using my SB900 wirelessly?

babygodzilla · January 27, 2010

Hi guys,

I have a Nikon D5000 and an SB900. What equipment do I need to use the SB900 wirelessly. My friend told me to use an SU800, but that mother is almost $300 >< can't afford it... suggestions?

Related to this, I also have a spare SB800. How do I use both speedlites wirelessly?

Thanks!

cab.in.boston · January 27, 2010

babygodzilla wrote:

Hi guys,

I have a Nikon D5000 and an SB900. What equipment do I need to use the SB900 wirelessly. My friend told me to use an SU800, but that mother is almost $300 >< can't afford it... suggestions?

Related to this, I also have a spare SB800. How do I use both speedlites wirelessly?

Thanks!

From what I see, the D5000 does not have a built-in commander mode, so your friend is correct, you would need the SU800, or you could get a set of wireless transceivers such as Pocket Wizards. Those are cheaper than the SU800, but not necessarily "cheap." Or, you could use the SB900 on camera to control the SB800, but then of course you can only have one off camera light.

babygodzilla · January 27, 2010

cab.in.boston wrote:

From what I see, the D5000 does not have a built-in commander mode, so your friend is correct, you would need the SU800, or you could get a set of wireless transceivers such as Pocket Wizards. Those are cheaper than the SU800, but not necessarily "cheap." Or, you could use the SB900 on camera to control the SB800, but then of course you can only have one off camera light.

can you teach me how to use the SB900 to control the SB800? that will suffice for now.

edit: i googled it and found it. http://www.nikoncls.com/SB-900/sb900_cls_master.html for reference

cab.in.boston · January 27, 2010

babygodzilla wrote:

can you teach me how to use the SB900 to control the SB800? that will suffice for now.

edit: i googled it and found it. http://www.nikoncls.com/SB-900/sb900_cls_master.html for reference

Glad you found it. I have an SB600 and a D90 (which has the built-in commander mode), so I have no firsthand knowledge of using either the 800 or 900. Accessing Commander mode on the D90 is very easy, so I would hope that enabling your 900 as master and 800 as slave should be relatively simple. Good luck!

babygodzilla · January 27, 2010

damn that must be nice having a commander built in to the camera body. i guess thats the difference between a pro and semi-pro cameras huh?

cab.in.boston · January 27, 2010

babygodzilla wrote:

damn that must be nice having a commander built in to the camera body. i guess thats the difference between a pro and semi-pro cameras huh?

It's one of the differences between the D5000 and D90 (neither of which would be considered pro). There are quite a few differences, which makes sense given the difference in price. The pro cameras actually don't have a Commander mode, since the D3 doesn't have a built-in flash, so they have to use an SU800 to use the CLS off-camera flash system.

I've played around a bit with the SB600 off camera. It's fun, and I want to learn a lot more about how to more effectively use lighting.

Qarik · January 27, 2010

the sb800 can be used as a master to control your SB900.

Set the the SB800 into master mode
Set the sb900 into remote slave mode. Make sure they are son the same channel eg A and 1.

make sure the SB900 IR port is somewhat pointing to the SB800 flash.

Fire away.

Note that you can use the SB800 still as fill flash ot you can tuen off the flash so it doesn't contribute significantly to the exposure of the off camera.

babygodzilla · January 28, 2010

how do i attach my sb900 to a monopod? the monopod has a screw like the tripod. do i need an adapter to attach a flash to it?

cab.in.boston · January 28, 2010

babygodzilla wrote:

how do i attach my sb900 to a monopod? the monopod has a screw like the tripod. do i need an adapter to attach a flash to it?

My SB-600 came with this stand. You attach that to the support, and the flash mounts on it. I'm sure there are also other adapters.

ziggy53 · January 28, 2010

babygodzilla wrote:

how do i attach my sb900 to a monopod? the monopod has a screw like the tripod. do i need an adapter to attach a flash to it?

There are several ways to go but yes, you need an adapter.

The cheapest, if your flash did not come with a suitable stand (as Cab mentioned), is a simple adapter:

http://www.adorama.com/SVSHOE.html?searchinfo=flash+stand

A better choice is this genuine Nikon stand with a much more robust construction:

http://www.adorama.com/NKAS19.html?searchinfo=flash+stand

BTW, the Nikon stand will work with any standard ISO base compact flash.

Lastly you can use an umbrella bracket like this to provide more flexibility in angling the flash:

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/298709-REG/Impact_3117_Umbrella_Bracket.html

This bracket can be used in lots of different ways, but it's not as compact as the first adapter or stand.

babygodzilla · January 28, 2010

oh i think one of those came with my SB900. ive been wondering what that was for... thanks!

Ed911 · February 1, 2010

I don't know why you might like to use your SB900 as an off camera flash rather than the SB800. But, it's much easier to adjust your SB900 when in Master mode than your SB800. My suggestion is to use your SB900 on Camera, and then use the SB800 off camera. Set the SB800 to REMOTE, and the SB900 to master (flip of a switch rather than menu driven like the SB800.).

Once you set the SB800 to Remote and A and 1, you are now through with the SB800 and it's more complicated menu driven operating system, and now able to easily use the push button SB900 to adjust Channel A-1, as was suggested, to change the settings on the SB800. That's one of the nice things about the new SB900, ease of use.

Just my thoughts...hope this helps.

time2smile · February 3, 2010

I think he only has one flash a SB900.

if you want to remote fire and do not want to spend on the SU800, try the ebay rf602 triggers, but remember you will have to use the SB900 in manual.

good luck

cab.in.boston · February 3, 2010

time2smile wrote:

I think he only has one flash a SB900.

No, the OP said he has a "spare SB800."

time2smile · February 3, 2010

cab.in.boston wrote:

No, the OP said he has a "spare SB800."

Sorry, my bad. than he doesnt have a problem at all, going CLS..

Art Scott · February 3, 2010

A couple or 3 suggestions:

Nikon School Presents: A Hands-On Guide to Creative Lighting

and

The Nikon Creative Lighting System: Using the SB-600, SB-800, SB-900, and R1C1 Flashes

and

The Hot Shoe Diaries: Big Light from Small Flashes

Reezy · June 19, 2013

Thank you so much for this suggestion!

cab.in.boston wrote: »

My SB-600 came with this stand. You attach that to the support, and the flash mounts on it. I'm sure there are also other adapters.

I signed up for this forum years after you posted this just to thank you for bothering to do so. I've been researching and thinking for days, trying to find out how I can do some off-camera flash without buying a light kit and wireless triggers. Letting me know that the stand that came with my flash would attach to a support did the trick.

So thank you! I am learning a lot and having lots of fun while doing so.

Cheers,

Marie

using my SB900 wirelessly?

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