trigger sb800/sb600 on d300 without popup?

Pentax DA 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 AF

02/08/2009 10:35:36 PM · #1

is it possible to trigger sb800/sb600 on d300 without the popup flash?

faidoi

Pentax K10D

02/08/2009 10:40:22 PM · #2

Originally posted by aerogurl:

is it possible to trigger sb800/sb600 on d300 without the popup flash?

No controller mode?

Shutter-For-Hire

Nikon AF Nikkor 24mm f/2.8D

02/08/2009 10:40:53 PM · #3

nope... get another SB-800 and aim it backwards on 1/164th power in order for teh CLS system to trigger your other flashes (if you want to avoid any fill flash... You CAN buy a remote flash thingie that is just a CLS controller that hooks into your hot shoe, but it's about $300... and you can get an SB-800 for that much... so it's a waste...

Message edited by author 2009-02-08 22:41:34.

JeffryZ

Nikon D80

Nikon AF Zoom-Nikkor 18-135mm f/3.5- 5.6G ED DX

02/08/2009 10:45:13 PM · #4

You can get a remote cable to allow you to use it off the camera but you are still teathered to it and limited to the length of the cable (basically an extension chord between the hotshoe and flash). Not sure if that is what you are looking for but it will help you get the light from a non-head on direction.

Nikon AF Nikkor 85mm f/1.4D IF

02/08/2009 10:48:58 PM · #5

yea im looking not to use the pop up flash at all... but i thought that was impossible. that sux

anyone know a good site to tell me how to set up the d300, sb800 & 600 to fire all at the same time.. I'm having a problem getting them to work together.

shalrath

Nikon D200

02/08/2009 10:56:45 PM · #6

You could start with Strobist. It's a little in depth and possibly goes beyond what you're trying to do. But the lighting 101 section will tell you all the possible ways to trigger your flashes.

Panasonic LUMIX DMC-LX100

02/08/2009 10:59:02 PM · #7

nevermind.. found a great site that was helpful //www.momentcorp.com/review/nikon_d200commander.html

spiritualspatula

Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 24-70mm f/2.8G ED

02/08/2009 11:02:45 PM · #8

Radiopoppers are another option, if you're looking for wireless while keeping the high speed sync and I-TTL, but with increased range and reliability (also does not require line of sight).
When you say you are looking to not use it at all, what do you mean? You mean, not have it fire period, or not have it contribute light to the scene? Commander mode doesn't NECESSARILY provide light to the scene, just preflashes for communicating with the off-camera flash units.

Message edited by author 2009-02-08 23:03:25.

caba

Nikon D800

Nikon AF-S Zoom-Nikkor 28-70mm f/2.8D IF-ED

02/08/2009 11:09:13 PM · #9

Try this easy to follow site

Frank

millsa

Nikon D7100

Nikon AF-S DX 18-105 f/3.5-5.6 ED VR

02/09/2009 12:01:34 AM · #10

YES you can, you don't need to get the commander or an SB800.

You can set the popup flash not to fire (on the D90 you have 3 options in commander mode TTL,M, and -- you want to set it to --) - note it will fire a pre-flash before the shot to talk to the other flash but not during the shot. However I have noticed if I'm close to the subject some of the popup flash light can still comes in, but even this can be fixed (or the same fix if the D300 doesn't have a '--' mode):
The flash talks infer-red but you can still see the pre-flash in the visible spectrum. To fix this apparently you can get a pop-up flash cover from Nikon to block the visible light and only let the infer-red through, but a cheaper way is to make your own with a strip of exposed processed film (remember film) over the pop-up flash, apparently it makes a great IR filter.

I was going to do this film thing so I could run my SB-600 with my SB-24 and optical slave, though in general the pre-flash hasn't triggered the slave or I've been able to angle the slave away enough to not see the pre-flash, so I haven't needed to.

Shutter-For-Hire

Nikon AF Nikkor 24mm f/2.8D

02/09/2009 12:17:33 AM · #11

Originally posted by millsa:

interesting.... hmmmm thanks for the tip =)

02/09/2009 12:38:57 AM · #12

Originally posted by spiritualspatula:

When you say you are looking to not use it at all, what do you mean? You mean, not have it fire period, or not have it contribute light to the scene? Commander mode doesn't NECESSARILY provide light to the scene, just preflashes for communicating with the off-camera flash units.

What I mean is, not use the pop up flash, only the flash I have set up surrounding my subject. I want the D300 to tell those two flashes to fire without having to use the popup to tell them.

Anders

Nikon AF-S Nikkor 50mm f/1.4G

02/09/2009 08:47:34 AM · #13

Then I'm pretty sure you will need either a Sync cord (although I'm not sure if you can fire 2 flashes with one port? Maybe someone else can help with that) for the tethered option, or a 'remote' (radio or IR). I know a lot of Strobist's use Cactus remotes (V2, available on eBay for cheap), it will trigger the flashes but you won't get TTL- you will need to set both units to manual. As mentioned Radio Poppers will allow TTL and much longer range, but at a price. I think Pocket Wizards are considered to be the best (concerning range and near 0 failure rate), but also come with the steepest price tag.

Edit: For anyone wanting to use the popup in commander mode for the first time, I found this to be very helpful. I watched his whole walkthrough series while I was waiting for mine to be delivered, theres some pretty good info in there.

Message edited by author 2009-02-09 08:49:47.

dassilem

Nikon AF-S DX NIKKOR 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR II

02/09/2009 09:35:37 AM · #14

Originally posted by aerogurl:

Originally posted by spiritualspatula:
When you say you are looking to not use it at all, what do you mean? You mean, not have it fire period, or not have it contribute light to the scene? Commander mode doesn't NECESSARILY provide light to the scene, just preflashes for communicating with the off-camera flash units.

What I mean is, not use the pop up flash, only the flash I have set up surrounding my subject. I want the D300 to tell those two flashes to fire without having to use the popup to tell them.

I'm curious as to why?? especially because the popupflash does not add flash to the shot?

Ann

Olympus OM-D E-M1

Olympus 12-40mm f/2.8 Pro

02/09/2009 01:25:49 PM · #15

If you're more than about 5 feet from the subject, the popup flash won't contribute to the exposure at all. Closer than that, or if your subject is really reflective, you might see some of the popup flash. You can get a Nikon SG-IR3 to block the popup flash, but still allow it to trigger the other flashes. It works very well.

02/09/2009 02:04:13 PM · #16

Originally posted by Ann:

Thats exactly what I need... cheap and easy, (just like me lol).. Thanks for all the replies and help :)

Nikon AF-S DX 18-105 f/3.5-5.6 ED VR

02/09/2009 04:29:08 PM · #17

also found another way, mount the sb800 on the camera, bounce it off the ceiling or whatever, use it as commander and slave the sb600. just fyi :)

Message edited by author 2009-02-09 16:29:32.

millsa

Nikon D7100

02/09/2009 06:29:31 PM · #18

Originally posted by aerogurl:

also found another way, mount the sb800 on the camera, bounce it off the ceiling or whatever, use it as commander and slave the sb600. just fyi :)

But then you will still get light from the sb800 on the subject, and that may not be the lighting you're going for, and seems a waste of the a good flash. If you go the $11 IR filter (or some exposed film for $0) then you have the sb800 available to place where ever you want.

Morgan

Nikon D800

Nikon AF-S Zoom-Nikkor 28-70mm f/2.8D IF-ED

02/09/2009 06:58:04 PM · #19

I do not own the D90, but I am successful all the time with my D3 and D300 at firing my three SB-800s and one SB-600 without using the any on-board flash as a trigger.

I purchased the SU-800 Commander independent of the R1C1 close up flash kit. It is a stand alone trigger for the other flash units and works very well as such via the communications systems internal to it. I also am able to fire my Elinchrom strobes with the Pocket Wizard systems, which is another option to consider.

spiritualspatula

Panasonic LUMIX DMC-LX100

Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 24-70mm f/2.8G ED

02/09/2009 10:21:58 PM · #20

You still haven't explained why you don't want the pop-up flash on it's own or what exactly the application here is. The commander mode built into the camera using the pop-up flash is very simple to use and you most likely don't need to even cover it (depending upon your application).

02/11/2009 09:46:09 PM · #21

Originally posted by spiritualspatula:

I don't understand what you mean by application, but I simply do not want the pop up flash to fire. Various reasons, but the main one, I do not want light on my subject coming from the direction of my camera.... k?

Olympus 12-40mm f/2.8 Pro

02/11/2009 09:48:04 PM · #22

Originally posted by millsa:

Originally posted by aerogurl:
also found another way, mount the sb800 on the camera, bounce it off the ceiling or whatever, use it as commander and slave the sb600. just fyi :)

But then you will still get light from the sb800 on the subject, and that may not be the lighting you're going for, and seems a waste of the a good flash. If you go the $11 IR filter (or some exposed film for $0) then you have the sb800 available to place where ever you want.

I plan to get the filter, but in the meantime, pointing the flash anywhere but at my subject is working for me right now :)

Ann

Olympus OM-D E-M1

02/12/2009 12:41:45 PM · #23

Until I got the filter, using a clothespin to attach an index card in front of the popup flash worked, it just kept popping off at inopportune moments.

Eventually I switched to a set of cheap ebay wireless triggers. Much happier all round.

idealodds

Nikon D80

Nikon AF Nikkor 50mm f/1.8D

02/12/2009 01:04:16 PM · #24

Originally posted by aerogurl:

Originally posted by millsa:

Originally posted by aerogurl:
also found another way, mount the sb800 on the camera, bounce it off the ceiling or whatever, use it as commander and slave the sb600. just fyi :)

But then you will still get light from the sb800 on the subject, and that may not be the lighting you're going for, and seems a waste of the a good flash. If you go the $11 IR filter (or some exposed film for $0) then you have the sb800 available to place where ever you want.

I plan to get the filter, but in the meantime, pointing the flash anywhere but at my subject is working for me right now :)

I think he was asking because even when you use the on-board popup, you can set it to only trigger the remote strobes while not lighting your subject. (as explained in the post above, set on-board to "--")

dassilem