Flash advice needed

Rainbowsend

I have a Nikon D700 and an SB600 Flash unit, what do I need to fire this flash remotely? I know I can do it using the onboard camera flash as a trigger but is there another way of doing it? There is no connector sockets on the flash itself and when I go into the menu on the camera the "wireless transmitter" is not highlighted so cannot be selected. Any help would be much appreciated.

pixbyjohn

http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/?ie=UTF8&keywords=flash+trigger+wireless&tag=googiehydra-21&index=aps&hvadid=5579356230&ref=pd_sl_22758tv0l5_b

Why do you not want to use the D700's own remote flash system with your SB600. Just curious

Rainbowsend

pixbyjohn wrote: »

http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/?ie=UTF8&keywords=flash+trigger+wireless&tag=googiehydra-21&index=aps&hvadid=5579356230&ref=pd_sl_22758tv0l5_b

Why do you not want to use the D700's own remote flash system with your SB600. Just curious

I didnt know there was one guess if I read the manual I would have found out thanks that looks just the job, and doesnt cost an arm and a leg to boot!

pixbyjohn

I have the D700 and 2 SB600s. By going into commander mode on the camera and setting up the channel and group settings then go into wireless mode on the SB600 you can remotely/wirelessly operate the flash or flashes if you wish to use more than 1. Also you can set the pop up flash on your camera to a very lower power setting so as it won't affect the lighting and the remote flash is the only light to affect the photo.
Look at this link, same principle as your D700
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EQw0GZv6evM&feature=related

pixbyjohn

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3XYMgZwWkHw&feature=related
This might be clearer.

Rainbowsend

Thats brilliant John, thanks for that. They dont make these things easy do they? I will play around with it this evening and memorise how to do it, very short memory lately, must be getting old!

I use these triggers;

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Channel-Wireless-Flashgun-Speedlight-receivers/dp/B002RD9GNA/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1317480968&sr=8-1



I'm fairly sure my 7D has a way of firing Canon flashes, but after seeing a photographer nearly going mad trying to get his Canon 580EXII firing via the on-board flash, I was glad i just bought the triggers. Never so much as a bit of a problem with them and they've been one of my most useful accessories.


But they cost more than just reading the manual. So it's up to yourself.

Rainbowsend

Do you know that I could read the manual 100 times and it wouldnt sink in! Watch a youtube video a couple of times and the penny drops

121FOTO

Hi Rainbowsend

The Nikon CLS (Creative Light System) works like a treat, however, there are few issues with it.
One is the fact that you will always have to position your flash in a line of sight with your camera. That can be a problem if the flash is in a softbox or behind an umbrella.
Two is the daylight. If you shoot in a nice sunny environment (AKA Spain, this would never happen in Ireland ), the sun might block the light coming from your commander and you could end up with misfired shots.
Three is distance from camera to subject. If you shoot very close, the light from your camera flash (aka commander) will add to the exposure. I know that theoretically it shouldn't but trust me..it does. You could stop this happening by placing an old 35mm strip of film in front of your pop-up flash. This will block the visual light and will let only the IR passing through.
Personally I always recommend investing in a nice reliable radio trigger/transmitter. A good brand will cost you few bobs but will last forever and will always work. (my skyports have been chewed, drowned, drove my car over them and still work) .
Hope this help.

Ovidiu @121FOTO

mehfesto

Yongnuo RF602s are phenomenal.
Cheap, cheerful, dependable and an amazing range. Great for first timers, or clumsy people like me. When they inevitably break - I buy new ones.

They're ridiculously cheap nowadays - I got two receivers and a transmitter on eBay for about 20 quid!

http://www.insidetheviewfinder.com/yongnuo-rf-602-wireless-remote-review/

121FOTO

You are absolutely right mehfesto. The joy of off-camera flash is that you don't need, or you don't have to use TTL (ok..you can with special cords or radio triggers) Consistent results are given by manual flash and the big bonus is that as long your flash has manual power control you don't need to pay huge bucks for all the eTTL and iTTL bells and whistles..:rolleyes:
I have few Sb900 and few SB 28dx. Sb900 costs €450 (i think) and the SB28dx is around €50-60 on eBay. In manual control they both do exactly the same thing. The only thing the SB900 did for me, and the SB28Dx didn't, was to empty my pockets