Nikon - using CLS and Flash triggers together??

NateS · May 6, 2009

Quick question that I was just thinking about. I'm wanting to pick up a second flash to use mainly for backlighting with and without some gels. I'm probably gonna pick up a cheap Vivitar flash for this. However, I don't want to lose my CLS/Commander mode abilities so......

Can I use CLS (popup flash) to fire my SB-600 while also having the cactus trigger on the hot shoe to trigger the background flash? Will the both work together??

I've never really heard of anybody doing this so I"m curious as to whether or not it would work.

SpeedTrap · May 6, 2009

I think you will find that the cactus trigger will not allow the pop up flash all the way up so it will not work.

bdavis · May 6, 2009

I think cybersyncs might allow the flash to go all the way up, but I'm not sure, I havent tried it. If I were you I would just hook everything up to cactus triggers/cybersyncs. It would make you more professional and also prevent any mishaps like your flashes not firing.

bjorkfiend · May 6, 2009

bjorkfiend · May 6, 2009

NateS · May 6, 2009

Interesting. I could have sworn that I was able to get my pop up flash up with the cactus mounted. I remember going to set my flash compensation through the side button with the trigger mounted and the flash popped up to almost fully open. I'll have to re-test that tonight.

My reason for thinking it will work is that the cactus trigger fires everytime the shutter is pressed regardless of on camera flash settings....this would lead me to believe that I could use my CLS for the SB-600 and the cactus would trigger with each shutter press for the backup lighting. This is all assuming that I can mount the Cactus with the pop up or rig it up to mount.

I don't want to use triggers on all my flashes. I like having TTL on my main light source and being able to adjust compensation on my camera for the main light source....of course I didn't want to spend the bucks on a second SB-600 for my background lighting but might have to. The other problem with that is that the backlight isn't always visible (often hidden behind the subject) so it may not fire with Commander mode.

bdavis · May 6, 2009

bjorkfiend said:
However, unless there is a menu setting to change this, it's one or the other as far as the camera is concerned.

This is why I would recommend buying all cactus triggers to ensure your flashes will go off, they're cheap enough and you'll always have your flashes go off. I think you might have to buy a hot shoe bracket and the appropriate cable for the vivitar flash but it would be worth it.

Sherman Banks · May 6, 2009

Ah crap! I ordered two Vivitars with cactus triggers to use with my SB600. Is it just an issue with the cactus transmitter being too large to allow the on camera flash to pop up? This was already my plan C so I don't know where I'm going from here if this doesn't work.

NateS · May 6, 2009

So it's confirmed. The pop up flash will come up with the cactus mounted...but not enough to let it fire. Bummer. I thought I might have been on to something.

Sherman Banks · May 6, 2009

I'm bummed that I thought this setup would work and now it's not going to. Now on to plan Z...

Garbz · May 7, 2009

It wouldn't work regardless. The popup flash will be timed differently. CLS does all sorts of flashing backwards and forwards where each flash will to a TTL pre-flash and the camera records this information, another flash is sent out to tell the flashes the exposure duration, and then the entire system goes off in one precisely timed event.
I really doubt that even if the cactus did fire (which you could test by simply rigging up a standard off camera flash extension cord to the hotshoe), that it would trigger all the flashes at the correct time.

lovedigital · May 12, 2009

NIkon CLS can not work with other trademark. This my case should use flash slave separately. for encourage the sb-600 and vivitar work by set built in flash to manual .:er:

lovedigital

http://lovedigital.blogspot.com

Mike_E · May 12, 2009

You can do this if your camera has a PC jack. You just hook up the trigger to the PC jack and install the SB as usual -where ever you want it. ( the PC jack fires with the shutter and not the chatter of the CLS)