Anyone here have direct experience with Nikon CLS?

[kundalini]

errrr..... B&H has the SB-800 for $320.

Jerry has better communication skills, but I mentioned the SU vs SB in #8. But to answer your question, you set the SB-800 to (--) in the Commander mode menu to trigger the slaves without contributing to the scene. It pre-flashes only. That's the theory anyway. If you are very close to your subject, particularly reflective surfaces, it may still have some effect.

 

[JerryPH]

errrr..... B&H has the SB-800 for $320.
But to answer your question, you set the SB-800 to (--) in the Commander mode menu to trigger the slaves without contributing to the scene. It pre-flashes only. That's the theory anyway. If you are very close to your subject, particularly reflective surfaces, it may still have some effect.

No you were right the first time.

Setting the commander to "--" means it will send it's communication pre-flashes to the other units and not contribute any light from itself to the scene at all when the shutter opens.

You can tell it does that nicely from the 2nd pic of the bearded man above. Awesome examples, BTW.

 

[BTilson]

errrr..... B&H has the SB-800 for $320.

Jerry has better communication skills, but I mentioned the SU vs SB in #8.

Indeed you did. I went and re-read and I now remember reading it the first time. Sorry about that!

 

[jstuedle]

As a little footnote be aware the SB-800 has been discontinued. A real bummer for sure!

 

[NateS]

Right, so with the SB-600 attached to your hot shoe, you will increase you flash exposures by at least 10 fold. (I don't really know by how much, but it will be a lot)

The 600 would work wirelessly out of the box if you had Commander mode. Unfortunately for you, that function begins with the D80 and above.

The SB-800 can act as a master and trigger the SB-600 (slave) to fire remotely, even with the D40. I considered the SU-800, then realized that the SB-800 has all (I think) of the benefits of the SU, plus it is a flash head. The SU is only a controller. So the good news for you is that later, if you get a SB-800, you can still have wireless flash functionality for the two flashes (or more) with the 800 as master.

Just a slight correction to this, but not only D80's and above have commander mode. My D70s does and I'm not sure but what the D50 does (though I'm not sure on that one. D70 and D70s both definitely have commander mode though.

 

[JerryPH]

As a little footnote be aware the SB-800 has been discontinued. A real bummer for sure!

Hang on... when did THIS happen??? The SB-900 is WAY too expensive for most people, and the SB-600 is not as feature rich nor powerful. That would leave a gap in the middle that the SB-800 currently occupies.

 

[notelliot]

Hang on... when did THIS happen??? The SB-900 is WAY too expensive for most people, and the SB-600 is not as feature rich nor powerful. That would leave a gap in the middle that the SB-800 currently occupies.

I remember the day that the sb-800 was close to $500 (I paid $430 for the first one I bought a few years back). the 900 is pretty much a replacement. albeit, mainly ergonomical. Did not know that they discontinued the 800, though, which sucks cause I don't like the 900 at all.

 

[kundalini]

As a little footnote be aware the SB-800 has been discontinued. A real bummer for sure!

Can this be confirmed or is it conjecture?

 

[JerryPH]

I'm seeing it all over the net... I am 1/2 way convinced it is true, but not quite sure yet.

Sure sucks if it is true!

Edit:
Nikon USA is still listing it on their website. Adorama, Amazon and B&H have stock and if anything prices look to be dropping a couple bucks.
http://www.nikonusa.com/Find-Your-Nikon/ProductDetail.page?pid=4801

Nikon Canada also still is listing it as available.
http://www.nikon.ca/en/Product.aspx?m=14561

I just don't know what to think!

 

[kundalini]

I just got off the phone with B&H and they confirmed that SB-800s are no longer being manufactured. Guess this means another purchase is in order while still in stock.

 

[BTilson]

Hmm... Guess that means I will definitely need to pick one up asap, if I can manage to get the cash together before they're all gone.

 

[JerryPH]

I just got off the phone with B&H and they confirmed that SB-800s are no longer being manufactured. Guess this means another purchase is in order while still in stock.

I sat here and really thought about it. One SB-800 or *2* more SB-600s (to make it a total of 4)... and I decided to get the 2 more SB-600s later on for a couple of reasons:

- I love the dual flash on umbrella concept
- SB-600s are still 100% CLS compatible
- 2 flashes give you more versatility than 1 expensive one
- 2 SB-600s give a touch more power than a single SB-800
- and the last reason... (drum roll ala David Letterman).... NO pressure to run out and spend the money right now!

 

[Sw1tchFX]

I think the point was more than amply made above.

You can tell it does that nicely from the 2nd pic of the bearded man above. Awesome examples, BTW.

Oh and by the way, your first two shots, of the bearded man, are absolutely amazing. I LOVE the lighting and mood in those shots.

Thanks! I tell you what, when you can get it working CLS kicks some serious buttocks, I rarely use TTL when shooting with CLS becuase I want control.

Another thing, I did what jerry mentioned earlier and I got 2 SB-600's instead of a single 800, having 2 is just so much more versatile and the loss of power is more then worth it to me, and I plan on sticking with the SB-600's unless I can get an SB-800 for ridiculously cheap or really need it bad, which I feel I don't, like what was said above, 2 600's or a single 800 or 900? IMO the more lights the better, it's not like you can't double them up anyway.