Cannot sync D5100 with SB700 off-camera!

LenaBambina · Oct 13, 2013

Triggering it wirelessly worked! Not sure how because I was told elsewhere that the D5100 can't do that, but apparently it can.. Such a relief to have this worked out. Thanks everyone!

edit @astroNikon: Yeah, the D5100 isn't supposed to have commander flash so I'm baffled as to how this actually worked, but.. it did.

cgipson1 · Oct 13, 2013

With the cable you don't need SU4 mode.... that is for optical flash activation.... and the cable might be getting in the way of that.

Also check the orientation of the cable in the hotshot... that doesn't look right...

LenaBambina · Oct 13, 2013

How should the orientation be, in case I end up having to use the cable at some point? I just put it on the first way that seemed to fit.

cgipson1 · Oct 13, 2013

Page 77 in the nikon users manual shows that the 5100 can only shoot in Commander mode if a Commander capable flash / SU800 is in the hotshoe... so if the flash went off, it was because you still had it in SU-4 mode, and popped the pop-up flash. Commander mode doesn't require SU4 mode on the flash either.. just remote mode.

http://www.nikonusa.com/pdf/manuals/dslr/D5100_EN.pdf

Try the cable without the flash being in SU4 mode... just standard TTL or manual

cgipson1 · Oct 13, 2013

LenaBambina said:
How should the orientation be, in case I end up having to use the cable at some point? I just put it on the first way that seemed to fit.

I am looking at the top of the hotshoe cable.. it looks like the plastic goes all the way up? Or is that just the photo? can you slide a flash into that from the rear?

LenaBambina · Oct 13, 2013

Oh my. Looks like I did have it on backwards, good catch. The wireless setup seems to be working, but I'll try your setup as well. If the cable is connected then the built-in flash needs to be down, right?

cgipson1 · Oct 13, 2013

LenaBambina said:
Oh my. Looks like I did have it on backwards, good catch. The wireless setup seems to be working, but I'll try your setup as well. If the cable is connected then the built-in flash needs to be down, right?

I don't know.... Never tried to use the pop-up flash and a cable at the same time.

LenaBambina · Oct 13, 2013

Using the cable, built-in flash down with the speedlight on ttl worked for the first shot but now won't work on any setting including ttl, so maybe the cable is the problem.. maybe I had it in that one position that a bad cable can work in and then moved it the slightest bit afterward.

I'm going to play with the settings now that you've all given me a place to start. Will keep checking back on the thread in case anyone has more ideas.