Help: Using a SB-800 on a Nikon D50 in auto mode and which lens to use?

[soumya_simanta]

I�m graduating and I want one of my friends to take pictures of me with my D50.

None my friends know anything about SLRs so I�m going to make them shoot all the

snaps in auto mode.

 

Today I got my SB-800 and wanted to know a few things. I know I can read the

manual and find it out but I�m really pressed for time right now and would

appreciate any help I can get from you all.

 

1. If there is a setting which I use with auto mode on the D-50 so that I get

decent pictures.

 

 

 

2. The ceremony is going to be held in a hall that is poorly lit. Now I�ve a

choice either to use my 18-200 VR with the SB-800 or to use the 50mm prime with

the SB-800. Remember all these shots would be taking in auto mode by someone who

just knows how to click. Which lens should I use? These are times when I wish I

had a faster super zoom.

 

 

 

 

3. The person taking the snap will be sitting on the balcony of a music hall. Do

you think the SB-800 is powerful enough for such a distance inside a hall?

 

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

 

Thanks.

[james_washington]

I'm not sure how far you are talking about distance-wise, but if it is really far and the room is fairly well lit, then the zoom would be my first choice. If the person taking the photos were close to the stage i would recommend the 50mm. Using the SB-800 from a workable, but sizable distance would mean removing the diffuser and pointing the flashhead directly at the target.

 

Like i said, i don't know how far away the balcony is from the stage or what kind of lighting is in the hall. Just make sure that the flash is not set to fill, or you may want to manually bump the flash up to full blast, but that is something that I would want to test before handing it to someone that had no clue what they were doing...you could end up with a bunch of peoples heads in the foreground getting blown out if they are sitting directly in from of the shooter or something.

[Ed_Ingold]

I find that auto flash and ISO 400 and f/5.6 works well for small groups, grip-and-grab, etc. The 18-200 would be a reasonable fit in that case. If I'm working closer than about 5 feet, I use the diffuser cap on the SB-800 for better coverage. A wide angle zoom is a lot more useful than the cultish 50/1.8, unless you are just there to be seen as a purist. It worked for Rasputin.

[Ed_Ingold]

The SB-800 may carry well enough from the balcony. I would think a 50 would be a little wide unless you want to cover the entire floor (or a substantial portion of it). At 30 feet or more, you will get an epidemic of red-eye. I might use a tripod and available light (possibly slow flash with an amber gel), take a lot of shots and hope for the best. I would also crank the ISO to 800, 1600 or higher - whatever works. If I were paid to shoot this, and needed really clear shots the first time, I would put some monolights on poles, with Pocket Wizards, and put light where it is needed.

[Jerry_]

Poorly lite and from a distant balcony: why not wait until you can gather up outside and shoot up close like? The SB-800 is for fill-flash out in the sunshine, it may/may not work just like a "flash bulb" for someone holding the camera on Day 1.

 

 

 

...and if the 'new' person holding the D50 with the 18-200mm lens does not wait for the VR to kick-in, you will have a problem with sharpness (my guess.)