SB800/600 Question.

[IanK]

OK I just have a quick question, Obv the SB600 cannot be used in SU-4 mode as the SB800 can, but can the SB800 be used as a CLS commander to trigger the 600's if it where triggered off cam by say a pocket wizard ? Im dealing with a bit of a dilemma and im looking for the most sensible way to make my setup work, thanks

-Ian

 

[Garbz]

By my understanding you want to use a pocketwizard to trigger an SB-800 and an SB-800 to trigger the SB-600? This won't work. I am going to assume that the SB-800 requires direct connection to the camera (afterall it TTL meters in the process). But this is beside the point because when you connect say a pocket wizard to a CLS master the you are mixing dumb wireless with active wireless and the end result is something may missfire (if it fires at all). This still applies even when everything is in manual because the CLS requires on a pre-flash that adds a delay. Either one of your flashes won't react, or more likely the camera connected to the dumb pocket wizards misses both flashes.

Your solution sounds more like getting a small optical flash trigger to clip on the hotshoe of the SB-600. They can be had for a song on ebay. Then if everything is set on manual all flashes should trigger at the same time.

 

[IanK]

By my understanding you want to use a pocketwizard to trigger an SB-800 and an SB-800 to trigger the SB-600? This won't work. I am going to assume that the SB-800 requires direct connection to the camera (afterall it TTL meters in the process). But this is beside the point because when you connect say a pocket wizard to a CLS master the you are mixing dumb wireless with active wireless and the end result is something may missfire (if it fires at all). This still applies even when everything is in manual because the CLS requires on a pre-flash that adds a delay. Either one of your flashes won't react, or more likely the camera connected to the dumb pocket wizards misses both flashes.

Your solution sounds more like getting a small optical flash trigger to clip on the hotshoe of the SB-600. They can be had for a song on ebay. Then if everything is set on manual all flashes should trigger at the same time.

Yes thank you that was my plan, it works flawlessly with all SB800's because they support SU-4 mode, the 600's on the other hand do not and are becoming a PITA, anyway yeah I was really trying to steer clear of the ebay triggers, I have set and conveniently they trigger the 800 flawlessly, but they really mess with the 600's. They wont fire at all remotely, and when you giggle the connection between the hot shoe, they fire off the flash and freeze all the controls on the speedlight until the trigger is disconnected. I will say that theses are NOT the cactus triggers though, I think maybe I should try those out before I make a rash move to get 2 more 800's

Edit: and yes the whole setup works well with the nikon CLS commander on my D90, but having to diffuse the stock flash and the lack of range sucks.

 

[Garbz]

I bet. Just a word of warning Cactus triggers aren't without their problems too. At the end of the day you get what you pay for so if your shots are mission critical maybe a few more pocketwizards or a set of 800s may be the way to go.

 

[IanK]

I bet. Just a word of warning Cactus triggers aren't without their problems too. At the end of the day you get what you pay for so if your shots are mission critical maybe a few more pocketwizards or a set of 800s may be the way to go.

Yeah Ive made peace with that LOL but truth of the matter is Im not a professorial so is is validated ? haha IDK, but I will say the ebay triggers work flawlessly with the SB800, unfortunately not so good with the 600's. Oh well thanks for the info.

 

[AlexColeman]

I am just using my D90 to trigger my sb600s through CLS.