Fill flash option disappeared

[sarah_lange1]

<p>Help, the fill flash option (BL) on my SB-900 and SB-910 has disappeared all of sudden. And both flashes at once. Strange I know. I've read the manual but can find no explanation or remedy. A few days ago I did switch the max sync speed on D700 from 250 to high speed sync with 250* so FP appears on mode line of flash LCD. But I've switched it back since. Nothing else has changed. It's odd that it happened with both at once. Makes me think it's a camera setting. Any ideas? Thank you.</p>

[rodeo_joe1]

<p>Firstly, BL type flash won't work with the camera set to manual exposure mode, and the flash will default to standard i-TTL or FP mode, depending on the shutter speed chosen.</p>

<p>Secondly, BL i-TTL is unavailable if the camera's metering is set to spot mode.</p>

<p>Thirdly, I believe the following to be the case, although Nikon's flash manuals aren't too clear about the details of BL mode: IME the mode of the flash changes automatically, depending on the level of light that the camera meters. Below a certain metering level, the camera assumes that the flash is the main or only source of light, and 'BL' will disappear from the flash display.</p>

[sarah_lange1]

<p>Thank you Rodeo Joe. I just learned that, as you state here as well, the problem was that the camera was in spot metering mode. I put it back to matrix and BL is back!<br>

Just fyi, BL does work when camera is in manual exposure mode, which my camera is 99 percent of the time. <br>

Thanks for replying.</p>

<p> </p>

[rodeo_joe1]

<p>Glad it's all fixed Sarah.<br>

I could've sworn that I read that BL mode wasn't available in manual exposure mode, but having searched my speedlight manual I now can't find any trace of it. And having checked with my D700 the BL indicator does indeed stay on in manual mode. Neither does it turn off when the light level falls well below the point where fill flash could be useful. My old brain is starting to play tricks on me!</p>

<p>I think one thing that was fooling me is that the BL indicator on the flash goes off when the camera's meter powers down. Plus I own a Canon system as well and am probably confusing a speedlight with a speedlite.</p>