SB-800 Focus Illuminator

I don't like focus assist as a general rule(although the grid from a Speedlite is less bothersome than the searchlight built into some cameras), but found myself in a situation a little while ago where it would have been helpful and unfortunately I seem to be missing something.

I was using a D2H at the time, although I don't think it's working on my D2X either. I've been through the menus on both cameras, and neither seems to have a setting to turn AF assist on and off. In addition, I went through the custom functions settings in the SB-800, and what seems to be the on-off setting for this function is set to "on."

Is there some trick I'm missing? I've been through both the D2H and SB-800 manuals, and both seem to address it in terms of just working and not any specific procedure to follow to make it do that.

For reference, I was using the 35mm 1.8g on the camera, and didn't test with any other lenses.

On the SB-800, the AF-assist LED control is on the flash itself. Switch on the flash and hold down the SEL button in the middle. When the flash gets into the menu mode, use the +- buttons to scroll to the AF-assist light control icon. See the image below. You can turn the light on and off.

I haven't used the D2X for quite a while. For the AF-assist light on the (SB-800) flash to work, I think you need to be in AF-S (single) instead of AF-C (continuous), and only with certain AF point selections. Selecting the center AF point should work.

Thanks Shun.

I think you've hit on my issue with AF-C instead of AF-S. I had found the setting you show, and I use the center AF point 99% of the time. I'll try again this evening.

And indeed AF-S makes all the difference. Thanks again!

Glad it is working now.