TTL (not ttl-bl) with Sb700/900 D3 and D3s

[robert_stig]

<p>can someone tell me how to use the SB700 and 900 in TTL mode (not BL) with the D3 D3s?</p>

<p>someone told me that basically u turn the metering mode to spot or center and that will do it. but if someone can confirm this for me please.</p>

[ShunCheung]

<p>You keep pressing (and let go) the MODE button on the flash, and it should cycle through different modes, from M to A to TTL to TTL-BL ....</p>

[Wouter Willemse]

<p>Whoever told you was right for the SB700 (not sure for the SB900, I don't have that). It's also how it is scritten in the <a href="http://cdn-10.nikon-cdn.com/pdf/manuals/Speedlights/SB-700.pdf">user guide of the SB700</a> (see page C-2). You will see on the display of the flash that it changes from TTL BL to TTL once you change from Matrix to Spot. Very easy to do and confirm for yourself, actually.<br /> __<br /> [edit]: Shun, that does not work for the SB700, there cycling between TTL and TTL-BL is exclusively done via the camera metering.</p>

[ShunCheung]

<p>I should point out that I had tried it with my SB-900 on the D800E before I made the earlier post above. I don't have any D3.</p>

<p>It would be difficult to do that with an SB-700 since it has no mode button. :-)</p>

[rodeo_joe1]

<p>The metering mode certainly switches the flash from indicating Balanced Lighting -TTL to plain vanilla TTL, but can someone explain the practical difference? Surely the flash automatically defaults to simple TTL once the ambient light falls below a certain level - unless you've set the flash synch to a really slow shutter speed in the camera.</p>

[ShunCheung]

<p>I also checked the SB-700. Again, the 700 has no mode button. As Wouter describes, when you switch from matrix metering to spot on the camera, the flash changes from TTL-BL to plain TTL. However, what the OP wrote is not accurate. The SB-700 will use TTL-BL for either matrix or center weighted. It uses plain TTL only under spot metering.</p>

<blockquote>

<p>can someone tell me how to use the SB700 and 900 in TTL mode (not BL) with the D3 D3s?<br>

someone told me that basically u turn the metering mode to spot or center and that will do it.</p>

</blockquote>

[elliot1]

<p>On the D3/D3s with the SB-900, you press the mode button once when in TTL-BL mode to just have TTL mode. Or you can turn on spot metering mode which will turn of the BL mode. Matrix and center weighted metering modes both allow for TTL-BL mode.</p>

[robert_stig]

<p>so basically press mode on the sb900 and put camera in spot for the sb700</p>