SB900

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<p>Next week I get to take pictures in a gym of a cheerleading competition. If I set my Nikon D-200 on P then my flash can be on auto TTl. If I set the camera on Shutter priority do I have to use manual on the SB-900 or can I set it on auto and ttl? Do I have to set the distance on the flash manual to get it out on the floor about 30-40 feet away or does the camera set the flash automatic? Thanks for any help.</p>

[redphoto]

<p>I would recommend using the camera in the manual mode and the flash in on of the TTL modes. By changing your aperture you can effect the distance the flash will travel. Just look on the scale on the flash as you change the aperture. You will need to determine your shutter speed based on the available light and movement, but you probably want to stay around 125 to 200 to avoid blur. Then adjust your ISO to get you to the aperture that you need for the distance. The wider the aperture (smaller numbers, like f/2.8, f/4) the further the flash will travel.</p>

[tom_boston1]

<p>Is it a day event? A night event? What will the ambient light be like? What lens will you be using?</p>

<p>Especially if it's a dark room, You should probably bounce the flash. Point the SB-900 straight up and manually set the zoom to something moderately wide, ISO 800, shutter 1/250, and aperture as wide as possible to make up for the large amounts of light lost bouncing off a relatively wide room.</p>

<p>If the performers are facing a white wall, then you might get better results bouncing off the wall instead.</p>

<p>Also, I just noticed you'll be 30-40 feet away. Direct flash is likely to result in some red eye.</p>

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<p>The event is in the morning (daylight), high ceiling basketball gym. Girls should be about mid court so I need to throw the flash 30-40 feet. The camera is a Nikon D-200 and I have three lens. (1) 50mm f1.8 (2) 16-50 F2.8 (3) 80-200 f-2.8. I can possibly set up the flash off camera on a stand and get it a little closer to the action. Thanks for the suggestions.</p>

[tom_boston1]

<p>Depending on whether it's a cloudy or sunny that day and how many windows the room has, it's possible you'll have enough ambient light to get photos without a flash. Perhaps something in the range of ISO 1600, 1/250, f/4.</p>

<p>If the sun is shining in through the windows and creating bright spots in the background, you'll especially want to shoot manual to keep the meter from being fooled. </p>

<p>You maybe able to get some very dramatic effects if off-camera flash on a stand is available and can be separated far enough from the camera. Try a manual exposure setting 3 or 4 stops less than whatever you are using for the ambient exposures. (maybe ISO 200, 1/250, f/4). Do you have a reliable trigger for the remote flash? Using the pop-up flash to remotely trigger is unlikely to work.</p>

<p>You'll probably get your best results shooting with ambient light only. This also lets you shoot at 5 frames per second which increases your chances of getting the right facial expression. But definitely try the flash shots too and use the preview to evaluate what your getting.</p>

<p>You'll find <a href="http://strobist.blogspot.com">strobist.blogspot.com</a> to be a good resource about using flash.</p>

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[Ed_Ingold]

<p>Use available light, if at all possible, with the ISO set high enough to use 1/100 second or faster. While you might get the flash to carry that distance, the light will be very flat and you'll get redeye. Anything in the foreground will be grossly overexposed (or the subject will be grossly underexposed).</p>

<p>Bounce the flash in a gym? LOL!</p>

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<p>Thanks for the replys. I plan to do no flash and 5fps to get some good shots. I'll try a few with flash and maybe some off camera. I have all morning to practice and then try the best on the team I am there to photograph. Thanks again.</p>

[warren_hatch]

Jim,

 

P-mode on the Nikon will not give you a shutter speed sufficiently fast enough to stop the action.

 

You will need a shutter speed of something like 1/500.

 

Put the camera in Manual mode, dial the shutter to 1/500, set the ISO to the highest it goes that produces acceptable

images for you, then select an aperture that gives you an exposure within a half-stop or so of the camera's meter. Then

turn on the SB-900, put it in TTL mode (not the BL flavor). Take a few practice shots watching for exposure on the

faces, depth of field, and whatever shadows you might be throwing on the back wall. Balancing those factors will

determine your aperture, flash exposure compensation, an ISO.

 

 

Redeye may be a problem if you are shooting with longer glass, if you cannot get the flash off-axis

 

Good luck,

 

Warren

[frank_skomial]

<p>You will need much more details to use 1/500 sec and the flash cannot be in iTTL or ITTL/BL in this case.<br />You could possibly try to use the CLS/FP flash mode and the 1/500 if you must, but I would not recommend that for distance 30-40 feet.</p>

<p>Use 1/250 flash speed and the iTTL flash setting. Perhaps iTTL/BL would not be appropriate in a dark gymnasium, but who knows for sure? try it. If you get some motion blur at 1/250 sec speed, it would be better than not getting anything at all. Use fast lens. 85/1.4 would be perfect. VR / 2.8 lenses would help to catch slow motions or static shots. Shoot a lot to get some good photos. Observe recommendation on SB900 fast shooting to prevent possible flash overheating.</p>

<p>Use higher ISO to get more reach and faster flash operation. Turn On moderate noise reduction at higher ISO and also shoot RAW, just in case your JPG are not perfect..</p>

<p>I do not think bouncing flash of the ceiling in a large gym would be appropriate for single SB900 so try it ?, or better shoot flash directly.</p>

[warren_hatch]

The SB-900's Guide Number in Auto FP High Speed synch at 1/500 is 67.3 for a 200mm lens. If Jim sets his D-200 to

ISO 1600, this becomes a GN of something like 269. Even without any ambient light, Jim's SB-900 will give him perfect

exposures from 40 feet at f/5.6 and wider. Toss in whatever ambient light is available in the gym, and he might even get

away with dropping to ISO 800. Bring plenty of fresh batteries.

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<p>Thanks to everyone for the help. This will help. Jim</p>