Nissin Air R (radio receiver)

[Pieter]

I recently purchased the Nissin i40 flash for my a6000, which IMO is a perfect match in terms of size and balance. However, I want to be able to use the flash off-camera with TTL and HSS functionality without the need for an on-camera flash as a trigger, as this would compromise the light-weight mirrorless body and the freedom of movement the camera gives me.

 

Sony doesn't have much options in this department yet. Nissin offers the Air 1 Commander unit matched with the Di700A flash with built-in receiver, which uses 2.4 GHz radio signal. I quite like the design of the Air 1 Commander as it is not as tall (and therefore as fragile) as e.g. the PocketWizard Plus and still has an interface which is fairly well readable during normal shooting.

 

As of yet however, there is no seperate radio receiver available for the Nissin Air System (NAS). The Nissin website announced early 2015 that the Air R receiver unit should be released in winter 2015.

http://www.nissindigital.com/air_r.html

 

Since I couldn't find it anywhere for sale, I contacted Nissin. This was their reply:

 

"Nissin NAS 2.4GHz radio receiver (Model: Air R) for Canon and Nikon version is released on this Jan. Due to order and shipment schedule. The actual available date will be various between countries."

...

"Air R Sony version will be available around this march.

 

For your information. For working with Air R, latest firmware on Air 1 Commander is required. So that you may consider to purchase Air 1 And Air R Receiver(s) together, to ensure that their firmware version is matched. Also authorized local warranty card should be included when purchase, to identify your Nissin unit is valid for local warranty update service in future.

 

Welcome to contact with us again for any questions.

 

Regards,

 

Thank you very much.

 

Nissin Digital"

 

Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here…

Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members!

[chrisqphoto]

are you just sharing this information or did you have a question?

[Pieter]

Was just sharing it, thought people might be as interested as I was. I've been searching for a proper and affordable Sony MIS-compatible radio trigger with TTL and HSS for a while now but have yet to find one. There are plenty of discussions on this topic on the net, but I haven't been able to find a system that does all this.

 

Ok then maybe my question is: do you know of any radio triggers for Sony MIS that offer the same functionality as the Nissin Air System?

[Guest Peter Kelly]

Cheers, Pieter!

 

I generally use the i40 on my bodies as they're nice, compact, and well balanced on the A7Rii, but I have a couple of Di700 with Air commander for a light off-camera system.

Being able to add the i40s into the mix will be excellent and give me endless possibilities.

 

To be honest, I doubt Sony will ever match this for functionality at the price point. Assuming the new receiver is at a similar level, I'll have a full radio, four flash system for less than a couple of HVL-F60M.

There will be no comparison! I might even sell my Bowens...LOL.

[artattacc]

I use 2 Nissin Di700a with air commander 1 on my Sony nex-6 und my a7II. For me its a perfect combination. In january 2015 a changed from Canon to Sony. I understand the NAS- information and the video at the webside of Nissin-japan in that way, that you can now use original Canon Flashes (e.g. the 580EX with a Canon - version of the air r) and the Nissin- Sony Commander on an a7ii without loosing HSS or TTL. Could this be right? Can anybody help?

[michelb]

I use 2 Nissin Di700a with air commander 1 on my Sony nex-6 und my a7II. For me its a perfect combination. In january 2015 a changed from Canon to Sony. I understand the NAS- information and the video at the webside of Nissin-japan in that way, that you can now use original Canon Flashes (e.g. the 580EX with a Canon - version of the air r) and the Nissin- Sony Commander on an a7ii without loosing HSS or TTL. Could this be right? Can anybody help?

I don't think i fully understand what you saw there but i think what you saw may make you think that you can use a Canon flash on top of of their new remote for flashes ( i saw the Nikon version announced).

 

With a Sony Di700a and Air 1 commander for Sony and still expect HSS and TTL to work ?

 

I am afraid this will not work. Since they make a dedicated remote and flash unit for each brand of cameras and each brand of cameras has its own WL/TTL/HSS protocols, i just can't see how a Sony dedicated trigger or flash could possibly interact with a Canon dedicated remote with a Canon flash on top of it (or nikon for that matter).

 

If Nissin has pulled this off ( creating a multi-platform remote) they are in for huge business. But i would wait before believing such a thing !

[Guest]

Seems to be right according to their website

***

Flexible combination of Nissin NAS. Nissin Commander Air 1 can be mixed to control different versions of Nissin Di700A for wireless TTL or manual flash.

***

 

And why not, I think the only difference between the flashes are the hotshot. Internally I think, they are the same.

[Soeren]

Re the Air1 di700 combo i think there is a difference between the hotshoe control and the radio control. The hotshoe control need to be dedicated, the radio control does not. It can be Nissin universal so you can control a Nikon dedicated flash from a Sony dedicated radiotrigger. The problem in this Q is youll have to translate from hotshoe to radio and back.

[artattacc]

Hi Soeren, i think you are right. The Controller translates Sony TTL Code into NAS and the Receiver translates NAS into the code of your used brand. So you can combine Sony with Canon or Nikon flashes. All you use is in my opinion the rigth receiver. If you wanna use Canon flashes, you have to use a Canon receiver, that can translate NAS code from the Air Controller 1 into Canon ETTL code. I will Test this next week.

[benmao]

Hi Soeren, i think you are right. The Controller translates Sony TTL Code into NAS and the Receiver translates NAS into the code of your used brand. So you can combine Sony with Canon or Nikon flashes. All you use is in my opinion the rigth receiver. If you wanna use Canon flashes, you have to use a Canon receiver, that can translate NAS code from the Air Controller 1 into Canon ETTL code. I will Test this next week.

 

No, Unfortunately it is NOT possible to combine Sony, Canon and Nikon flashes.

On the first page of the manual of the R Receiver they write: "However, Air R has to work with the same type of Air 1 commander e.g.Air R

for Canon has to work with Air 1 for Canon."

Their advertisement is missleading. As you have to use the same Air 1 and Air R, it is not possible to mix different types.

[Soeren]

I think we are mixing the Air 1 R up with the DI700A flash. To my knowledge the Air1 DI700A combos can be mixed, the Air1R cannot. That was pretty much the meaning of my post above.

And by the way we are talking Nissin only.

[benmao]

 

 

I think we are mixing the Air 1 R up with the DI700A flash.

I think you are right. Much more interesting for me would be the possibility to use Canon or Nikon flashes with an air receiver for canon or nissin, controlled by the air 1 commander for sony.

 

 

 

The advertisements for the Nissin air however let one think that one air commander could be combined with air several receivers for the different brand.

 

I reffered to this:

 

Hi Soeren, i think you are right. The Controller translates Sony TTL Code into NAS and the Receiver translates NAS into the code of your used brand. So you can combine Sony with Canon or Nikon flashes.

Thisis true for the Nissin Di700A but not for the Air R Receiver?

[fute77]

can you use the air R receiver to trigger studio flashs ?

[mist]

Is Nissin Air R available in your country? Its April and still its nowhere to get in Czech republic.

[Colorado]

I just contacted the US distributor for Nissin and they said they expect the Sony Air R in their hands before the end of April and that B&H is in the first ship to group of retailers.

[rweissman]

Building a Nissin off camera multi-flash TTL network

 

From what I've been able to determine from Nissin's website and from a few reviews:

 

1) Each version of the new I60A flashes contains TTL codes for all the major brands (Canon, Nikon, Sony and in the future m43 and others), not just codes for one vendor's TTL system.

 

2) Any i60A off camera (regardless of version) can be triggered in TTL mode by whichever on camera Air commander you're using. (E.g., a Canon body with the Canon version of the hot shoe commander will trigger any Nissan i60A) (Sony, Nikon, Canon, etc.). But the flashes have to be Nissin i60As (and, I think this may also extend to  i700As, but need to try it.)  All flashes prior to the i700/i60A lack this functionality. 

 

3) Any branded original manufacturer flash (Canon, Nikon, Sony) will be controlled off camera with TTL if that manufacturer's flash is connected to the corresponding Nissin Air R receiver. (Eg., a Sony HVL 60 can integrate wirelessly with the Sony version of the Nissin wireless commander..)

 

4) Unlike the Nissin Air flashes, original manufacturer flashes will NOT interoperate with foreign command systems. (E.g., a Nikon version of the wireless commander will not trigger a Sony flash seated on a Nissin R receiver. (What distinguishes the Nissin flashes from, say, a Canon flash, is that the Nissin flashes (i60A and I think i700A) have all the major TTL codes in firmware, not just one brand's firmware.  

 

5) This may be why the first version of the wireless commanders need a firmware upgrade to work with the R receiver--but this is just a guess. And I don't know how to tell (at point of purchase) a wireless commander with the right firmware from one that doesn't have it.) To have the wireless commander trigger a flash on the R receiver Nissin's website says that the commander requires a firmware upgrade done by Nissin or your dealer (and you need to have a warranty card!).I have no idea how to tell at point of purchase which commanders have the newer firmware.)

 

To summarize: With the Air system a flash TTL network could consist of any combination of the following. assuming, for example, a Sony version of the wireless commander (with latest firmware) is in the hot shoe:

• One or more versions of Nissin i60a flashes (any vendor version) used off camera with no additional adapters needed (and perhaps the i700A has the same functionality but someone need to test this)
• Sony's own flashes (EX 580, 600, etc.)  used off camera seated in a Nissin R off camera receiver
• Nissin i40 flash (Sony version) seated on top of a Nissin/Sony R receiver, off camera.

There had been a rumor that the i60 would contain a TTL transceiver (not just a receiver), and therefore could be used in the hot shoe in place of a dedicated wireless commander, but I have not been able to verify this and nothing on Nissin's website confirms this. Probably a misunderstanding communicated by my local dealer.  It would be great, of course, to use an i60A as an on camera flash AND as a wireless commander, but this is probably too much to hope for. If anyone has an i60A, please comment.

 

And please, via testing, correct any errors in my attempt to interpret Nissin's confusing website.

[rweissman]

In the next to last bullet, I meant to write (HVL 43, HVL 60) rather than Canon flashes.Apologies if this was confusing.

[rweissman]

And, yes, the i700A also provides cross-platform support similar to the i60, based on their documetnation.

 

In terms of actual testing,I experimented today with two R receivers on a Sony A7R2 and Rx10iii. The Air Commander worked flawlessly, driving simultaneously an external Nissin i700 plus Sony flashes seated in the R receivers. Flashes tested included HVL 32 and HVL60 plus Nissin's i40 (also needing the R Receiver.)  Binding took about 20 seconds or less for the two receivers and the i700 flash. Once you learn the script, it is trivial to do the one-time binding, and all of these devices used the same binding workflow.  

 

The only minor issue is that large flashes can tip over the small R Receiver, if used with its flip-out foot, rather than on a light stand. Otherwise, they all work and interoperate as advertised. As my Nissin i700s are all Sony versions, I cannot test the cross platform mix'n''match capabilities of other Nissin i700 or i60 flashes.  I'm hoping someone else on this forum tests that functionality.

[adwb]

I can use the Nissan air commander and the Air R receiver to trigger my studio flashes or any of the speed lights I own in manual mode regardless of brand.

 

What will not work however, which is what I want, is to get the HSS working ,. It works in that I can dial in shutter speeds in excess of 1/250 and the flash does fire but it is not recorded 

 

I have test at all power ranges from full to as low as can be set and two different brand of studio mono blocks , bowens, and cheap no name chinese brand. My yn560 flashes all work finat 1/250 or less but not above.as well.

 

it obviously is a flash duration thing but I don't understand why, and yes I understand the sync speed limitations and the true hss gives multiple flashes, so I assume the flash duration on the flashes tested is just to short. 

 

If that's the case then I either need another light just one to work outdoors, or they go back to Amazon.

[Min9xi]

Wanted to share my experience.

Started with Minolta's wireless flash 5400xi, Nissin Air R is a long awaited solution to the Sony flash system. I'm happy to report that Nissin Air system works! After a few experiments, I am able to say that it reliably provides wireless TTL flash, TTL HSS flash, and multiple flash ratio control. The Nissin Air 1 commander was mounted on the Sony A7ii. 2 Nissin Air receivers provided communication with a Sony HVL-F56AM and a Sony HVL-F58AM. Both flash were connected to Nissin Air receiver via Sony ADPMAA adapters. I did not get to try a 3 flash setup. The added bonus was the ability to simultaneously trigger a Yongnuo YN560-TX Manual Flash Controller which adds additional manual controlled flash to the setup. After years of frustrations with the limitations of Minolta/Sony flash system, I am very happy with Nissin Air setup.