Nikon SB-800 Low Battery Symptoms

<p><strong>Question: Do low internal batteries cause the SB-800 to exhibit symptoms like AF-Illum not firing, zoom head not moving, in addition to slow recycle and going into Standby mode.</strong><br>

Could not find any other thread with this info. Thanks for any input...<br>

Situation: I use the SB-800 with a D700, and use a few different Quantums to power the high-voltage part of the flash. I use Maha Powerex 2700 AA's to power the -800's internal circuitry. Often I shoot long events and later in the evening I'll get some symptoms in the SB-800 such as:<br>

1) the AF-Illum won't fire in low light situations when it normally would (I know to put the camera on AF-S, etc.)<br>

2) the zoom head does not Auto-Zoom (again, assume that I have the settings correct) and won't even display the current focal length.<br>

3) flash goes into Standby even when Auto-Standby is turned off*<br>

*I know this is a clear sign of low, or near depleted internal AA's. But this symptom comes right at the end.<br>

Since I'm using a Quantum, I don't experience any increase in flash recycle time - <strong>so are items #1 and #2 early signs of low AA batteries or might it be something else</strong> (loose connection w hotshoe) these things symptoms of low internal batteries.<br>

Thank you in advance for your input.</p>

<p>Do the all the symptoms stop immediately when you change the internal batteries?</p>

<p>.. 1) use central cross type focusing point..<br>

.. 2) make sure your flash head is not tilted, rotated or bounced, no diffuser or bounce card extended<br>

..2) no diffuser dome installed, make sure the micro switch on the SB800 body is not pressed-in or damaged.<br>

..2) try another Nikkor zoom lens..</p>

<p>+1 with Elliot.</p>

<p>I guess these are <em><strong>new</strong></em> symptoms and not specific to this lens combo and it usually works just fine?</p>

<p>If it's acting weird, change the batteries. If that fixes EVERYTHING, it was the batteries..;-)</p>

<p>If it doesn't, it's something else...sadly, probably something that you can't fix yourself.</p>