Another off camera flash question

[andy-xr]

A Nikon one this time.

I'd like to add another main light to my existing SB600's and was thinking about picking up a used SB800.

I dont want light coming from the camera, I'd rather have it 5 foot to my left or right, and use the SB600's for fill.

Would anyone know if I also bought a TTL cord and moved the 800 off the hotshoe, whether I could also use it to control the SB600's remotely?

[Simpo Two]

I'm not an expert on CLS, but the SB800 will work by IR (ie no cord) and also control other speedlights. The built-in flash acts as the trigger but desn't contribute to the exposure (I think - this may be camera-specific)

I have two SB800s and was pondering changing one for an SB900 - has anyone experience of both? If favourable then the OP could have my spare SB800!

[AndWhyNot]

OP: don't know off the top of my head but have you looked or asked in the Nikon CLS group on Flickr - there's a wealth of knowledge on there. According to the thread I linked to, doesn't seem like triggering the 600 via an (off-camera) 800 is possible.

Simpo: Don't have direct experience of the SB-900 but all the signs are that it's favoured less by heavy-flash users: bigger so less portable; more prone to failure from heat build up; sell used for less than the SB-800. AFAICS the only things in its favour are slight increase in power and more accessible menus.

[VxDuncan]

andy-xr said:

A Nikon one this time.

I'd like to add another main light to my existing SB600's and was thinking about picking up a used SB800.

I dont want light coming from the camera, I'd rather have it 5 foot to my left or right, and use the SB600's for fill.

Would anyone know if I also bought a TTL cord and moved the 800 off the hotshoe, whether I could also use it to control the SB600's remotely?

I think the pukka nikon flash leads replicate all the connections from the flash shoe, so using it as an off camera CLS master shouldn't be an issue (pretty sure Joe McNally does this with an SU800 in his book). Not sure about adding light at the same time, think so (in the same way you can adjust the light from the on camera flash when using it as a commander, but check the speedlight manual.

[andy-xr]

AndWhyNot said:

OP: don't know off the top of my head but have you looked or asked in the Nikon CLS group on Flickr - there's a wealth of knowledge on there. According to the thread I linked to, doesn't seem like triggering the 600 via an (off-camera) 800 is possible.

Not being funny, but half of them dont appear to know which way's up from that thread.

In theory, if a mounted SB800 can trigger an SB600 (or other SB) then by throwing everything down a cord should just be an extension of it. I'd rather not have the flash on camera as it'd just be an expensive trigger, so I think my options are to add another SB600 and another radio trigger (and manual everything), look at another SB600 and an SU800 (pointless for the price) or an SB800/900 but have it away from camera with either a TTL cord or another radio trigger

Simpo Two said:

I'm not an expert on CLS, but the SB800 will work by IR (ie no cord) and also control other speedlights. The built-in flash acts as the trigger but desn't contribute to the exposure (I think - this may be camera-specific)


I have two SB800s and was pondering changing one for an SB900 - has anyone experience of both? If favourable then the OP could have my spare SB800!

Commander using the popup has never really worked for me when I wanted it to, I dont use it much as I dont venture outside that much anymore, but it's just too unreliable for me. I've read and seen people use it, and it works really well, as soon as I get my hands on it I wreck it.

I've heard that the SB800 or SU800 have a better trigger range than the popup method.

There's something like £70 difference between an 800 and 900, 2 of 6 used SB900's I've seen have a scorch mark somewhere along the centre of them though, not too keen on that.

[Simpo Two]

andy-xr said:

Commander using the popup has never really worked for me when I wanted it to, I dont use it much as I dont venture outside that much anymore, but it's just too unreliable for me. I've read and seen people use it, and it works really well, as soon as I get my hands on it I wreck it.

I tried using an SB800 with IR and frankly it was so un-user-friendly to set up and put back that I didn't bother much after that - and IR is pretty useless outdoors unless the SB800 is on the correct side and in line of sight. All in all it seemed much easier to gear up for proper studio lighting and do it all manually.

andy-xr said:

There's something like £70 difference between an 800 and 900, 2 of 6 used SB900's I've seen have a scorch mark somewhere along the centre of them though, not too keen on that.

Price isn't as important to me as performance gain, and from what you and others say the SB900 is perhaps a development too far.

[AndWhyNot]

andy-xr said:

AndWhyNot said:

OP: don't know off the top of my head but have you looked or asked in the Nikon CLS group on Flickr - there's a wealth of knowledge on there. According to the thread I linked to, doesn't seem like triggering the 600 via an (off-camera) 800 is possible.

Not being funny, but half of them dont appear to know which way's up from that thread.

Well, it is t'internet.

You're right, a lot of folk guessing at answers but with a little bit of background knowledge in CLS I found it pretty easy to work out fact from bullst.

[andy-xr]

Yeah, this is kind of why I'm asking as well - I'm in 2 minds at the moment whether to drop a chunk of cash on an Innovatronix and add to my Interfits or make it easier to carry around and go with speedlights. I've sent a question to Nikon anyway

AndWhyNot said:

Well, it is t'internet.

I'm as bad as any when I kind of know an answer as well

Edited by andy-xr on Sunday 6th September 23:01

[andy-xr]

Incase this comes up in anyone else's search, Nikon say you can do this with an SC28 or SC29 cord using the SB800/900 to command the SB600's

Off to WHE....