Speedlight SB800 tips?

[tim11]

I'm wondering if there is a way to set shutter speed to over 1/200sec on D80 when SB800 is used? I have tried different modes A, M, P... and various settings on the speedlight but the max shutter speed seems to be 1/200sec. I have read both user manuals.
Why would anyone want to shoot over 1/200sec with flash? hmm..... It all started on a bright day and I tried to use fill flash to brighten up back lit subjects. So now I'm simply curious about the maximum s/s of the system. Can someone shed a light?
Thanks.

[Rooz]

go to the custom shooting menu and turn "Auto FP" on then fire away. it does stand for something but i can;t remember what. comes in very handy like you said fr fill flash on bright days but also macros of moving insects.

[Prospero]

The maximum flash synchronisation of the camera is 1/500s, which means that it will work up to speeds of 1/500s.

At daytime, with ISO200, this is a bit bright, you will have to stop down to f/8-f/11 for a proper exposure of the background. If you want a shallow Depth of Field you could consider adding a two stop ND filter, so you can use f/4-f/5.6.

There are ways to work around the maximum sync speed. There was something with blocking some contacts so that it would flash, but all TTL features are blocked (which includes the thing telling the camera there is a flash attached and that it cannot use ss faster than 1/500s). You will need to meter the flash output manually, though, which is a matter of trial and error.

-----------------
EDIT: All the above applies for users of the D40, D50 and D70(s). You can use Auto FP like Rooz said. I was not aware of that feature. The maximum flash sync speed of the D80 without this feature is 1/200s, which means that one f-stop must be added to the numbers I gave.

[achuang]

I think FP stands for focal plane. In auto FP mode though the power of the flash is greatly reduced, the faster the shutter speed the less power. As prospero mentioned, a neutral density filter or even a polarizer will work to cut out some light and slow your shutter speeds down to below the maximum flash sync of your camera.

[tim11]

Okay, I will get back to the drawing board... I tried fidgeting with the camera and it locked up twice until I turned it off. I will be more careful.
Thanks for your answers.

[ae86gtv16]

I know the D50 and D70 can sync up to 1/500s I'm not sure if the D80 is capable of that. I've tried to use my friend's D80 with my Sb800 and I can't find a way to do it.

-according to dpreview the D80 syncs up to 1/200, not sure if that's also true for external flash.

[Ray Schnoor]

From page 98 in the D80 manual:

"25: Auto FP (P, S, A, and M Modes Only)
Select On to activate Auto FP High-Speed Sync when using the op-
tional SB-800, SB-600, or SB-R200 flash units at shutter speeds faster
than 1/200s(because the actual shutter speed may be slightly slower
than displayed in P and A modes, Auto FP may not always be activated
at a shutter speed of 1/200s). Choose to enable fill flash when taking
portraits under bright light or when taking photographs at Large aper-
tures. Auto FP High-Speed Sync is not available when using the built-in
flash. The default setting is Off."

although I have not used this mode and can't comment on how well it works.

Ray.

[ae86gtv16]

From page 98 in the D80 manual:

"25: Auto FP (P, S, A, and M Modes Only)
Select On to activate Auto FP High-Speed Sync when using the op-
tional SB-800, SB-600, or SB-R200 flash units at shutter speeds faster
than 1/200s(because the actual shutter speed may be slightly slower
than displayed in P and A modes, Auto FP may not always be activated
at a shutter speed of 1/200s). Choose to enable fill flash when taking
portraits under bright light or when taking photographs at Large aper-
tures. Auto FP High-Speed Sync is not available when using the built-in
flash. The default setting is Off."

although I have not used this mode and can't comment on how well it works.

Ray.

hmmmm! i'll try that later on my friend's D80. Ray, so the manual doesn't state the maximum shutter speed for the Auto FP High-Speed Sync? Just wondering, because on my D50 and D70s I don't have the Auto FP feature. As long as the shutter speed I use is not faster than 1/500 the flash fires everytime. Thanks for the snippet.

[aparmley]

I too am trying to figure out how to shoot above 1/200 with flash in manual triggered by pocket wizards???

[swgod98]

The AutoFP setting (when ON) will allow you to shoot at faster than 1/200 with the SB-800. But, it pulses the flash (nothing you will notice by eye) and ends up reducing the potential power of it.

[aparmley]

The AutoFP setting (when ON) will allow you to shoot at faster than 1/200 with the SB-800. But, it pulses the flash (nothing you will notice by eye) and ends up reducing the potential power of it.

Thanks SW - not to be rude but, I was aware of that. I just can't seem to get the flash to sync above cameras sync speed of 1/200 when fired remotely with Pocket wizards - so far my research is telling me this can not be done. The Flash itself can not be set to FP. So one must use CLS or have the flash in the camera's hotshoe to utilize this FP function. . . Total bummer. I want off camera FP capabilities without having to hack it with that "Tape" trick. Makes me wonder why I paid so much for Nikon's flagship flash if its so. . . whats the word - crippled.

[LR Max]

I can tell you that with the auto FP thingie, you can sync a D80 up to 1/1000th with the CLS system.

However, I cannot comment on the quality of the image.

Supposidly, it takes 1/1000th of a second for a flash to fully discharge. So in theory, you can blast away at full blast at 1/1000th all day.

I don't see why the flash power would be diminished, unless the CLS system is somehow flawed like that :rolleyes:.

But yeah, my D70s syncs to 1/500th with my SB-800 with no issues. Anything beyond that is no mans territory.

You'll just need to play with it.

[Prospero]

Thanks SW - not to be rude but, I was aware of that. I just can't seem to get the flash to sync above cameras sync speed of 1/200 when fired remotely with Pocket wizards - so far my research is telling me this can not be done. The Flash itself can not be set to FP. So one must use CLS or have the flash in the camera's hotshoe to utilize this FP function. . . Total bummer. I want off camera FP capabilities without having to hack it with that "Tape" trick. Makes me wonder why I paid so much for Nikon's flagship flash if its so. . . whats the word - crippled.

Andy, you do not need the tape trick, if you do not put the transmitter onto the hotshoe all the way, it will probably do the trick as well. In that way you can also get the flash to fire at shutterspeeds below 1/200s without Auto-FP, so without reduction of power. There is no TTL then, but since you talk about using the system manually this should not be an issue.

Alternatively, you can get an ND8 so that the times where you need to shoot at 1/200 and faster occur a lot less frequent.

[aparmley]

Andy, you do not need the tape trick, if you do not put the transmitter onto the hotshoe all the way, it will probably do the trick as well. In that way you can also get the flash to fire at shutterspeeds below 1/200s without Auto-FP, so without reduction of power. There is no TTL then, but since you talk about using the system manually this should not be an issue.

Alternatively, you can get an ND8 so that the times where you need to shoot at 1/200 and faster occur a lot less frequent.

Thanks Prospero. . . I'm looking into buying a 3 stop Hoya ND filter for my 50 1.4. We'll see how that works.

[swgod98]

Thanks SW - I was aware of that.

Ya, I was more confirming other peoples input than answering yours. I actually don't know the answer to your dilemma as I don't own pocketwizards. Sorry :(

LR Max: If I'm not mistaken, when the camera is set to AutoFP mode, the flash bursts out a number of flashes, sort of like a strobe, to ensure the camera/flash exposure syncs up. This reduces the overal effectiveness of the flash. Because of this, I'm pretty sure you aren't getting the full capacity of the flash when set to autoFP...

I could be wrong, but that is what I've read in the past.

[aparmley]

Ya, I was more confirming other peoples input than answering yours. I actually don't know the answer to your dilemma as I don't own pocketwizards. Sorry :(

LR Max: If I'm not mistaken, when the camera is set to AutoFP mode, the flash bursts out a number of flashes, sort of like a strobe, to ensure the camera/flash exposure syncs up. This reduces the overal effectiveness of the flash. Because of this, I'm pretty sure you aren't getting the full capacity of the flash when set to autoFP...

I could be wrong, but that is what I've read in the past.

You've got it right SW.

My issue, really, is that I guess I had never realized before that high sync flash whether it be X-sync or FP is all "in camera." I was really hoping I could set it on the flash what shutterspeed I intend to shoot at but thats just not possible. I'll have to use either a ND filter or CLS - by which I'll be using an SB-800 on camera to to trigger the other flash(es) because my SU-800 just won't cut it. (Thinking that my SU-800 may go up for sale shortly)

[achuang]

You've got it right SW.

My issue, really, is that I guess I had never realized before that high sync flash whether it be X-sync or FP is all "in camera." I was really hoping I could set it on the flash what shutterspeed I intend to shoot at but thats just not possible. I'll have to use either a ND filter or CLS - by which I'll be using an SB-800 on camera to to trigger the other flash(es) because my SU-800 just won't cut it. (Thinking that my SU-800 may go up for sale shortly)

I don't know how David Hobby managed to sync up to 1/1000. I read it on strobist somewhere but can't remember. He did it with a D70/s though and I think the camera has to have an electronic shutter to be able to sync above the flash sync speed. I guess you'll have to do a bit of googling to see if it can be done with a D80. I was wondering when you'd be getting rid of that SU-800.