendation!

* POSITIVE *
+ Price
+ Processing
+ Easy operation
+ High guide number
+ Equipment
+ Built-in radio receiver

* Negative *
- Diffusor is not included
- Partial problems with readability of the display at extreme angles