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Remote SB-800 use with D300 as commander


dmitry_kiyatkin

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In my thought process regarding benefits of D3 vs D700, I am wandering if someone can help me answer a question.

 

If I have a D300 and want to use its built-in flash in commander mode, wound a large lens with a hood (e.g. 17-35mm

f/2.8 or 24-70mm) mess up the exposure. I am asking this because with the hood on, the biuilt in flash is useless

with that lens for regular flash photography. I suspect it will not get the exposure right, but I am not sure.

 

Any one know the answer?

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Your suspicion has some merit, and all depends on you. If your camera built-in flash is also programmed to

contribute some visible light ( not

set to the "--" that is ), certainly the light from it would be blocked in lower central portion of your picture.

 

However, if your in-camera flash set as commander, and set to "--" value request not to produce significant flash

(except final trigger signal), than upper portions of the flash and lower portion edges area, those not blocked by

large lens hood, should be sufficient for CLS commanding communications that happens during pre-flashe time and

does not affect your picture area, when the shutter is closed.

 

However, if commander is blocked too much, the commander will either command or not, and you will see if you are

able to command and trigger remote CLS flashes from D300 built-in commander.

 

The CLS/iTTL correct exposure determinantion is done in the camera and not in the flash, so the flash perhaps

can remain perhaps partially obstructed by the lens hood, as this deos not influence the amount of needed flash light

determination. Your lens should be able to read remote CLS flashes test

light pre-flash responses coming back through the lens (iTTL), and the camera should determine correct exposure for

all flashes.

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Actually Iverson the built in flash does add light to the subject, but I believe you can turn its output down through the camera's menu so it has a minimal effect on the picture. Dmitry, if you do get a shadow, remove the lens hood and you should be fine. This likely won't be an issue unless the subject is quite close to the camera.
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Indeed, I do this all the time, using large lenses with hoods. I have the SB-800 off-camera elsewhere, and the D200's pop-up flash acting only as a trigger (as Frank says, dialed down to '--'). TTL metering works just fine, and the slave strobe(s) illuminate the scene as expected.
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"However, if commander is blocked too much, the commander will either command or not" - what it means is that if you place remote CLS flash in the lower central area closer to the camera or below, in the area where the lens hood blocks the light, that remote flash there could possibly not receive strong direct visible line commanding signal. In smaller room reflections off walls and ceiling could possibly help. Also make sure that the angle of coverage, and max operating distance is withing Nikon's recommendations.
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This thread is perfect timing. How does one "dial down to '--' again?

 

Today I goofed in the menu as I was in a hurry and somehow came off the -- setting for the pop up flash. The best

I could do was set it to -3.0. I thought scrolling through the compensation numbers eventually got us to -- in

the settings?

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Garrison: it's done in the menu system, where you alter the settings for the pop-up flash. That's where you put it into TTL mode, or Commander mode. Once you choose Commander mode, you then have the ability to drill down farther and dictate the power at which it, and the external slave groups fire. "--" is the lowest power setting, as seen in that menu area.
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Thanks Matt, that's what I thought and tried. But it stops at -3.0. I set it there when I first got it but today hit "up" on the selector button by accident instead of to the right to get to the group A below it. Doing this changed it from -- to a number but couldn't get it back to -- when going up or down on the selector button.
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Here is the answer to your question. D200 or D300 the Sb 800 works in a simillar way. . Nikon D200 and Nikon's Creative Lighting System

by Digital Darrell in the "NIKONIANS.ORG" site.I don't know how to put the link here. so go to the site nikonians.org and you will find all the details.

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