Hi, i hope i be getting my first flash. anyway im using D40x and had tried using my friend's sb800 and was impress its function. I as able to trigger the sb800 with my on board flash. my question is what other things i can do with 2 sb800 and my d40x?

http://strobist.blogspot.com

there are so many things you can do with 2 SB 800's and a D40X. Wireless lighting, DIY modifiers, etc. make for endless lighting possibilities

I agree with sonny, there are soo many things you can do with 2 sb800s. You can use the sb800 as a portable outdoor or even indoor studio. You can also place umbrellas or lightboxes on them to soften the light etc etc.

CLS, here we come!!!

Ray, the site Sonny recommended is a very good source for information. Eventually, you'll also want to invest in light stands, reflectors, etc.

i have so much to learn.:Grin: by the way whats the use of comander mode like those found in higher models like D80 &D200 + Sb800? I know my cam doesnt support one so what's the advantage?

i hope this doesn't hijack the thread. can the D40 (non X) trigger the sb800 thru onboard flash too? meaning wirelessly?

Hi Jobo,
I don't have those unit, But I think D40 or D40x Cannot Trigger the CLS,, But once you put one SB800 on D40 then it will do the Trick,,, Again this only my Guess, but let hear it from the other OWNER of D40


i hope this doesn't hijack the thread. can the D40 (non X) trigger the sb800 thru onboard flash too? meaning wirelessly?

Thanks for the info Eric! Well appreciated :)

Hi Jobo,
I don't have those unit, But I think D40 or D40x Cannot Trigger the CLS,, But once you put one SB800 on D40 then it will do the Trick,,, Again this only my Guess, but let hear it from the other OWNER of D40

D40 can also trigger the sb800 using built in flash. even P&S can trigger sb800

Really? Would it be possible on the SB 600 too? Because as far as I know, the D40/x doesn't have that ability. Thanks. :)

The SB800 has a built in slave that can be triggered by any flash (or IR trigger) but without i-TTL, metering must be done manualy through a flash meter or by guesstimation. To be able to use CLS on the D40 (or X), you must set one of the SB800 as a master and the 2nd one as a slave. If you want both units to be fired wirelessly, you must set both to SU-4 mode, but like mentioned you loose i-TTL. If this is your plan, you are better off just getting a cheaper flash if you will not use the i-TTL capabilities of both units.

The SB600 lacks the SU-4 mode, so it can only be triggered wirelessly through CLS master function bu either an SB800 or the built in flash of higher models like the D80.

Ken

The SB800 has a built in slave that can be triggered by any flash (or IR trigger) but without i-TTL, metering must be done manualy through a flash meter or by guesstimation. To be able to use CLS on the D40 (or X), you must set one of the SB800 as a master and the 2nd one as a slave. If you want both units to be fired wirelessly, you must set both to SU-4 mode, but like mentioned you loose i-TTL. If this is your plan, you are better off just getting a cheaper flash if you will not use the i-TTL capabilities of both units.
Does this mean that the SB-600 mounted on a D40 cannot trigger two slave SB-800? Or should I mount one SB-800 on the D40 and make the SB-600 and the other SB-800 slave?
Please enlighten.

Does this mean that the SB-600 mounted on a D40 cannot trigger two slave SB-800? Or should I mount one SB-800 on the D40 and make the SB-600 and the other SB-800 slave?
Please enlighten.

Make the SB800 your master/commander (mounted on the D40) to trigger the slaves (SB800 and SB600)

Does this mean that the SB-600 mounted on a D40 cannot trigger two slave SB-800? Or should I mount one SB-800 on the D40 and make the SB-600 and the other SB-800 slave?
Please enlighten.

@Ted,

SB-600 or any slave flashes (oncam included)can trigger the SB-800. You have to select SU-40 in the menu of SB-800 to make this happen.

Good luck! :)

Hi Sir Dan,

Thanks for your output. :)

you can have 2 SB-800's in SU-4 mode triggered by the on-cam flash of the D40.
The SB-800 IS the best speedlight out there ;)

If using the SB800 in SU-4 mode, one must remember to set his on board flash or whatever flash mounted on the camera in manual mode. Which means one must manually set the power of all the flashes to get the desired exposure.

so to use nikon CLS i have to mount sb800 on my cam (D40X) choose commander/master mode on the flash and i need another sb800/600 for my slave??

so to use nikon CLS i have to mount sb800 on my cam (D40X) choose commander/master mode on the flash and i need another sb800/600 for my slave??

In addition to the oncam SB800, you also need to set the other speedlights as REMOTE or SU-4 (SB800). I suggest you use the i-TTL so metering and exposure are well calculated.

If you already have an SB-800 as Master, you need not set the other SB-800 as SU-4, instead, set it as REMOTE just like what you would do on an SB-600.

Note that a true Nikon CLS means that the flashes are communicating with eachother in a goal to a good subject exposure. Having said that, it's not Nikon CLS if you have lights or even bunch of SB-800 in slave mode.

Had a photoshoot yesterday, we only used 2 sb800. So to achieved true cls is to place sb800 on my cam and use master mode, then the other sb800 on remote?? what about when both are off cam in SU-4 mode and triggerd with on board flash is still that considerd CLS??

1. CLS (my interpretation)
CLS is a Nikon jargon that enables the camera to send exposure data to compatible slave flash units. This data is sent via wireless signals.

As such, one can control the flash output of the slave units from one's camera.

See http://www.nikonusa.com/pdf/SB800_techniques.pdf for CLS capabilities to get some clues on how it works. Unfortunatley, Nikon has not done a good job at fully explaining what CLS means (both on the technical and creative apects.

A quote from http://www.olegnovikov.com/technical/nikoncls/cls.shtml: "I only wish Nikon could explain in detail and layman's terms how the system operates. Be prepared to thoroughly read both your flash's and camera's manuals as well as conduct online research to juxtapose information and be able to utilize the system's more advanced features."


2.SU-4 (My experience)
SU-4 mode merely enables the slave units to be triggered by a number of flash sources (including non-Nikon flash). In fact, we had our christmas party yesterday at a disco, I found out that even the disco strobes there could trigger my SB800.

I don't consider SU-4 as CLS, although it probably can be incorporated as one component of a CLS system. In SU-4 mode, no electronic data is transmitted to the slaves, so if one wants to "simulate" a CLS, I guess one has to manually set the flash parameters in each slave.

I don't use this mode very often. The only moments I found this to be useful was in situations where I want to trigger my SB800, which may be located beyond the wireless range (e.g., illuminate a background that is far from my subject/camera).

Check out how one strobist reportedly triggered his SB800 from 110 feet away: http://strobist.blogspot.com/2007/08/unlock-superslave-in-your-nikon-sb-800.html

Enjoy your SB800 on your D40X

May I add.. the signal is transmitted via series of almost invisible flash. This is the reason you can't have some of the SBs in CLS and some SB-800 in SU4. You can't also use Nikon CLS with Studio Strobes.

Sorry, but I have a few questions of my own regarding the SB-800 and the Nikon D40/x.

I already have a SB-400 and a SC-28 TTL cord for my D40. Is it a good idea for me to acquire the SB-800 if I want to attempt CLS/Strobist? Will it be maximize with the stuff I already have? Or with my current stuff, the SB-800 can only be used a slave since my camera does not have commander mode and I am better off with a SB-600?

Basically, what's the possibilities of my current gear line up if I add a SB-800?

Flash gear is very confusing.

i think, if you attach the sb800 on a d40/x then u will have a commander/master capability. i dont think sb400 & sb600 has a master option