SB800

[commtrd]

I have discovered there is absolutely nothing wrong with my D300. It works

flawlessly; the reason a lot of my photos were washed out is insufficient exposure.

This brings up a good point: if inexperienced, do not immediately blame the

equipment for poor results when the most likely factor is insufficient knowledge of

how the equipment works and functions best. I learned my lesson.

 

I needed to use some flash. I have purchased a SB800 from B & H and have been

looking for some tutorials maybe available in the flash forum but did not see any

links. Can someone recommend or suggest a website or link that has good

material on correct use of the flash? Sometimes manuals leave a little to be

desired when it comes to clarity of instruction.

 

Also will the SB800 control a ring flash for macro or is this a different deal?

[ron_hiner2]

This is a little bit dated (mea culpa), but it has tons of good stuff

 

http://softstonegroup.com/sb-800.html

[robert meier]

Insufficient exposure would produce pictures that are too dark, not washed out.

[Matt Laur]

Robert: it's possible that he's not using that phrase the way you are, or that when boosting dark images to try to brighten them, he is indeed getting the expected low-contrast results.

[commtrd]

I should have stated the exposure was not correct; either under or over-exposed. I recreated several of the shots I had trouble with using the flash and the color just jumped out whereas before it was all washed out and olive-green looking (shooting leaves, green, etc.). The on-board flash many times creates a real harsh light on the subject so I broke down and ordered a SB800. Plus I am shooting in raw now which helps in PP to render clean images.

[commtrd]

Ron,

 

Thanx that was exactly what I was looking for.

[Matt Laur]

Just wait, Keith, until you really start playing with that SB-800 off-camera, slaved. Great tool, truly.

[ron_hiner2]

I've long been a fan of the sb-800 off camera - but not slaved. the TTL system is awesome.

 

Lately I've been experimenting with puttin the SB-800 ON the camera... something I've avoided for years.

 

This shot is taken at 2pm, on a hot bright sunny day -- the kind of light that makes terrible deep dark shadows. SB-800 to the rescue in FP mode.

[joseph_smith3]

You can buy a Magic Lantern Guide by Simon Stafford for the SB-600 and SB-800. Also go tho this link for basic info on how to use Nikon flashes including iTTL flashes:

http://www.moosepeterson.com/techtips/flash.html

 

A lot of the comments apply to iTTL flashes which include the sb-800 although it was written before these flashes came out.

 

Just remember that when the two computers --in the camera and flash --are working together the sb-800 flash head screen reads TTL BL. When the two computers are working separately like in true fill flash, the flash head screen reads TTL.

 

If you are still confused, send me a email and I will send you my notes.

 

Joe Smith

[frank_skomial]

In TTL and TTL BL the camera is responsible for the exposure, and camera does the flash output determination, as well as ambient light usage, not the flash itself.

 

In TTL BL flash mode, multiple camera sensors, and the D information from lens (if available) are used. The camera knows the ambient static light level available and the distance to subjects (determined by focus point), and tries to adjust flash output level to the ambient lighting level, whenever possibly - usually in good ambient lighting.

 

The Nikon "balanced" technique, (or illusion obtained at the expense of reduced but proper flash output), works so well for those who understand how that works and when is appropriate to use it.

 

For some balanced flash lighting makes makes them believe that single flash actually could light up close and distant subject equally well. Single flash cannot light up equally well distant and close subjects, and for that Nikon CLS multiple flash system comes to the rescue.

 

Note that some complain about "balanced" mode not working or being "useless". That depends on camera mode, user settings, and ambient light level when it would be appropriate to use TTL BL.

 

The flash would default to just TTL if constraints are limitting by user settings and by ambient light too much and proper degree of "balance" cannot be achieved. Flash will always try eventually to provide correct exposure, even in Aperture priority or Manual camera modes, but based of your settings the "balanced" effect can be minimal or none.

 

The statement: "two computers are working separately" would apply to some degree if the flash was used in Auto mode or in the SU-4 mode, when the optical sensor on the flash controls the flash output (thyristor cut off), but not to TTL or TTL BL flash mode.

[frank_skomial]

In both TTL and TTL BL flash modes of SB800/600, both TTL modes are actually iTTL modes on D300. Flash light output is determined during pre-flashes by the D300 "computer", and not by a flash "computer". During exposure time, when the shutter is open, there is no flash output adjustment, and the flash just outputs the amount of light pre-deternined earlier by the camera.

 

In Auto flash mode, the flash "computer" determins amount of light during exposure time when shutter is open. Reflected from the subjects light is measured by the sensor on the flash, and when proper level of light is reached, as determined by the flash "computer", the thyristor in the flash cuts off the flash tube discharge current.

[joseph_smith3]

Here is Moose Peterson's link for the flash and the D3:

http://www.moosepeterson.com/D3/flash.html

 

Joe Smith

[terry foster]

Keith just get the camera and flash and play with it, take loads of images and you will pick things up Enjoy!

[frank_skomial]

Excerpt from the Moose Peterson: "the computer circumnavigates the inverse square law", ... Moose must be getting his education from Ken Rockwell...