Flash is too fast for camera....?? I think...??

[SUNR15E]

HI

I bought one of these. 360AFD flash to go with my D300s
On the camera it works perfectly. I have no questions or worries about it.
Off camera as a slave I cannot see it working.??
First let me explain....I will assume the person who understands my dilemma knows how the slave concept works...(trust me I did not have a clue myself)....but just in case...ok ok Only joking....

OK
Camera on tripod
Built in flash popped up ready to fire
360AFD set to the left set on slave charged and ready to fire

Subject matter ready and set to be photographed
CLICK
Camera clicks camera mounted flash fires and the 360AFD fires......??
Yep all working perfectly....but wait..??
ZERO light captured from the flash.??

No matter what I do I cannot seem to capture the flash from the 360AFD. At first I thought it was shutter speed. Could I be set too high?? No cannot be that with the pop up flash in place and active it will not allow me to set shutter speed too high...(too low yes....but not too high)
So in my frustration I change a million settings...!!! Yep I tried ALLLLL of them..ok maybe not but I think you know I have tried shutter speed, aperture and standing on one leg.

Everything seems to be working as it should I even slowed the shutter speed to a second and fired the camera by hand and it obviously over exposed due to the flash...but I had to try. So all I can imagine is the flash is firing faster than the camera.... I know I know....how can a flash be that fast..?? I have no idea...I think I have tried everything except read the manual....(it's a man thing)....ok again I am joking...obviously I have missed something. So if anyone has any ideas why or how I am missing this flash please let me know. I will be going over the manual AGAIN....to see what I am possibly missing. But I thought I would ask here as many of you seem to tolerate idiots who cannot work out simple tasks which should be easy.

SUNR15E

 

[Tony S]

Put your flash unit on the camera on manual (you may not be able to if it's the built in flash)..... then fire it off to see if the light from the other flash is captured. I'm betting the preflash from your on camera flash is firing the 360AFD, so when the shutter trips the flash has already fired. That's a problem if you are using a remote that has an optical slave.

 

[SUNR15E]

Yep that makes sense. It is an optical slave. So what do I do..?? Is there any way to stop/slow the preflash? It's late my head is hurting and I have read a the dumb manual four times on the flash section...!!!

AAARGH...

SUNR15E

 

[Mach0]

Yep that makes sense. It is an optical slave. So what do I do..?? Is there any way to stop/slow the preflash? It's late my head is hurting and I have read a the dumb manual four times on the flash section...!!!

AAARGH...

SUNR15E

Menu> flash setting> pop up flash= manual aka not ttl

 

[cgipson1]

Most likely what is happening is that you are shooting in TTL mode???

If so, the camera fires a preflash to calculate exposure. That will fire the remote flash before the shutter is open. Some flashes have a setting to ignore the preflash... some don't. If you put everything in manual, you should be fine... if the flash is not TTL capable (this one isn't), or Ignore Pre-Flash capable (this one isn't).. then manual is the only option you have.

Set the camera to manual, ISO 400, set your shutter and aperture to whatever the flash guide on the flash recommends for the distance your subject is at, and you should be good!

 

[SUNR15E]

Menu> flash setting> pop up flash= manual aka not ttl

Macho I think you should have helped Nikon with their menu configuration....I wish it was that simple...lol

BUT....

DONE IT..

Sweet....

Found it thanks so much. Yes it was TTL. I have changed it to Manual. I have even worked out the output controls for the built in flash so that I can use it to fire but the output is low enough to now NOT over expose the shot and is more controllable.....Thanks It's only 1am here...and I should have gone to bed...!! But I wanted to get this into my head before I slept, so thanks for being here.

Now to go play with my new found friend the SLAVE FLASH...

SUNR15E

ps This might be why I had not seen it. They don't really explain that this section is the bit which turns the pre-flash OFF.

So for future reference.

I know I may have found this on my own...but with your help it has been 100x faster. Again Thanks.

 

[Mach0]

Macho I think you should have helped Nikon with their menu configuration....I wish it was that simple...lol

.

Sorry I meant built in flash lol. But glad you found it.

 

[SUNR15E]

HI
Me again... I know...!!

Just wanted to say thanks for the help again. The more I think about the processes my brain was going over the more I realize that without the input I got here I do not think I would have got it. I assume others have already been there and done that...or come across similar. Prior to going digital the only option I ever worked with was an old hot shoe mounted flash that came with the old Practica SLR I had many years ago....(treasured possession never to be used again). So the help you have given on this one issue has lifted a great weight off my tired old head. It really helps me feel more confident moving forward knowing that there are people here who are happy to help.

Thanks.

SUNR15E