SB600 and Camera Flash

GemGemGemGem Registered Users Posts: 355 Major grins
edited September 15, 2009 in Technique
Hi!

This may be a silly question, but I swear I read it some where;I think it is not accurate.
I read, that when using the SB-600 remotely, the on camera flash is just a trigger to fire the SB-600 and it has no influence on the shot. How could this be true? I tried it and the on camera flash definitely influenced the shot. :scratch . I wish I could find that document!

Can someone please clarify :)

Thank you so much!
GG

Comments

  • Wil DavisWil Davis Registered Users Posts: 1,692 Major grins
    edited September 11, 2009
    It's true; the control flashes from the on-camera flash (camera set to "commander") occur just an instant before the shutter opens, and before the main flash sequence is fired, so that the control flashes do not contribute to exposure.

    The on-camera flash can contribute to the exposure if set to do so, but if set to "--", then it's for control of the remotes only, and the pre-flashes you see from the on-camera flash don't affect the exposure.

    HTH -

    - Wil
    "…………………" - Marcel Marceau
  • GemGemGemGem Registered Users Posts: 355 Major grins
    edited September 11, 2009
    Wil Davis wrote:
    It's true; the control flashes from the on-camera flash (camera set to "commander") occur just an instant before the shutter opens, and before the main flash sequence is fired, so that the control flashes do not contribute to exposure.

    The on-camera flash can contribute to the exposure if set to do so, but if set to "--", then it's for control of the remotes only, and the pre-flashes you see from the on-camera flash don't affect the exposure.

    HTH -

    - Wil

    Thank you Wil!! I must have had messed up with the on-camera flash settings then. Awesome!!
    Have a great day!
    GG
  • MrBook2MrBook2 Registered Users Posts: 211 Major grins
    edited September 11, 2009
    This is the way it is supposed to work, as Wil said. When set to "--", the on board should not contribute to the shot. But in my experience, it does. I have tried it with both the D70 and the D200, and the on camera flash does influence the final shot. You can prove this to yourself by taking on shot normally and then try putting something infront of the on camera flash to bounce it, rather than letting it go directly toward your subject. I usually grab my "better bounce card" piece of foam and hold it at a 45 degree angle in front of the flash.

    I have found it to be most important when your subject is close to the camera. In fact, Nikon makes a little plastic dohickey that goes in the hot show and blocks the on camera flash when used in commander mode. It is called the SG-3IR. I just got one, but have not had a chance to use it yet, so I can't speak to how well it works.
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  • GemGemGemGem Registered Users Posts: 355 Major grins
    edited September 11, 2009
    MrBook2 wrote:
    This is the way it is supposed to work, as Wil said. When set to "--", the on board should not contribute to the shot. But in my experience, it does. I have tried it with both the D70 and the D200, and the on camera flash does influence the final shot. You can prove this to yourself by taking on shot normally and then try putting something infront of the on camera flash to bounce it, rather than letting it go directly toward your subject. I usually grab my "better bounce card" piece of foam and hold it at a 45 degree angle in front of the flash.

    I have found it to be most important when your subject is close to the camera. In fact, Nikon makes a little plastic dohickey that goes in the hot show and blocks the on camera flash when used in commander mode. It is called the SG-3IR. I just got one, but have not had a chance to use it yet, so I can't speak to how well it works.

    Thanks for the info on the SG-3IR. I will double check that the commander(on camera flash) is set to "--" see if that makes s difference. If not, I will get SG-3IR, and see how it works. But since you already have it; maybe you can experiment and let us know :D

    Thanks!
    GG
  • Wil DavisWil Davis Registered Users Posts: 1,692 Major grins
    edited September 11, 2009
    MrBook2 wrote:
    snip…
    In fact, Nikon makes a little plastic dohickey that goes in the hot show and blocks the on camera flash when used in commander mode. It is called the SG-3IR. I just got one, but have not had a chance to use it yet, so I can't speak to how well it works.

    That reminds me that the SG-3IR was mentioned in a recent (about 2 or 3 months ago) thread where someone had found the SG-3IR was very hard to find, so they made their own simply by taping a small piece of exposed film (film? what's that???) over the on-camera flash. I think the subject was about using the on-camera flash to get highlights in the eyes when taking portraits.

    Using "search" might be fruitful…

    - Wil
    "…………………" - Marcel Marceau
  • GemGemGemGem Registered Users Posts: 355 Major grins
    edited September 11, 2009
    update
    Ok, so I just checked my commander (on flash camera) and it was on TTL not "--" SOOO. that may be why my shots came out so unpredictable. I will try again with the flash set to "--" see if it gets better! :)
    Thank you all!!!
    GG
  • QarikQarik Registered Users Posts: 4,959 Major grins
    edited September 11, 2009
    it can effect the exposure very slightly as mentioned. It will be most notable for subjects that are close and dimly lit
    D700, D600
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  • GemGemGemGem Registered Users Posts: 355 Major grins
    edited September 12, 2009
    Qarik wrote:
    it can effect the exposure very slightly as mentioned. It will be most notable for subjects that are close and dimly lit


    Ok, so here it is. I tried to just let the flash do it's thing. I was pretty close to her. I think the on camera flash had no contribution. what do you guys think?
    GG
  • alexfalexf Registered Users Posts: 436 Major grins
    edited September 12, 2009
    GemGem wrote:
    Ok, so here it is. I tried to just let the flash do it's thing. I was pretty close to her. I think the on camera flash had no contribution. what do you guys think?
    GG

    That is a wonderful - strobist type - shot!
    AlexFeldsteinPhotography.com
    Nikon D700, D300, D80 and assorted glass, old and new.
  • Wil DavisWil Davis Registered Users Posts: 1,692 Major grins
    edited September 12, 2009
    I can't see any hint of double-shadows or fill-in, so if you had it set up so the on-camera flash contributed nothing to the exposure, then I would say that the camera and flash behaved as expected…

    - Wil
    "…………………" - Marcel Marceau
  • GemGemGemGem Registered Users Posts: 355 Major grins
    edited September 12, 2009
    Wil Davis wrote:
    I can't see any hint of double-shadows or fill-in, so if you had it set up so the on-camera flash contributed nothing to the exposure, then I would say that the camera and flash behaved as expected…

    - Wil

    Exactly! I am so excited you were all here to help me figure it out :)
    GG
  • GemGemGemGem Registered Users Posts: 355 Major grins
    edited September 12, 2009
    alexf wrote:
    That is a wonderful - strobist type - shot!

    Thank you Alex!
    GG
  • time2smiletime2smile Registered Users Posts: 835 Major grins
    edited September 15, 2009
    beautiful shot
    Ted....
    It's not what you look at that matters: Its what you see!
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  • GemGemGemGem Registered Users Posts: 355 Major grins
    edited September 15, 2009
    time2smile wrote:
    beautiful shot

    Thank you! :)
    GG
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