Nikon Speedlights

[sabbath999]

I've been doing some reading up on these lights and it seems the D40x has an option called iTTL that allows it to adjust the flash on the SB-600 and SB-800 lights.

Has anyone tried this and does it work well?

It is the built-in mode, and it works spooky-good. Amazingly well.

 

[The Phototron]

There is a VERY big difference between flash sync and CLS, for instance the whole point of CLS in the first place which is wireless communication between flashes and camera, which allow full control from the camera and the ability to use TTL metering. No studio strobes currently work on CLS as far as I am aware. And also the counter arguement is the SB-600 and SB-800 can also be set to straight flash sync.

Anyway you're missing the moot point that the D40x doesn't not have a commander light, so realistically CLS is out of the question anyway.

smcaskil i-TTL is a method of through the lens metering. Your D40x flash already does this. The SB-600 and SB-800 support this too. What this means is that the camera can pick the exposure of the flash automagically. It is a default for all flashes, and in the absence of TTL you would have to set the flash to self metre in Automatic mode or Manually dial in the required flash power.

What the hell is CLS? Is that exclusive to Nikon, or there's a Canon equivalent?

 

[Garbz]

Creative Lighting System. Yes Nikon exclusive. Something they've put a lot of effort into. It allows seamless control of of wireless flash units and triggering by encoding sets of data into the iTTL preflashes for the remote units to read.

No idea if canon has anything similar. I know they do have some kind of wireless trigger thing but I don't know what features it has.

 

[JerryPH]

There is a VERY big difference between flash sync and CLS

Oh I was very aware of this, the ability to automatically set the flash strength based on info received from the camera's metering system... but I've been playing a lot lately with my studio setup and CLS. Truth to be told, if given a few minutes of time, even with my severe lack of experience, I can equal the results of CLS (which does a great job, but is still faster than I am).

It's greatest advantage is that it saves you the time and experimentation of getting the proper flash output and it definately has it's place in my setup. I am thinking of getting 2 more SB-800's (one for on camera trigger and possibly some front fill) and the second and third SB-800 (one under each umbrella) to be completely CLS and more portable... but my studio lights will still have their place with me as well.

Anyway you're missing the moot point that the D40x doesn't not have a commander light, so realistically CLS is out of the question anyway.

Bingo, that was what I was trying to find out. Since CLS is not even a question here... a more important question is, does he need to add an additional several hundred dollars for pocket wizards to his setup to accomplish off camera strobe? The answer is no, not really... but it is an option.

... in the absence of TTL you would have to set the flash to self metre in Automatic mode or Manually dial in the required flash power.

Which still is not the biggest of challenges, but it definately is an additional bit of learning needed to get proper exposures. For someone less experienced, given the choice of TTL and manual, TTL is great for 75% of the poeple 95% of the time. For the few that want to get into it, off camera lighting is another art to itself.

 

[smcaskil]

But in theory (correct me if I am wrong) you could use the following setup:

D40X
SB-800 in Commander Mode
SB-600 off-camera

The SB-800 would read the iTTL information from the camera and also, since it is in Commander mode, would control the flash output of the SB-600.

Correct or I am trying to string too many possibilities together?

 

[JerryPH]

Can be done.

The biggest factor is that you have to be careful not to get into a situation where the SB-600 off camera cannot keep up with the SB-800 on top of the camera. This could happen easily enough if you were outside on a sunny day. Indoors or in places where you would need to augment ambient with your speedlights, you would be fine as long as your distances were not beyond the abilities of the SB-600.

 

[smcaskil]

Good. This helps inform my decision about which light to purchase.

For now, I am going with the SB-600. I think it will do me well for now and if I get to the point in a year or more that I feel limited by that flash, then I can purchase the SB-800 (or whatever they are making by then) and will then have the ability and knowledge of more advanced lighting processes, that I can use both lights together if needed.

Thanks for all your help and guidance. I have really learned a lot just from this post.

PS, I just received my copy of Understanding Exposure so I am also taking that bit of advice from you guys as well.

 

[JerryPH]

I just received my copy of Understanding Exposure so I am also taking that bit of advice from you guys as well.

Thats a good book, and lots of great pics to back up what he talks about.

I do not have it, but I will also be ordering this book:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/02...TF8&coliid=I256E0M8XQ2XYR&colid=39VWSI6QPLH2C

Apparently, "Science and Magic: An Introduction to Photographic Lighting" is a really good book for people wanting to get their off camera strobe knowledge up to par. I'll be ordering it within the next couple weeks.

 

[Garbz]

JerryPH yeah I fully agree. I mentioned the iTTL requirement since it really is when shooting mobile targets like at weddings and such things. Given a few seconds you could easily get the right exposure, but the advantages of iTTL is that you don't need to.

Actually reading over this I'm not even sure how we got into the CLS debate. Pocket wizards are expensive but a set of $30 ebay flash triggers will do the same thing, at the expense of wireless TTL. But if you have the time to setup lights off camera then you have the time to adjust their output too.