Cannot sync D5100 with SB700 off-camera!

[LenaBambina]

Answered! But feel free to leave some tips anyway Can't hurt.

I bought a Nikon SB700 speedlight and this off-camera flash starter kit to use with my Nikon D5100. I'm trying to use the speedlight off-camera, mounted on the light stand from the starter kit, and I dont care whether or not the built-in flash contributes to the exposure. I just want the speedlight to go off.
Here are pics of my setup:

Hot shoes on camera and flash, connected with sync cord (all from the lighting starter kit)...



Built-in flash up and set to manual..



Speedlight set to SU4 remote mode...


I was told to do that because the D5100 doesn't have a commander function, but it still isn't working. Would really love some help here!

 

[GDHLEWIS]

Take the 700 off TTL and place the switch to manual. should do the trick

 

[LenaBambina]

Switched from TTL to manual just now, still didn't work.. both of the flashes failed to go off

 

[astroNikon]

FYI, that's a vertical switch to the left of the LCD screen. which has

TTL
M
GN
A:B

just in case you didn't know


and do I see your camera popup flash only partially open ?
are you in AUTO (green) ?

 

[GDHLEWIS]

Then you might have an issue with your cable. I had a similar issue as well and had to replace it. Try ditching the cable all together and use the 700 on the setting already stated. Should act as a slave then.

 

[LenaBambina]

I know about the switch, that's how I switched to manual just now.

@Lewis: I'll try that, but since the D5100 can't act as a commander I'm not sure if it can trigger a flash manually..

 

[Mach0]

If I recall correctly( I've never tried it) but I don't think your hotshoe is going to fire if you have the pop up engaged. Just what are you trying to achieve ? If you want to use your pop up and don't care about contribution- then set your built in flash to manual ( so you get consistent exposure ) and set your sb700 to slave mode. If you want to use the cord just close the built in flash. To the best of my knowledge, the cable is just an extension of your hotshoe and should fire as if it were mounted on your camera.

 

[GDHLEWIS]

You should be able to reverse the 700 180 degrees so the front is facing forward enabling It to detect your pop up flash.

 

[LenaBambina]

I really hope it isn't a problem with the cable... it's brand new.

Mach0, I'm trying to use the speedlight off-camera as the only real source of extra light. The only reason I had the built-in up at all was because somebody elsewhere told me it had to be up, but if I can do this set-up without using the built-in at all I would like to do that. I'll try it with the built-in down and post the result.

 

[KmH]

Ditch the cable, put the SB-700 in SU-4 mode, and trigger the off camera SB-700 with the flash of light from the D5100's built-in flash unit.
Look up SU-4 mode in the SB-700 user's manual Index.

 

[Mach0]

I really hope it isn't a problem with the cable... it's brand new. Mach0, I'm trying to use the speedlight off-camera as the only real source of extra light. The only reason I had the built-in up at all was because somebody elsewhere told me it had to be up, but if I can do this set-up without using the built-in at all I would like to do that. I'll try it with the built-in down and post the result.

Make sure you're not in auto mode: I think that will make the pop up fire.

 

[GDHLEWIS]

I really hope it isn't a problem with the cable... it's brand new.

Mach0, I'm trying to use the speedlight off-camera as the only real source of extra light. The only reason I had the built-in up at all was because somebody elsewhere told me it had to be up, but if I can do this set-up without using the built-in at all I would like to do that. I'll try it with the built-in down and post the result.

My cable was only a few weeks old and barely used, cant remember what brand it was but it wasn't cheap.

 

[Mach0]

Ditch the cable and AS-15, put the SB-700 in SU-4 mode, and trigger the off camera SB-700 with the flash of light from the D5100's built-in flash unit. Look up SU-4 mode in the SB-700 user's manual Index.

+1 or just buy a set of cheap triggers

 

[LenaBambina]

The camera is already in manual and closing the built-in flash didn't work, neither did ditching the cable... I'll try KmH's idea now. Fingers crossed that it'll work and I won't have to buy anything extra because somebody sold me a crap cable..

 

[astroNikon]

When I bought my first flash, which was ironically the SB-700
I triggered it with the flash from my camera, a D7000. It was fairly simple. Just move the on switch to on, then depress the middle button and move the selection ring one more step up.

But the D7000 has a commander mode and all that which the D5100 doesn' t seem to have.