rp_photo wrote:
Using SB-800's for Strobist work is like taking a gun to a knife fight.

Vivitar 285 and Sunpak 383 have almost the same GN for 1/4 the price, which allows for a decent flash meter.

WOW! 

Who wouldn't want to take a gun to a knife fight?

I don't understand your analogy...

Fear Mongerer wrote:
and those were taken with some 25 year old vivitars - just think what a new SB800 will do!

New SB-800's won't give you much more power, but you will be able to go wireless using the right camera...

Those old Vivitars are awesome... 

Hell when I run out of SB's...I pull out the old Vivitars.

LaPuma wrote:
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Hey y'all,

  I would like to have a thread geared towards the strobist who uses sb-800 flashes or the equivalent for there strobe work.

  I would like to see pics of what your set-ups are and how you use them as well as photos to back them up.

  I have read alot of what is on the strobist site and already own one sb-800. I have yet to tap into its amazing uses. But I plan to. 

So if you would, please post any pics of your set-ups, describe them and explain why you think it works or dont work. What can be improved and what lessons you have learned.

Thanks,
-Puma-

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I'm not a very good explainer...

sloshutter wrote:
This thread is awesome! You guys are doing some great stuff with those little flashes. I'm just diving into the off camera flash world, i'm from a hotlight background, so this info is really helpful. I have an SB-600 for my D70s and I plan using it quite a bit this year.

http://strobist.blogspot.com/2008/01/co … -sync.html

There's a good reason why I won't be getting rid of my D70 and looking for others to get.

FARLEY MAGADIA wrote:
I'm actually just too lazy to read all these manuals!!

My point is just keeping it simple. I know the SB800's capabilities and briefly played with it wirelessly.  I have Canon 580ex' s as well with the ST-whatever transmitter and it works surprisingly well.  But I'd rather treat them like little studio strobes... just gimme 1/2 power here, and 1/8th there on 'MANUAL' mode and I know that the lighting will be consistant.

I use to completely trust PROGRAM mode for everything,  but except for casual snapshots, I don't feel comfortable unless I'm shooting on MANUAL now!

Why would you NOT read the manual to something that will allow you to use it to it's fullest potential?  Makes absolutely NO sense!  That's like getting lost and not asking for directions, simply ludicrous!

If you want simple, get some Vivitar 285's, turn on, set, shoot.  Can't get any easier...

Hamza wrote:
New SB-800's won't give you much more power, but you will be able to go wireless using the right camera...

Those old Vivitars are awesome... 

Hell when I run out of SB's...I pull out the old Vivitars.

New SB-800's would be easier since the wireless stuff, but it's not smoke and mirrors and good pictures don't need ttl or anything new. They just need light.

rp_photo wrote:
Using SB-800's for Strobist work is like taking a gun to a knife fight.

Vivitar 285 and Sunpak 383 have almost the same GN for 1/4 the price, which allows for a decent flash meter.

I have two SB-600's that I occasionally use in a wireless configuration. But for inexpensive and total portability, I use up to two pairs of Sunpak 433D's with wireless adapters, lightstands and umbrellas. The 433D's have a GN of 120, plus the power can be controlled by full, 1/2, 1/4, 1/8, and 1/16th increments via a slide switch on the back. Don't go buying them all up now.

Hamza wrote:

New SB-800's won't give you much more power, but you will be able to go wireless using the right camera...

Those old Vivitars are awesome... 

Hell when I run out of SB's...I pull out the old Vivitars.

Eveything in my portfolio is done with Vivitar 283's along with foamcore, coffee cans, cardboard snoots, and a grid that was given to me (duct taped to the end of a coffee can). Buy the coffee with clear lids, I sand them down a little with a fine grit sandpaper and they make nice diffusers.

FARLEY MAGADIA wrote:
ps.ps.  Why doesn't Canon have a PC connection on their speedlights?!?

Serious answer: Because it's intended to be a wireless system.
Snarky answer: Because they want you to buy a 580EX or a ST-E2.

FARLEY MAGADIA wrote:

Nikon SB24 @1/8 power • Pocket Wizard & Zip Lock (forgot my grip gear!) • Sony DSC-R1 • iso400 • f6.3-  1/30"

ps. i still haven't figured out how to use my D200 / SB800 WIRELESS

ps.ps.  Why doesn't Canon have a PC connection on their speedlights?!?

nice photo

but um about the canon are you serious ?

-_-

Ian Brooks Photography wrote:
I'll bite.

What is your shutter speed?  Is it below 1/250th to allow for x-sync?  Your flash will work in High Speed Sync but the output is greatly reduced.

So, I must have a shutter speed below 1/250 ? Thats it? Nothing else I have to do to get the camera and the strobe to flash in sync? I dont have any pocket wizards yet, so I am using some slave unit that came in a package deal with a strobe accessory.

-Puma-

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LeWhite wrote:
first what cam
what flash
how is it conected
what mode is it in
how is it set

Camera = Nikon d80
Flash = sb800
connected = slave flash device that came in package
mode = manual
set = I have tried all kinds of settings

-Puma-

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Caradoc wrote:
The Nikon D80 will only sync at 1/200th or slower unless you enable FP Sync with your SB-800. Then you can sync up to full speed, 1/4000, but you'll lose about two stops of power on the way up there.

Without seeing an image, I can't understand the problem, unless you've got the flash set to SU-4 mode and you're trying to control it with the built-in flash set to TTL mode - in which case the preflash will trigger the SB-800 too early, and the built-in flash will minimize its power because the camera "saw" the image as too bright with the other flash going off.

Go to Custom Setting Menu #22, Built-in Flash, and configure your built-in as a Commander. Set it to "--" for power, so it won't contribute to the image. Check your channel setting, configure Group A to TTL, and press the OK button.

On the SB-800, set it to "Remote" mode, match the channel setting, and set the SB-800 to Group A.

Then try shooting with it. Get the umbrella as close as possible to your subject without getting it into the picture. Make sure the little circle of dark plastic on the side just in front of the battery compartment is facing where the camera will be when you shoot - that's the sensor that detects the Nikon CLS commands from the camera. The pop-up flash MUST be up and firing if the Remote is to get any of its commands. That's how the camera "talks" to the remote.

thank you, i think thats the answer i needed

-Puma-

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Flash = sb800
connected = slave flash device that came in package

You don't need the slave flash device to use Nikon's wireless capability. Just plow through your manual for the correct settings to use your camera's built-in flash as the controller. This gives you the advantage of providing "fill" from the camera axis to open up your shadows to whatever degree you desire.