Old style wireless flash and new digital camera

<p>It's perhaps a rather strange question but has anyone tried using an old SB-26 or SB-80DX with built in wireless capability and triggering it with the camera's own flash? The flash would be in A mode (or manual mode) and the camera flash in manual mode.<br>

I imagine putting the SB-26 off to one side using non-TTL auto mode. This would be the main light. The camera flash would provide some fill for the shadows. It would be in manual mode to stop any preflashes but exposure is not so critical for shadow fill.<br>

I guess that any old flash with a separate wireless trigger might work too.<br>

I only ask because these old flash units are very cheap now and I wondered about buying one for my old F90x.<br>

And yes, I do know that an SB-600 or SB-800 would do both jobs (though my D40 won't work as an i-TTL commander and I'd need two or an SU-800!).<br>

Thanks in advance.</p>

 

<p>Although all three of my flashes are CLS compatible, I normally use them in an old-fashioned way: I trigger the key light with a pc cord and the other two flashes are in SU-4 (= dumb slave) mode. All three flashes are in manual mode so I set the flash energy from the flash and go about reading the aperture and balancing the flashes using a flash meter. If the situation requires more spontaneity and I can't set up lighting properly then CLS and TTL come in play but it has the annoying result of relatively high variability in the exposure given to the background as the subject moves about in the lit space. Also, if I light a larger room using multiple flashes bouncing them through umbrellas and roofs/ceilings, using TTL would be a disaster as in many cases one of the flashes would have a limited effect on the image of a smaller region of the space => the flash goes off at full energy (since the system tries to balance the effects of all the flashes, spooks/blinds people and takes forever to recharge. I find manual mode to be a bit more work but results in a set of images that can be presented together and it also gives a better impression of the photographer to the guests since there are no uncontrolled discharges (and all the flashes actually do go off, which is not a given with CLS).</p>

<p>I just wanted to say that yes, it is a good idea to use your older flashes in conventional wireless remote mode even with the latest DSLRs and you probably are better off that way than going with TTL/CLS all the way if a high quality result is what you're after. I don't myself like the A/AA modes but I haven't used them a lot either. The reason I don't normally have the flash on camera (when I use CLS I use the SU-800 to control them) is because I want to be able to move about, changing the camera position without affecting the light on the subject. Your mileage may vary and a lot of people do use the master flash on camera.</p>

<p>I use my SB-26 as a remote slave, with a SB-800 as master. I most often use the SB-26 as a fill-flash that way. I guess you can use the on-camera flash as master also.</p>

<p>It is a perfect way to put the old SB-26 into use again.</p>

<p>Depends on circumstances. Optical triggers like the SU-4 mode can be triggered by other people's flash, even by the spark from a nearby cigarette lighter. As long as there's little or no risk of that happening, it's fine. I use 'em at home for multiple flash setups. But I quit using optical triggers in public places or events where other photographers might be around.</p>

<p>Ilkka and Per-Christian,<br /> Thanks for the helpful comments.<br /> According to my estimates the built-in flash would normally give about 1 EV under exposure at 3 metres and f/8 using ISO 200. It has power adjustment of -1, -2, -3 -4 and -5 EV so it seems to me that it should do the job of fill-in quite well. Presumably there is a danger that it will be too weak to work as a trigger. Do you think this could be a problem at distances of, say, less than 5 metres?<br>

Lex,<br>

No this is just a home-based project!</p>

 

<p>I have a SB-24 is it wireless like the SB26? Could I use it as a off camera flash using the on camera flash from my D-200 to fire it? Thanks Jim</p>

<p>Jim,<br>

I don't think the SB-24 is wireless so you'd need a separate trigger unit to do what I'm proposing. I don't think it's a big deal and I expect third party ones are available. Just about any flash unit should work with a separate trigger unit. I only mentioned SB-26 because I don't actually have one yet and it looked like a good one to buy assuming that all these old units cost about the same.</p>

<p>If your D200 has a separate flash socket you might be able to use that with another flash unit at the same time as the built-in. I'm mainly mentioning wireless because my D40 has no separate flash socket and if I fit my SC-17 cable the flash won't pop up!</p>

<p> </p>

<p>The SB-24 doesn't have an optical trigger. You could buy some Yongguo radio triggers for it that are pretty reliable and reasonably priced. The old flash do NOT cost the same. The SB-26 is most expensive, and I personally don't think it's worth it. The SB-24 is least expensive, followed by the SB-25. Keep in mind that Nikon no longer stocks parts for older flash. The D200 does have a PC terminal. </p>

<p>Kent in SD</p>

<p>Kent,<br>

Thanks for that. Actually the place I've used in the past only has an SB-28 at the moment. About a year ago they had all kinds.<br>

So from what you say the cheapest one that does preflash for film is the SB-25 and that SB-26, SB-28 and SB-80DX all cost more. Is that right?</p>