marc_henry1 Posted November 22, 2011 Share Posted November 22, 2011 <p>I was out playing with a new lens this evening and to try it out went for a walk on the beach with my terrier. She is brindle and white (photo attached) and therefore makes quite a good test subject as you have to remember to that you are exposing for both the brindle (black and brown) bits and white bits. Whilst using an SB 900 off camera via the CLS it occurred to me that it would be a very handy feature for the scroll wheel to act as a dimmer in 'M' mode rather than have to change the flash intensity by going through the camera menus. I have a feeling this is something that could be implemented by a software rather that hardware upgrade. Does anyone else think this would be useful ?<br> I come form a stage lighting background and like the idea of each source having a simple and direct control of intensity. For the most part the TTL metering works very well but there are those situations where the meter can be confused - such as when you want to light a small, mostly brown animal against a dark sky.</p> <p>Regards,</p> <p>Marc</p> <div></div> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ariel_s1 Posted November 22, 2011 Share Posted November 22, 2011 <p>Which camera are you using? Do you not have a flash button, on the front left of the viewfinder, where you can press it and just dial in flash compensation as you describe?</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JDMvW Posted November 22, 2011 Share Posted November 22, 2011 <p>Great shot of Tess. Your stage lighting background shows very nicely here.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marc_henry1 Posted November 22, 2011 Author Share Posted November 22, 2011 <p>Ariel - I am using a D700 and D300s so do have the compensation button but would really like a 1-100% control which is quick to use. Most of my flash photography involves moving subjects and to have 'fader' control would be a massive advantage. Also, I have always understood that the compensation doesn't apply when using the CLS control - perhaps I am wrong.<br> JDM - Thanks - she is a Staffordshire Terrier / Whippet cross handed in as a stray in London and has been with us for the last 11 years.<br> Regards,<br> Marc</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ellis_vener_photography Posted November 22, 2011 Share Posted November 22, 2011 <p>if the flash is in TTL mode just set the flash exposure compensation setting to some degree of "-".</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ariel_s1 Posted November 22, 2011 Share Posted November 22, 2011 <p>Marc, I just checked with my D200 and an SB600. If I am using wireless flash, and it is set up as TTL, then the flash exposure compensation will adjust the wireless flash output.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
User_5050610 Posted November 22, 2011 Share Posted November 22, 2011 <p>Marc--thank you for rescuing such a beautiful dog!<br> I can assure you she has appreciated and loved the last 11 years...<br> Paul</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter_in_PA Posted November 23, 2011 Share Posted November 23, 2011 <p>I doubt they will add this feature, as still photographers generally think in terms of f-stops not percentages.</p> <p>Nice shot, cool dog...</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pete_s. Posted November 23, 2011 Share Posted November 23, 2011 <p>The TTL compatible pocketwizards with an AC3 controller is the solution for those that like TTL and don't like menus:<br /> http://www.pocketwizard.com/products/transmitter_receiver/ac3%20zonecontroller/</p> <p>I don't know what wheel you would want to control intensity with. On the camera there are only two - one for shutter speed and one for aperture. I would rather that they put in a wheel for ISO first. Since I shoot in manual mode those are the three parameters I change all the time when shooting events, weddings etc.</p> <p>Great shot BTW!</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rodeo_joe1 Posted November 23, 2011 Share Posted November 23, 2011 <p>I agree entirely that having to control CLS through a menu almost completely negates its usefulness. I find there are very few applications where it's quicker or more convenient to poke about in the camera menu, rather than just reach out for the flash and adjust the flash power - especially with studio strobes where the power control is indeed a simple dimmer knob. For CLS to really reach its potential it needs to be much more readily adjusted, since forgetting to hit "OK" in the camera menu cancels any laboriously made selections.</p> <p>I sometimes wonder if Nikon actually consult photographers before designing another needless feature into their cameras.</p> <p>Incidentally, most hotshoe flashes these days can be manually varied down to 1/128th power, which is slightly less than 1%.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marc_henry1 Posted November 23, 2011 Author Share Posted November 23, 2011 <p>Thanks everyone for your responses. <br> Peter - I appreciate I probably think of lighting, or at least its control, in different terms that those being brought up on stills photography. My reason for wanting 1 - 100 % control is that it is much simpler than setting the intensity by entering an f stop.<br> Pete S - I wasn't actually thinking of a wheel on the camera necessarily. I was thinking of using the scroll wheel on the SB-900. So when the flash is set to 'M' in the commander menu the rear dial becomes a dimmer. Those pocket wizards look interesting - I will have a look for a price in a moment.<br> Ariel - I must have misunderstood the CLS instructions I read as I didn't think the flash compensation applied if you dial it in on top of the camera when in commander mode. Thanks - I will try this the next time I get a chance. My frustration was stemming from not being able to quickly fine adjust the flash setting without going back into the menus.<br> Rodeo Joe - I think you see what I'm getting at. It is that quick control whilst trying to photograph moving animals (I have some equine portraiture coming up) that would be a great addition to the CLS. <br> Thanks again for all your comments,<br> Marc</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
craig_shearman1 Posted November 23, 2011 Share Posted November 23, 2011 <p>Marc, unless I'm reading your questions wrong the scroll wheel already does exactly what you are asking for. Put it in manual mode and I think you have to push the button on the left (of the three multi-fuction buttons) then turn the wheel and it will go through settings from full power down through 1/64 power. Some of them might be marked -.3 EV rather than simple fractions, but amount to the same thing. I've only had my SB-900 a month or so and don't have it in front of me to double check which button it is. But I have done this as recently as last week and can guarantee that the feature exists.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marc_henry1 Posted November 23, 2011 Author Share Posted November 23, 2011 <p>Craig,</p> <p> Yes, you can manually fire the flash and use the control wheel as a 'dimmer' . However, I want to be able to do this wirelessly triggering from the on camera flash. The flash therefore has to be in 'remote' mode and then you lose the ability to set the output manually.</p> <p>Regards,</p> <p>Marc</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frank_skomial Posted November 23, 2011 Share Posted November 23, 2011 <p><em>"Whilst using an SB 900 off camera via the CLS it occurred to me that it would be a very handy feature for the scroll wheel to act as a dimmer in 'M' mode</em>" - So, you want to walk to the remotely located SB900, and use that flash scroll wheel to adjust the power output ?</p> <p>Seems like you are using the camera built-in pop-up flash as a commander ? - and that is why you must use menus.</p> <p>Try to use SB900 in the camera hot shoe as a commander, and you will get the scroll wheel to act the way you wish. - If I understand your desire correctly ?</p> <p>Try SU800 and you will get even simple commanding interface with directional keys. No wheel available on SU800, though.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ilkka_nissila Posted November 23, 2011 Share Posted November 23, 2011 <p>I'm not sure what you are not able to do. The commander (be it the pop-up, or an SU-800, or SB-700/800/900) has the controls to adjust the manual power of each of the remote flash groups. With the SU-800 this is in 1 stop steps, and with the others it's in 1/3 steps.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frank_skomial Posted November 23, 2011 Share Posted November 23, 2011 <p>You already have a "dimmer" of sort.</p> <p><em>"The flash therefore has to be in 'remote' mode and then you lose the ability to set the output manually." </em>- know your equipment!<br> <em> </em><br> - in CLS system a remotely located flash must be in the REMOTE CLS mode, so the commander sitting in the camera hot shoe provides all the controls, via the SB900 commander flash wheel, or via directional keys on SU800. You do not lose anything.</p> <p>You do not lose abiliy to set the output manually if the camera built-in flash is used as a commander. It is just a bit less convenient since you need to use camera menus. </p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marc_henry1 Posted November 23, 2011 Author Share Posted November 23, 2011 <p>Frank,<br> Thanks for the advice but I do appreciate that you can still override the iTTL system it is just not ergonomically joyful to do so. I find going in and out of the menus clunky and not in keeping with the design of the rest of the system. I was simply suggesting that the big wheel on the back of an SB900 would make a perfect dimmer control for the sort of 'environmental' portraits I'm quite keen on. All this could be done without moving your hands, imagining a camera in one hand and a flash in the other as was the case for the photograph at the start of the thread. <br> I am curious to see if any others using the CLS would find this useful ?<br> Regards,</p> <p>Marc</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frank_skomial Posted November 24, 2011 Share Posted November 24, 2011 <p>This your latest wish, as you had explained this better, already exists. Nikon already provided solution like this for you.</p> <p>Place SB900 in the SC29 TTL extension cord, and set it as a commander.<br> Stretch your hands, and hold the SB900 in one hand, and the camera in the other hand.<br> Length of the SC29 cord will allow you to do so.</p> <p>Then use dial wheel of the SB900 in your hand to adjust output of this flash in hand, and adjust with the same wheel and the same hand the output of any group containing many remote CLS flashes.</p> <p>What else one could possibly dream about?</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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