has anyone used the SC-29 cable with non-Nikon flashes?

<p>i just bought the SC-29 cable (for use with the D300s) but when i plug it into a Sunpak PZ42XN (nikon iTTL compatible), TTL functions work but the AF assist illuminator on the cable doesn't light up. has anyone used this cable successfully with non-Nikon flashes or does this cable only work with Nikon flashes?</p>

<p>On the SB-600, SB-800, and SB-900, there are two additional electronic connections on the front side of the hot-shoe mount to make the AF-assist LED work on the SC-29. If you are using a 3rd-party flash without those connections, you will lose the AF assist capability on the SC-29.</p>

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I am not familiar with the Sunpak and don't know whether it has those contacts or not.

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<p>How many contacts does the Sunpak has? If it's just plain ISO hotshoe connectivity it should work.</p>

<p>I think (Shun will correct me if I'm wrong) that the AF-assist LED gets its power from the TTL flash. I wouldn't expect it to work with any flash that doesn't accommodate that.</p>

<p>i think the sc-29 will only function as an sc-28 on a 3rd party flash like the sunpak, nissin and metz due to "proprietory" circuitry :-)</p>

<p>luke might be right.</p>

<p>It works... sorta, minus the AF lamp. I just tried it with my Nikon SB-10 flash. No TTL, the only "dedication" is the flash-ready lamp, otherwise it's an ordinary auto-thyristor type flash like gazillions of Vivitars, Sunpaks and others.</p>

<p>Just put the SC-29 on my D2H, set the SB-10 to auto mode (f/5.6 at ISO 200), set the D2H to 1/60th and f/5.6, popped a shot and the exposure was fine. The red AF assist lamp on the SC-29 did not light up, tho'. Apparently it needs a dedicated flash attached for that function.</p>

<p>I'll run a few more experiments with my various Vivitar, Canon, Olympus and other brand flashes. I've used all of those directly on the hotshoe of my D2H so I know they're compatible. But this was the first time I tried the SC-29 cord with anything other than the SB-800.</p>

<p>The problem is in the extra connections on the SC-29, SB-600, 800 and 900 as I mentioned earlier. If I have time tonight, I'll take pictures of those flashes. The issue should be very apparent to everybody once you see the picture.</p>

<p>What I suggested is still only a 'plausible' explanation at this time. I cannot find a reference that indicates clearly where the AF-assist gets its power from. Obviously, it needs some signal from the body to know when to activate. But as for where it gets its power, I'm not sure.</p>

<p>Interesting question, never occurred to me to wonder where the AF assist lamp on the SC-29 draws its power.</p>

<p>what shun mentioned are the two BRASS FLAT METAL contact points in front of the "foot" of the flash.<br /> they are not connected to the metal foot itself but imbeded into the base of the flash.</p>

<p>The top image here shows the SC-28 and SC-29 side by side. Notice that the SC-29 has two additional electronic contacts for the AF-assist LED?</p>

<p>Now the SB-600, SB-800 and SB-900 have two corresponding electronic contacts in front of their hot shoe to work with the extra contacts on the SC-29. That is why its AF-assist LED can function with those flashes. However, the older SB-80 DX on the bottom left has no such contacts. If your flash is like the SB-80 DX, you are out of luck with that LED functionality.</p>

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<p>you guys are so awesome! so many responses in such a short time!<br>

anyway i took a hard look at the sc-29 and sc-28 and Shun, Luke & Ramon were right, there are 2 distinct brass metal points that are OUTSIDE the hotshoe which a 3rd party flash does not seem to have. since i don't have a Nikon flash myself, i assume Nikon flashes have this external 2 brass metal points to hook up to the SC-29 and provide power. iTTL functions are intact however.<br>

and Ramon is right that the SC-28 functions perfectly with 3rd party Nikon iTTL-compatible flashes because it has all the regular hotshoe contacts.<br>

thanks again, you guys are AWESOME!!!</p>

<p>Here is more a "bottom view" of the SB-900, SB-800, and SB-600 side by side. Those two electronic contacts in front of the hot shoe should be very clear.</p>

<p>On the hot shoe module of the SC-29, there is a little switch. When you switch it on, it will raise the two contacts to make connection to the flash, and the flash will indeed power the AF-assist LED on the SC-29. When you switch it off, the contacts on the SC-29 will retract and the flash will turn on the AF-assist LED on the flash instead of the one on the SC-29.</p><div></div>

<p>ohmygawd, Shun! you da man! thanx for the very detailed pics! i wonder why do 3rd party flash manufacturers not bother putting that nify lil contacts in front.</p>

<p>Years ago, when I bought my first SB-800, I was wondering what those extra contacts were for. I finally got the answer when I bought the SC-29. For those who have the SC-29, check out that switch and see how it raises the two contacts to make connection with the flash.</p>

<p>Didn't I give a short answer to the original question in the very first response in this thread? But as people say, "A picture is worth a thousand words." How true?</p>

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<p>Didn't I give a short answer to the original question in the very first response in this thread? But as people say, "A picture is worth a thousand words." How true?</p>

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<p>Very true. I didn't realize until I re-examined my own SB-800 and SC-29 that I'd figured out what those extra contacts were for, along with the retractable pins on the SC-29... back in 2005. And promptly forgot.</p>

<p>This thread prompted me to review my D2H manual and the original dpreview review for the D2H... which reminded me of several features I'd forgotten because I seldom used 'em.</p>