Nikon D5000 and SB600 setup - Wireless?

<p>I read several posts but am not sure I have this straight. I have a Nikon D5000 and and SB600 flash. I'm looking for two things, 1) an off camera wireless remote for the flash and 2) a remote transmitter for wifi transmission of the photos to my MAC. I realize the D5000 cannot work in commander mode. Do I have any other option to work with an off camera flash? I've seen remotes that attach to the hotshoe for the flash. Is this something I could use. Also, I've seen wireless transmitters for transmitting photos on wifi, but am not sure if I have seen one compatible with the D5000. I have used the tethered trial version of Camera Control Pro 2, but would like to know if there is a wireless option for me somewhere. <br>

Can anyone help? I'm a serious hobbyist with requests from several friends for weddings, graduations, family shots. I've done a few at no charge just for experience and had gotten some fairly decent results. Just trying to explore my options with this mid-level Nikon.</p>

<p>On the wireless image transfer, you might want to follow <strong><a href="00Wpj1">this recent thread</a></strong>. That's just straight file transfer, though, and not something that's going to interact with software like Camera Control Pro, the way you'd experience it hanging off of a USB port.<br /><br />On the flash side of things ... you could get an SU-800 from Nikon, which can be an infrared iTTL/CLS controller for CLS slaves like the SB-600, 800, and 900. Or, you can use an SB-800 or SB-900 flash in the hot shoe, and those can serve as a commander for the slave unit. Both of those options preserve Nikon's iTTL brains, but are expensive. <br /><br />If you go with simple radio triggers (say, the CyberSyncs from Paul Buff), you can trigger the slave, but not control power, etc. For that, you'd have to walk over the SB-600 and adjust power manually. And, of course, the SB-600 doesn't have a PC connector, so you'd have to get a hot shoe adapter for the radio reciever to trigger the SB-600 <em>through.</em><br /><br />Now... about those weddings! If you're headed that way, you really are going to want two bodies for safety. Sounds like a perfect excuse to pick up a used D90 or D300 ... and presto, CLS for your existing strobe. But, shooting a wedding means having two of everything, and that means a second speedlight, too ... so, get an SB-800 or SB-900 for that role, and you've got CLS <em>that</em> way.<br /><br />As you're discovering, all of this gets easier when you jump up to the slightly more sophisticated bodies and speedlights. Alas, it's so.</p>

<p>Just to add another option on wireless flash set up- Pocket Wizard is also an option. And than you can control power of strobe from camera level.</p>

 

<p>Just to add another option on wireless flash set up- Pocket Wizard is also an option. And than you can control power of strobe from camera level.<br>

 </p>

<p>If you want to maintain iTTL functionality, I see two choices.</p>

<p>Buy an SU800 or SB900 for your D5000 and put the 600 on the remote tripod or what have you...</p>

<p>OR... what I'd do is sell the D5000 and buy a D90 which has CLS control built-in. There have been some great refurb deals lately, and the difference in cost may end up being less than the cost of a SU800 or SB900.</p>

<p>Plus, you'll have screwdrive lens compatibility, DOF preview, and a better monitor, among other things.</p>

<p>As I have the same setup, I have been using the cheap chinese radio triggers. Also known as ebay triggers. Mine are Yongnuo. Been quite reliable, but yes, you have to set levels on the flash manually, and have to remember to disable the standby mode on the SB-600.<br>

In your shoes, and I pretty much am, I would consider saving for a D90 or D300s to add to your D5000. A 2nd body is looking to be the wise choice, especially for weddings. Something to consider though is also getting faster lenses and using ambient light. Some of the best results I have are from my 50mm F/1.4 and ISO 1600.</p>