Connecting Nikon SC-18 / SC-19 cords

[jay_drew]

<p>My understanding is that the Nikon SC-18 / SC-19 cords are the same sex @ both ends. If true is there a cheaper way to connect two, say, SC-19 cords to have an extension of 20' than using an AS-10, also w/o having a flash in the middle?<br>

Thank you, Jay Drew</p>

[ShunCheung]

<p>Are you referring to Nikon's SC-17 or SC-28 and SC-29 flash extension cords? They work just like power extension cords, but they plug into the camera hot shoe on one end and you can plus a flash's hot shoe onto the other end. In other words, the plugs on the two ends of the card are different, not the same.</p>

[c_watson1]

<p>IIRC, Nikon(nor anyone else)made anything simpler than the AS-10 to daisy chain these cords. Suppose you could scarf connectors from busted speedlights and make one. I choked this a.m. when I saw what the AS-10 goes for now. Think I paid $10 for one a few years ago.</p>

[kari_oinonen]

<p>Jay, if you take one SC-17, you can connect both ends to form a loop. So their form is in a way the same but the sex is different. Shun points to these.<br>

An AS-10 , I have that too, was not able to make a proper connection with newer digital camera D90 and D700 tested.<br>

With an AS-10 you need special cables/connectors. Maybe those cables that go to the AS-10 are called SC-18. Yes, those cables have a same smallish connector on both ends. The other end of a supposed SC-18 connects to the side connector of the SC-17 or similar.<br>

What is your aimed setup?</p>

[rodeo_joe1]

<p>Some time ago I came across a simple hotshoe to hotshoe curly extension cable with all the necessary Nikon TTL connections. It works absolutely fine with i-TTL, but the version I have is only about 1 metre long when fully extended. It was made by "New Ideas Inc." in Skokie Illinois. The thing looks practically hand-made, so maybe if the company's still going they could supply a customised version in a longer length.</p>

<p><strong>However</strong>, there may well be a length restriction to any cable carrying i-TTL signals. I think 20' is probably pushing it for any data cable that's un-terminated or un-amplified. I had some trouble with a 2 metre SC-28 clone that worked fine with a D700, but refused to work properly with a D800 until I took it apart and slightly re-arranged the cable layout. That indicates to me that there can be a critical signal loss over even a fairly short cable length.</p>

[richard_meyers]

<p>The analogy to power extension cords is misleading. The ends of the SC-18 and SC-19 are exactly the same. A female connector with a locking ring. Both are designed to be used with the SC-17 for wired multi-flash setups with a maximum of 5 flashes. The AS-10 provides a hot shoe, 1/4" hole and 3 connectors for the SC18/19. You could hook two SC-19's together for 20' but you would either need a compatible flash such as a SB-24/25 or a second AS-10. This is late 1980's technology so there are probably incompatibilities with modern flashes. Have you considered wireless? </p>

[ShunCheung]

<blockquote>

<p>The analogy to power extension cords is misleading. The ends of the SC-18 and SC-19 are exactly the same.</p>

</blockquote>

<p>Richard, what exactly are the SC-18 and SC-19 cords?<br>

<br />I am only aware of SC-17, 28, and 29 cords (that is <strong>twenty-eight</strong> instead of <strong>eighteen</strong>). Those are just like power extension cords but for the Nikon hot shoe. The two ends are definitely not the same. The gray one in the image below is the SC-17 and the black one is SC-28. The SC-29 is similar to the SC-28 but has an additional AF-assist red LED. I own all three.</p>

<center>

<p><img src="http://static.photo.net/attachments/bboard/008/008snF-18825384.jpg" alt="" /></p>

</center>

[rodeo_joe1]

<p><a href="http://www.cs.mtu.edu/~shene/DigiCam/User-Guide/EXT-FLASH/NIKON/NIKON-ACC.html">SC-17/18/19 extender cords are explained and shown here.</a></p>

[richard_meyers]

<p>These are older straight cords as opposed to the SC-17 which is coiled and has a male hot shoe attachment (camera) at one end and a female hot shoe (like an AS-10) at the other.<br>

<br />What I meant by misleading is that a power extension cord has a male and female end but the SC18/19 have both female ends designed to attach to the 3-pin connectors on the AS-10 or a compatible flash.</p>

[ShunCheung]

<p>I see. When I saw the original question, I did a search but couldn't find anything on the SC-18 and 19, so I thought the OP was talking about the SC-28 and SC-29, which are quite different. Thanks to Joe and Richard on the info about the SC-18 and 19.</p>

[jay_drew]

<p>Thanks for all the responses.<br>

My interest is strictly w/ D-TTL. I don't own an I-TTL camera or flash. <br>

For the time being, I want to be able to use multiple Nikon flashes w/ F4 & F5 cameras & "D" lenses.<br>

It seems a terrible waste to have to use AS-10s in order to splice simple 3 cord cables together or to have to use SC-17 cords or it's other variations <br>

RJ I hope you're not correct in thinking that 20' is too far to link 2 SB-24 flashes, If U are correct would it work if a 3rd flash were used in the middle & it's flash lens covered w/ gaffers tape? When I think about it 20' isn't very far for an extension cord. At least 5' to 10' vertical between each light only leaves 10' to 15' to stretch in between. That's not really very far. I don't trust ttl flash information transmitted w/ inferred. <br>

Thanks again, JD</p>

[frank_skomial]

<p><em>" My interest is strictly w/ D-TTL. I don't own an I-TTL camera or flash. </em><br /><em> For the time being, I want to be able to use multiple Nikon flashes w/ F4 & F5 cameras & "D" lenses.</em> " -well... then your wish perhaps will never get fulfilled.</p>

<p>F4 and F5 use film TTL, and not D-TTL. Perhaps you do not have a D-TTL capable camera?<br /> Seems that you are confused, The "D" focus distance providing lenses have little or nothing to do with the digital D_TTL.<br /> However some CLS/iTTL features do utilize the distance information, if a D lens provides that data to the CLS/iTTL compatible camera.</p>

<p>The first Nikon digital DSLR cameras, like D100, used D-TTL. That was in the early stages of digital flash technology, before the CLS was invented. Starting with D70 and others, the iTTL was used, and the D-TTL was stopped. Technical progres marches on...</p>

<p>You could easily give up your interest in the D_TTL, unless you get a much older digital camera that usitlizes the D-TTL flash, if you find one.</p>

<p>Current and latest Nikon multiple flash technology is wireless, and fiddling with multiple cables is not adviced.</p>

<p>With your camera and manual mode flashes, traditional flash technique with use of a flash meter is your best choice. Use radio, optical or PC sync cables for this. You do not need any TTL cables.</p>

[frank_skomial]

<p>If you have film TTL compatible flashes, you could strap them together. (e.g. SB800 but not SB900).<br>

There are special cables for F5, but there are limitations.<br>

Read instructions for SB800 flash. They discuss briefly multiple flash use.</p>

 

[rodeo_joe1]

<p>Jay, I can't see how older versions of TTL could work reliably with multiple flashes. The sequence of events, as I understand it is: Camera shutter opens and flash fires; camera meters exposure off the film plane and; signal sent to flash to shut off its output.<br>

If a second (or more) flash is added to the chain, how can you control the relative power output of each individual flash? The simple TTL control described above will shut off all flashes simultaneously, and all flashes will operate at their full output for the same duration - i.e. there's no control of lighting ratios. Remember that flash output can only be controlled by shortening the flash <em>duration</em>, and not by varying the intensity of the light. (Well, not unless you have a stack of ND filters available.)</p>

<p>I suppose you could set one flash in manual or AA mode and let TTL take care of, say, your key light, but that only requires simple non-TTL slaving of the manual/AA flash(es).</p>

<p>What I said about a length limit to TTL control would apply almost certainly to i-TTL, where there's a stream of digital data sent from the camera to the flash. Putting a flash in the middle of the cable run wouldn't actually amplify the signal. I'm not sure about plain-vanilla TTL. It'll probably be a lot more robust and less prone to signal degradation, but I really haven't tried long range TTL control for the reason outlined above. Manual flash control really ain't rocket science if you invest in a flashmeter.</p>

[jay_drew]

<p>Well, this is embarrassing. Perhaps now I know why I can't understand the flash instructions I have read for individually controlling remotely SB-24s fired w/ an F4/ F5. I've been trying to read something into them that doesn't exist. I have a couple of good Minolta flash meters w/ accessories & I certainly know how use them for manual flash. That's not the problem I'm trying to solve. What I'm looking for is being able to shoot quickly, & control the lighting quickly w/o metering. I do feel that Nikon has been less than clear on the immediate (immediate = @ time of flash) control-ability of whatever F4/F5 /SB-24 system is called. (In fact it would be useful knowing the proper name for this type of system & know which flashes it began & ended with.)<br>

If I were to place several SB-24s (or similar class of SBs) around a room bouncing off the ceiling /walls, set (@ a reasonable manual partial, or full power, whatever is required), & used the on camera TTL flash for a correct amount of fill, would the on camera flash take the flash of the remote lights into account when figuring it's own brightness?<br>

Also, from what I'm reading here, I don't see how a Pocket Wizard (or something similar) would be able to exert any instantaneous control over the remote flashes either. Correct?</p>

<p >Regardless, I now have a good set of questions to be answered to solve my problem.<br>

This has been a real eye opener,<br>

Thank you all, so much, for your information, Jay Drew</p>