Trying to use Nikon SB800s wireless

[Vaughn_Winchell]

I have a new D70 and 2 SB 800 nikon flashes. I read the article on Nikon's site about a photographer taking pictures in a bar using 4 SB 800 units and dialing to change the output on different ones.

Well, when I try to duplicate that scenario with my 2 units, I notice a serious time lag between the master flash and the remote. It's so serious that if anything moved, there would be a ghost image.

I also have an SU 4. The photographer in the bar can't be using that because he'd lose the ability to change the output of the slaves.

So I don't get how to realistically use SB 800s without having a ghost.

Vaughn Winchell

[MC_Whitcher]

Are you, by chance, using a soft box on the Master?

[Vaughn_Winchell]

Nope. I'm using 2 units, one on the camera and one sitting on a table. Haven't even thought about such exotic things as using a softbox or umbrella.

Vaughn

[HGregoryPorter]

Advanced wireless using the SB800 is only available on cameras compatible with the Creative Lighting System (CLS). Check your manual. I thought only the D2H fit this criteria.

For other cameras, the SU-4 is required.

I had the same time lag with my units. Turns out I needed the SU-4 on all remotes.

[PeterHalperin]

Vaughn- I've been thinking about this lag between the master and remotes you describe. (I jumped into another thread you started elsewhere). Are you sure you're not mistaking the Preflah from the master as the master flash? You can see it, which fooled me at first. There is a delay, as I said, between the preflash and flash, which annoys me and ruins the D2H shutter latency, but the master flash and remotes should be simultaneous. best....Peter

[RobertEdwards]

Vaughn,

The delay is the pre-flash that the D70 uses to do TTL measurements. At first it worried me because subjects may blink or think the first flash is the shot. I have used it in corporate and editorial shoots down to about 1/10 sec without any problems from subjects blinking or moving. I have only tried it with one or two SB800 flashes and it works well. You can also use the tiny D70 flash as the master but without any output control of external flashes.

Where Nikon's new iTTL flash has caused problems is for PR flash-on-camera stuff. The pre-flash here has caught a few too many blinks. As fill-flash outdoors I don't get as many blinks though.

-- Robert.