SB 900 and non-cpu lenses

<p>Hello to all,</p>

<p>I am new to this post and brand new to flash photography so I am here looking for insight. I began reading Joe McNally's Hot Shoes Diaries and found interest in his style of flash photography using the Nikon Creative Lighting System so I purchased my first SB 900.<br>

As soon As I opened the users manual the sentence "assume you will use cpu lenses" jumped out at me. I use zeiss zf lenses non-cpu, does anyone know the way around this? Thank you.</p>

<p>You can try entering your lens data into your body, but you'll only be able to use the one aperture you set if it works at all. Easyiest way to find out is to try it or give them a call, its free.<br>

Technical Support 8AM - 2AM (Eastern) 7 days a week 1-800-Nikon-UX 1-800-645-6689</p>

<p>A way around it would be not to read the manual ^^.<br>

Seriously I am not certain what the question is but if automatic exposure is concerned it would be good to know the type of camera you are using.<br>

Depending on the type of camera some restrictions apply as to matrix metering and iTTL metering in general.<br>

Most of this you can see in the manual of the camera body. You must tell the camera the max opening of the lens and the focal length to optimize light metering.<br>

My SB800 flashes work just fine with non-cpu lenses on my D3.<br>

Some lenses like D Type lenses (and later types incorporating D-type information) inform the camera about the shooting distance (to the plane of focus) to optimize flash output. Sounds interesting but only few people feel that this is any advantage in practical use.</p>

 

<p>Hi Kelly, I just checked my SB-800 manual. My guess is that non cpu lenses will work. However, what functions will work also depends on your camera's capabilities. There should be a table in the front of the manual that shows what modes are available depending on what class your camera falls into. Also, as Walter said, since your lens is not a D or G lens some distance data will not be captured, but I have found that not to be all that critical.<br>

I have not seen Joe McNally's notes but I have heard that they are very good. Try and learn how to set the flash for TTL BL (auto balanced fill flash) and just TTL (standard fill flash.) Make sure you understand the flash custom settings (e series) on your Nikon DSLR and the difference between front curtain synch and rear curtain synch. Unfortunately the Nikon flash manual is just about useless as a learners guide.<br>

In addition to Joe McNally, search for Moose Peterson TTL flash and D3 TTL flash. You will find some very useful info.<br>

If that doesn't help you send me an email.</p>

<p>Joe Smith</p>

<p>I had the same issue earlier. Here is my experience.<br /> D90<br /> Old MF Zeiss does not meter, CLS flash does not work. The new ZF.2 version of Zeiss should work just fine, both metering in all modes and CLS flash.<br /> D300<br /> Old MF Zeiss meters with M and A modes only. Flash CLS works fine. The new ZF.2 zeiss lenses should work in all M, A, P, and S modes.</p>

<p>In order to enter lens data in the camera (which would allow you to use the PASM-modes) you would need a D200 or better. The DX0/DX000 cameras lack that feature.</p>

<p>If you do not have such a camera you are stuck with M on the camera, manually setting the aperture on your lens and A-mode on the flash where you have to make sure that you have both selected the same aperture on the flash as you have on your lens and that you stay within the working distance given on the flash's display for that aperture/ISO-setting.</p>

<p>Hello and thanks for the responses<br>

My camera is a D700 I use it in manual mode and aperture priority mode</p>

<p>With D700 you should be fine. Set your built in flash as a commander and your Sb900 as a remote flash with TTL.</p>

<p>If you use TTL mode, I believe it reads the light level through the lens itself to determine the power level of the flash. I could be wrong but the only thing you might loose is the ability for the SB900 to automatically adjust to the focal length of the lens. I'd be interested in hearing what your findings are. Have fun learning.<br>

--Wade</p>

<p>None of the ZF lenses is a zoom, so if you program the focal length into the DSLR, the flash should know the focal length.</p>

<p>Thank you all for the help this forum Rocks!!!</p>

 

<p>Well, I just mounted an AIS lens on my D200, put the lens data in the D200, and the SB-800 correctly tracked the f-stop as I changed it on the lens. I think all you loose is the distance information.</p>

<p>Kelly, since you have a d 700, try using the flash in TTL and TTL BL modes. If you use just manual mode on the flash, you are missing out much of what Joe McNally describes in his book. Per his book, Joe uses Aperture priority and rear curtian synch. These are my standard settings too. Joe Smith</p>