Which Custom Mode for SB-800 on D70?

[michelle a.]

I'm using the D70 and slowly getting used to using the SB800

Speedlight. I have very little experience using flash, but I am

slowly learning and beginning to appreciate how good flash can be when

applied appropriately. I've always avoided using flash because I was

very initimidated by it (it just seemed terribly technical to learn),

and I never really cared for how bad it's effects can be on an image

when done improperly.

 

Right now I'm using the D70 in manual exposure mode with flash mode

programmed for TTL, I then set the SB800 unit to TTL-BL and then

adjust the output in +/- 1/3 increments..... this seems to be working

out rather well for me.

 

My question then (and it's pretty stupid I suppose) is this, am I

using the right custom mode on the D70? Should I be setting the

camera's custom flash mode to Manual? And if so at full power? I only

see explanations of the custom flash modes in relation to how they

work with the onboard flash.

 

Another related question is in regards to the NEF file. I would like

to be able to see how much +/- compensation I used when taking an

image, but it would seem that I'm unable to read this info in Nikon

Capture. It will show which type of flash option, but it gets no more

detailed than that.

 

Is there a way to have this information show, that I may be unaware of?

 

Thanks for any help you may be able to offer.

 

Michelle

[beno_t_marchal]

<p>Camera on manual and flash on TTL is probably the most common/useful setting. Set

the exposure for the ambiant light, i.e. what should be exposed by something else than

the flash. If you want to cancel ambiant light, set the speed to 250 or higher.

<p>Setting the flash to A mode makes very little sense as A is less precise than TTL. The

only application with a D70 is in wireless flash with multiple units, if you need to light one

part (e.g. the background) differently.

<p>--ben

[michelle a.]

Thanks for the answer Benoit.

[bill_chiarchiaro]

Michelle,

 

<p><i>

I would like to be able to see how much +/- compensation I used when taking an image, but it would seem that I'm unable to read this info in Nikon Capture.

</i>

 

<p>

There are programs that will show the flash compensation setting. The one I use is <a href="http://www.sno.phy.queensu.ca/~phil/exiftool">exiftool</a>. It shows the setting just fine it you set it on the D70 camera body. However, if you set it on the SB-800 itself, then the value is reported as 0. I'm trying to figure out if this a due to a problem in the program or if it's just the way the D70 writes its metadata.

 

<p>

--Bill

[michelle a.]

Thanks for the help Bill. I'll check out that link. And yes, I usually adjust flash compensation through the flash unit, not the camera.