SB700 firing but images dark

[thomas_house]

<p>Hi everyone! I've been getting back into photography recently after selling my D200 and SB600 a few years ago. I just picked up a D700 and SB700. Both are used but in good condition and purchased from a reputable dealer. It's connected via the camera to the hotshoe. When I take a photo (I use manual mode but have tried other settings) the flash will fire but the images are dark. I'm not sure what's causing it. I reset the settings in both the D700 and SB700. Both are TTL. The sync speed is 1/250 and the flash speed is 1/60.<br>

Any idea what I could be doing wrong? Am I just lacking the technical knowledge and need to really read both manuals? </p>

<p>Thanks</p>

[aj_bonomo]

<p>You can test the flash by setting it to manual (instead of TTL) and crank it to max output, then set your D700 to manual exposure based on ambient light, and have the flash fire at max.</p>

<p>That should seriously over-expose the image, and if so, you'll at least have confirmation that the flash is firing at the expected brightness.</p>

<p>Also, did you take the lens cap off? ;)</p>

<p>Are you firing straight at your subject, or are you bouncing the flash?</p>

<p>Is the slider (back right) set to direct, or to spread the light?</p>

<p>Do you have Zoom on (on the flash)? And what lens are you shooting with, at what settings?</p>

<p>Are you sure it isn't just the modelling or TTL flash that's firing? <br>

<br />Does the SB700 beep after it fires? Different beeps mean different things.</p>

[rodeo_joe1]

<blockquote>

<p>"I use manual mode but have tried other settings ....... Both are TTL."</p>

</blockquote>

<p>Well, you can't use TTL with manual flash settings. The flash power is either manually controlled, or it's controlled by the camera's TTL pre-flash metering. Or do you mean you're setting the camera shutter speed and aperture manually? If so, then you need to ensure that the flash has sufficient power to cover the subject distance at whatever aperture you're using. At the D700's base setting of 200 ISO the flash will cover a maximum distance of around 7 metres with an aperture of f/4. At f/8 it'll only cover 3.5 metres. At f/11 around 2.5 metres.<br>

At any further distance, or when bounced, the flash won't have enough power for a full exposure.</p>

<p>Check that no flash compensation is set, and also totally ignore the Guide Numbers given in the user guide. They'll be approximately one stop too optimistic. The real full-power GN of a 2nd tier flash like the SB700 is around 20 (metres/100 ISO) with the zoom head set at 50mm.</p>

[thomas_house]

<p>Thank you both for your help! I tried a lot of what was suggested to no avail. I ended up setting the flash to slave and the built in flash to commander mode. It looks like it works now. I'm not really sure what to make of that. <br /> Slider is set to direct. I'm using a 24-70mm afs 2.8 @2.8 and 1/250 and iso 800. I've tried shooting direct and bouncing. <br /> I may take the camera back to the store tomorrow and have them test it with a different flash and make sure I'm not doing something wrong. Otherwise it's a technical problem.</p>

<p>Thank you both again</p>

<p>EDIT: And sorry, yes I was setting the aperture and shutter speed manually and had both the camera and flash set to TTL. </p>

[Palouse]

<p>Make sure you don't flash exposure compensation set on your camera or have the flash power set low.</p>

[john_tran14]

<blockquote>

<p> flash speed is 1/60</p>

</blockquote>

<p> <br>

I think you set Flash <strong>power</strong> to 1/64 which is very weak.<br>

<br>

You said it works when set to slave. I think it is brighter only because of the on-camera flash.</p>

[mag_miksch]

<p>I vote with John, ^^</p>

[eric_arnold]

<blockquote>

<p>The sync speed is 1/250 and the flash speed is 1/60.</p>

</blockquote>

<p>1/60 (or 1/64) could result in dark images. take the flash out of manual mode and shoot at iTTL full power to make sure it can do that. </p>

[thomas_house]

<p>Thanks guys. I have some more updates. I put the flash in manual mode and confirmed it's not at 1/60. The flash doesn't fire AT ALL in manual mode (though it fires if I hit the flash button). I have tried different power levels and have confirmed that it does change the power levels by hitting the flash button. <br>

TTL mode the flash fires when I take a photo (unlike manual mode which does nothing) but the image is dark. <br>

I took the flash to a store and was led to believe that my having red eye mode on was causing the problem. Unfortunately when I tried to take photos at home I see that the problem still exists. The man who helped me did say that the flash I had worked on his camera, while neither his flash nor my flash would work on my camera body.<br>

So at this point I'm afraid to say that I believe something is wrong with my D700. I've cleaned the hotshoe contacts with alcohol but it made no difference. </p>

<p>I can still return the camera. Any last thoughts before I do so? Thank you again for all of your help!</p>

[Palouse]

<p>I'd return the camera, and get a replacement.</p>

[kari_oinonen]

<p>Now it seems that your camera is one of the few with flash shoe communication problems. My D700 had also. The fix may be simple one, but a fix anyhow. I'd return the camera.<br>

However, if the quick fix solves the problem, it might be wothwhile to try that.</p>

<p>For more info you might search photo.net for other related posts (D700 hotshoe problem).</p>