Using the SB600

[herc182]

I was going to give it a specific title but think i will have some more questions in the future and it might help others.

Question 1 - why is my shutter speed ALWAYS 1/60th on aperture priority mode? even if i change the aperture. The SB600 is set to TTL

thanks

[jcon]

You need to change the flash shutter speed setting through your in-camera menu.

[herc182]

i found that option but how do you sync at speeds faster than 1/60 (which is the fastest the D80 seems to go!)

[herc182]

also. when using the flash remotely, how can you tell the flash how far away it is from the subject (using TTL). or is that automatic?

[achuang]

When using flash, putting the camera in manual is the most reliable way and not too difficult and you can adjust your shutter speed higher than 1/60th all the way up to your camera's sync speed which should be 1/250 for the D80 if i remember correctly. Indoors with not too much light it's easy enough to set a shutter speed you feel comfortable holding and just leave it on that speed if your flash is the only light. Outdoors with flash you can't just leave it on any shutter speed as ambient light is a lot stronger than indoors so you have to watch your metering.

Regarding your other question, you can't tell the flash how far away the subject is. TTL is meant to be able to measure that with the preflashes, but it's not always reliable. I prefer using manual flash when off camera and just adjust based on how it looks to you.

[Prospero]

When using flash, putting the camera in manual is the most reliable way and not too difficult and you can adjust your shutter speed higher than 1/60th all the way up to your camera's sync speed which should be 1/250 for the D80 if i remember correctly. Indoors with not too much light it's easy enough to set a shutter speed you feel comfortable holding and just leave it on that speed if your flash is the only light. Outdoors with flash you can't just leave it on any shutter speed as ambient light is a lot stronger than indoors so you have to watch your metering.


I don't remember the details, but I once heard that using a special mode on the D80 you can sync the flash faster than 1/250s, but with a loss of flash output.

[JBO]

nice post, i have been wondering about these questions myself!

[Tony_V]

I don't remember the details, but I once heard that using a special mode on the D80 you can sync the flash faster than 1/250s, but with a loss of flash output.

I don't believe this is a function of the camera but a function of the flash. I have an example flash guide from Nikon and it refers to page 48 of the SB-600 manual for high-speed sync. I've only had my flash for a few weeks and haven't tried it yet.

Tony

[Rooz]

I don't remember the details, but I once heard that using a special mode on the D80 you can sync the flash faster than 1/250s, but with a loss of flash output.

Auto FP is hi speed "sync" mode.

[herc182]

When I first started playing with the SB600 I am sure I managed to get a mode on the flash called AA. Cant get it anymore. Any ideas?

Also, I am getting confused with the power settings:

1 - When using the on board flash as commander and the SB600 as TTL you can set the power of the SB600 by using the flash button on the camera and rotating the dial (as you would to increase the power of the onboard flash). However, you can also change the power settings of the SB600 by going though the menus on the D80 and changing it there. THe latter seems to give far higher power out put than the former.
Now my question is this:
BY changing the flash power using the button on the camera, does this merely change the power of the commander flash (i.e. the onboard flash?)?

2 - When using the SB600 (attached the D80 this time) on TTL mode, and change the power using the button for the flash on the D80 has much less impact than changing the power of the SB600 using the settings on the flash.
Why?

3 - Lastly, why does the exposure meter always tell me the subject is really underexposed?

THanks!!

[herc182]

oh my god. Please ignore question 3. I would have deleted it but wanted to let you know I am actually quick thick.

It was underexposed because I had set it that way using the thumbwheel (which I have set to tweak exposure). Sorry!

[Daubs]

Correct me if I'm wrong on this, but in the D80's menu (#24 - flash shutter speed), all you are setting here is the slowest shutter speed the camera and flash will allow.

When I'm in A-mode I can crank up the shutter speed to 1/200 and the flash will compensate.

So how do I get shutter speeds faster than 1/200 (and why would I want to?)

I've had my flash for a while but haven't used it much. I need to understand it more...and use more.

[Tony_V]

Correct me if I'm wrong on this, but in the D80's menu (#24 - flash shutter speed), all you are setting here is the slowest shutter speed the camera and flash will allow.
That is correct. I believe the default is 1/60 second.


When I'm in A-mode I can crank up the shutter speed to 1/200 and the flash will compensate.
I don't believe there is any compensation. Depending on several settings the flash will sync anywhere between 1 second to 1/200 second.


So how do I get shutter speeds faster than 1/200 (and why would I want to?)
You have to set the flash to AA FP (at least that is what it is on the SB-800). One situation you would use this for is where you wanted to use fill flash with high ambient light and wanted shallow depth of field. In bright light correct exposure might be 1/200 second and f11. This would yield deep depth of field. Using high speed sync you could raise the shutter to 1/3200 second and set the aperture to f2.8 to get more shallow depth of field.

Tony