Nikon wired multi-flash TTL. Still Possible?

<p>Hey there- I love the iTTL wireless for some of my work but often find myself needing something a little faster and more reliable. For example, I've been shooting high school football at night. TTL is the only way to go here because the players are all over the field and I'm using focal lengths of 80-400 mm. With wireless TTL I can't deal with the shutter delay of all the pre-flash action so I've been using the SC-17 cord with good success. My new problem is that one SB-800 is just a little under-powered to a) recycle fast enough, and b) keep cool enough on burst sequences. I just picked up a Quantum 2x2 battery and two Nikon high voltage cords so recycle will no longer be a problem and I figure having two heads working half as hard will mean half the heat build up as well. Oh, and yes I know I can melt my flash from too many bursts (seems like every thread I've seen on the subject has 10 posts warning about this!)<br /><br />Here's what I'm thinking of doing but don't know the optimal cord setup:<br /><br />With a D300 or D700, I want to run the SC-17 to my main SB-800 and then attach a second Nikon SB via a SC-26 or SC-27 TTL cord. I know the SB-800 flashes have a port for these cords but I can't find reference to this working under the new iTTL paradigm. Looks like the SB-600 and 900 do not have the TTL port. Do either of these flashes work in wired TTL with the AS-10 shoe? Can I keep daisy chaining more units (SB-800>SB-600>SB-900) with more AS-10 shoes? Can my SB-28 work in this mix or do I need another SB-x00 model?<br /><br />Thanks for helping me out with these questions and I'm open to any other setup ideas you may have!</p>

<p>PS, this is all rigged up to my monopod below the camera for fill light into the face mask. It's a little clumsy, with a gorilla-pod/ball-head/cold-shoe holding my flash. Any thoughts on a better rig- Super clamp maybe?</p>

<p>anyone?</p>

<p>It doesn't work that way, unfortunatley. There's no way with the current iTTL system to have the flashes with "common control" and one serving as a "booster", the way you could with the old TTL system. If you want TTL, and you can live with one big flash, Quantum makes a 160 watt-second iTTL flash. Otherwise, you're stuck with multiple flash iTTL.</p>

<p>bummer. Seems like it would have been super easy to carry over the technology to use a booster TTL flash. I mean the cords and ports are all already there!</p>

<p>What is the lowest cost way to get Quantum with iTTL? Used is great! I already have the battery. How much more power will I see with a Quantum 160 ws over an SB-800, especially at greater distances where the quantum won't zoom?</p>

<p>Indeed. With direct connection, you'd think it could duplicate all the primary (iTTL controller) functions.</p>

<p>One doesn't see many quantums on the used market, unfortunately. The best way to find a big quantum used is to keep an eye on CL (or your local equivalent) looking for studio closings.</p>

<p>bummer. Seems like it would have been super easy to carry over the technology to use a booster TTL flash. I mean the cords and ports are all already there!</p>

<p>What is the lowest cost way to get Quantum with iTTL? Used is great! I already have the battery. How much more power will I see with a Quantum 160 ws over an SB-800, especially at greater distances where the quantum won't zoom?</p>