Can the SB-800 be a commander with PocketWizards?

<p>I am somewhat new to speedlights, having used traditional tungsten and florescent constant power lights. Lately I've got tired of hauling my 10LB, 20LB, even 35LB lights around and requiring power for them so I invested in an SB-800 & 2 SB-600s when a friend of mine decided to get out of photography and gave me a heck of a deal. The commander mode of the SB-800 was the coolest thing I've discovered in photography since, well since cameras! Being able to adjust the Sb-600s right from the SB-800 on my camera was just amazing! I'm used to lighting a scene with at least 3 lights, so I wanted to pull my SB-800 off and have all three lights controlled by my D7000, which works ok, but it is much, much less convenient than having the controls right on my SB-800. I do shoot outside and I like to put my speedlights in weird places, so I bought a pair of PocketWizards, a TTL 1 & TTL 5 Flex. I love the pocketwizards, biggest problem I have is I've only got one! So I thought I would be able to put my one SB-800 on the TTL 5 Flex, in commander mode and then put the two SB-600s in remote mode. Makes sense to me! However once I put the SB-800 in commander mode, it no longer works, at all, doesn't even fire! :(.</p>

<p>So my question is, is there a way to put my SB-800 onto a PocketWizard TTL Flex in Commander mode and have it control the two SB-600s that are NOT on PocketWizards but in remote mode?</p>

<p>For the record, I am keenly aware that by adding two more FlexTTL5s that I could easily add the SB-600s to the PocketWizard setup. I'm also keenly aware that for what I asking to do a SU-800 is probably a better option. I thank you for those suggestions, but for the present time I'm trying to make do with what I have, so please advise accordingly. I sure don't mind what will be possible in the future as I am unfamiliar with the SU-800, but please don't just comment that I should get more gear, tell me why I should get more gear beyond the obvious reasons. Also I am completely unfamiliar with the AC3 ZoneController unit, would anyone recommend these over a SU-800?</p>

<p>For the Record my equipment is:</p>

<p>Nikon D7000<br>

Pocketwizard MiniTTL1<br>

Pocketwizard FLexTTL5<br>

Lenses: Nikon 17-35mm F/2.8, 24mm & 85mm F/1.4G & 70-200mm F/2.8<br>

Flashes: Nikon SB-800 & 2 SB-600s</p>

<p> </p>

<p>If you're going with iTTL/CLS-compatible PW gear, it makes sense to go with their zone controller. Leaving aside for the moment that the SB800 (as a CLS controller) won't work in the scenario you describe, the main thing is that you likely don't want to have to have it - for creative reasons - sitting in the camera's hot shoe. Um, if I'm understanding the proposed scenario correctly.<br /><br />The SU-800 is cool, but if you're outside a lot and like to place lights in interesting places, that unit's infrared approach is bound to end up frustrating you. The PW's RF will not. </p>

<p>Thanks for the advice Matt. Yep, I love the almost 100% reliable output of the PocketWizards, just not their $200 each cost which nearly doubles the cost of a flash unit... :(</p>

<p>I figured it wasn't possible, but I figured it wouldn't hurt to ask either :)</p>

<p>The last couple of weeks I've been shooting some big awkward things under unpredictable, schedule-driven light. Some of this has been out in strong sunlight, which would completely break IR-based control. Worse, some of the speedlights in this scene are on the other side of IR-blocking acrylic doors, and nothing is line-of-sight. PWs to the rescue!<br /><br />In this case, a PW on the camera, and one each of three Nikon speedlights placed around the inside of the vehicle. It's nice to never have to worry if they're going to fire when I want them to. </p><div></div>

<p><em>"I would be able to put my one SB-800 on the TTL 5 Flex, in commander mode and then put the two SB-600s in remote mode. Makes sense to me!"</em> - does not make sense at all.</p>

<p>This and other of your questions come from you believing that the PW (TT1/TT5/AC3) system works like the Nikon CLS system. This notion is provided by some vendors/distributors, as a shortcut for real explanation how PW new system works and what it can do.</p>

<p>The PW is not capable to place a remote CLS flash in REMOTE mode. PW TT5 places CLS flashe located remotely, in the iTTL flash mode, and not in the REMOTE mode. The flash works in mode that is used by Nikon CLS when the flash sits in the camera hot shoe. This way PW retains flash capability to set power output remotely.</p>

<p>Ability to set remotely power output, and trigger reliably via radio signal, is all what you should count on in the PW system. This is basically what is needed.</p>

<p>Using Matt's picture (without his permission :) as an example, you can see that the flash inside the vehicle can easily over expose the rest of the picture, or other flashes. Even though it is operating in the Nikon iTTL mode. Not sitting in the camera hot shoe, it does not provide feed into the Through The Lens (TTL) information that would otherwise a NIkon DSLR use for proper automated flash exposure. PW radio signals do not go through the lens.</p>

<p>... tons of other aspects, e.g. PW versus CLS, versus Radio Popper, were already discussed...</p>

<p> </p>

<p>Frank,<br>

Yes I was aware that I can't put a flash in remote mode on a PW. My question was could I put a flash in commander mode on a PW.</p>

<p>Thank you for your comments. They were duly noted</p>

<p>Yes, you can put SB900 in commander mode when on the PW and all in the camera hot shoe.<br>

In this case you also need the TT5 units in receiving mode, one for each of your remote SB600 flashes.<br>

The remote SB600 alone would not work without TT5, as you had already experienced.<br>

Watch the tutorial:<br>

<a href="http://www.pocketwizard.com/inspirations/tutorials/sb900/">http://www.pocketwizard.com/inspirations/tutorials/sb900/</a></p>