CLS - I'm impressed

Socrates · Mar 29, 2008

I've been using a Stroboframe flash bracket for some fifteen years now but there is one nuisance problem. I need to use an extension from the camera to the flash head and the only ones available are 3 meters long! Granted, they're coiled so it's not as bad as it would seem but it's still one heck of a nuisance wrapping the cord around the bracket.

I tried to use Nikon's CLS to fire the flash and, to my pleasant surprise, it works perfectly indoors for both portrait and landscape orientation. The monitor flashes bounce off of walls and/or ceilings, including 10-foot ceilings, and the flash fired properly 100% of the time.

I tried it outdoors and it was no surprise that the flash would fire only if I was close to a large subject and the monitor flashes bounced off the subject itself.

Big Mike · Mar 29, 2008

My (Canon) cord is only 24" long...and it's coiled, so it isn't really a problem when using a bracket. I'm sure it wouldn't be hard to cut it and splice ti together, to make it shorter.

Of course, no cord at all is pretty good too.

Trenton Romulox · Mar 29, 2008

I use flash exclusively with Nikon's CLS. I just use my D300's built-in flash as the commander (but I set it to -- so it doesn't affect the exposure at all, but only sets off my two SB-800s) and I love it.

In fact, here's a YouTube video I did showing how to set up a commander in CLS. If anyone is interested.

Socrates · Mar 29, 2008

Big Mike said:
My (Canon) cord is only 24" long...and it's coiled, so it isn't really a problem when using a bracket. I'm sure it wouldn't be hard to cut it and splice ti together, to make it shorter.

Of course, no cord at all is pretty good too.

The coiling brings mine down to a sloppy 5-foot length but, as you say, no cord is even better. Besides, I can now fire the camera's flash a stop or even two stops weak as a "fill."

Splicing shouldn't be a problem but I was always afraid that I'd mess up a $75 cord. I just might experiment now.

Mike_E · Mar 29, 2008

I use radio triggers on bracket or on a stand with 0 issues. On a bracket the flash is far enough away not to auto (proximity) trigger.

Village Idiot · Mar 29, 2008

Socrates said:
The coiling brings mine down to a sloppy 5-foot length but, as you say, no cord is even better. Besides, I can now fire the camera's flash a stop or even two stops weak as a "fill."

Splicing shouldn't be a problem but I was always afraid that I'd mess up a $75 cord. I just might experiment now.

www.flashzebra.com

they have custom cables.

Garbz · Mar 29, 2008

Mount a small sheet of paper a few cm infront of your on camera flash to reflect some light back onto the sensor of the Speedlight and volah it'll work outside too.

Socrates · Mar 29, 2008

Garbz said:
Mount a small sheet of paper a few cm infront of your on camera flash to reflect some light back onto the sensor of the Speedlight and volah it'll work outside too.

I'll give it a shot but I have my doubts with vertical shots as the flash head sensor is looking at the sky!

Socrates · Mar 29, 2008

Village Idiot said:
www.flashzebra.com

they have custom cables.

Thanks. It would be valuable for my outdoor shots.

Garbz · Mar 30, 2008

it may look funny but I guess turning the flash 180 degrees and rotating the head to compensate would be a bit weird?

TCimages · Mar 30, 2008

more custom cables:

http://www.paramountcords.com/ttl.asp

Socrates · Mar 30, 2008

Garbz said:
it may look funny but I guess turning the flash 180 degrees and rotating the head to compensate would be a bit weird?

Then I'd lose the infra-red focusing aid. Thanks, anyway.

I'm good indoors so it doesn't matter. Outdoors, I'll take the flash off the bracket.

Socrates · Mar 30, 2008

Trenton Romulox said:
I use flash exclusively with Nikon's CLS. I just use my D300's built-in flash as the commander (but I set it to -- so it doesn't affect the exposure at all, but only sets off my two SB-800s) and I love it.

In fact, here's a YouTube video I did showing how to set up a commander in CLS. If anyone is interested. http://youtube.com/watch?v=hQgZDGKEDa8

I watched your video but it doesn't address the issue - the flash head on a Stroboframe bracket. However, it's somewhat academic as the problem is resolved. The popup monitor flash won't hit the 600/800 sensor directly but, as long as I'm indoors, walls and ceilings solve the problem and the flash functions properly with 100% reliability. Outdoors is a different story. In that case, I need to either not use the Stroboframe or use a cable.

Stranger · Mar 30, 2008

I agree, Nikon CLS system is very nice

JerryPH · Mar 30, 2008

It is nice if used with it's limits. It also only has an adjustable range of 1-1.5 stops maximum from group to group. Ok for the basics, beyond that, you will need to go manual to get the results you want.