Nikon CLS question..

[fudsylow]

Hi all,
Just wondering if some nikon CLS users can help me with this one..
When firing an SB-900 off camera, you can use the on camera flash in commander mode. (I know this one already!).

My question is this.... is it possible to put an older SB 28 on the hotshoe, and fire the settings the same (built in flash as commander), so as to get a greater range out of the SB 900, that is, so you can have the SB 900 further from the camera ?

Or do you just have to have the SB 28 pointing at the SB 900's sensor, and have the SB 900 fire in a different mode ?

It is a D700 I am referring to...

Hope someone can help.... I am travelling at the moment without my kit, and have an idea which I would like to use the two flashes off camera for.. just trying to work out a way to do it...

Anyone got any clues for me ?

Cheers
Rich

 

[Garbz]

No. The camera does the processing for CLS and then sends instructions out to the slaves. This requires the ability to send data to and from the flash. Notice the SB-28 does not have the same number of pins in the hotshoe as your D700? These are the extra data communication lines I'm talking about.

Using an SB-900 as a commander to an SB-900 however will work.

One thing that *MAY* work is setting the SB-900 to SU-4 mode. This makes it react to any incoming flash. You can then use your SB-28 in manual, with an infrared filter on it . Downside is you lose the benefits of CLS. Remember if you don't use CLS then the resulting flash ends up in the photo so that IR bit is quite important if you don't want any light to appear to be coming from the camera.

 

[fudsylow]

Hey Garbz,
Thanks for the heads up... neat idea about the IR thingy...
No probs at all... I might give it a try shooting the remote trigger and SU 4 mode.. that might give me two off camera lights as a solution, and shoot in manual, like I do now anyways..
Cheers
Rich