Instead of creating another post, I updated the “How to get the best out of your pop-up flash” article to include plenty of information and a new video on Nikon’s Commander Mode on semi-pro and pro-level Nikon camera bodies. Information on how to set up the built-in pop-up camera flash to be a commander, as well as configuring Nikon speedlights (SB-600, SB-700, SB-800 and SB-900) is also included.
Here is the video on how to use the commander mode + flash communication basics:
Our next upcoming article + video is going to be about Nikon speedlights and how to use them in various configurations indoors. Stay tuned!
Hello
Thank you very much for the informative article.
I use a D810 built-in flash to trigger a SB700 and SB80DX remotely.
It used to work okay but now I think the built-in flash is triggering the flashes too early…they fire before exposure is taken and have no effect on the image.
I cannot find a setting to change this: I have reset everything, and tried CMD mode settings in M, –, AA and TTL. Slow sync or rear sync makes no difference. They are triggered too early by the built-in flash.
If I mount the SB80DX on-camera, the timing is correct and the SB700 fires as expected, all works.
Please can you help?
Hey Nasim,
This video is very helpful but I do have a question. Can you mount a speed light on your camera and use it, as well as have your camera in commander mode?
Thank you for this article Nasim. I just bought my Sb-700 and this tutorial has been very helpful.
Hi Nasim, thanks for your all educational videos on youtube. I have Nikon D810, and SB-910 Speed Lite. I want to use the built in flash as commander and SB-910 as Remote. I have already watched your video, and I put built in flash in — mode as well. The problem is that the built in flash keeps firing every time I take the same shot (same distance). Why pre-flash happens on each shot. Is this normal? I want to know why it fires in — or commander mode every time, should it fire just once? Is something wrong with my camera or flash?
There isn’t anything wrong with the camera or the pop up flash. There will always be a preflash to send out the signal to fire your off camera flash. Basically, light is how the flashes communicate. I always feel when the camera is set to — there is plenty of flash for communication but it seems to influence the exposure in some situations. It should be for communication only but I don’t like the — setting. Rather, I set the camera to manual output and choose 1/128 power. Just about every situation I shoot in has no exposure impact from the on camera flash output and the off camera flash is seemingly the only light influencing exposure. Even when I balance with ambient light. www.takeandtalkpics.com
Hi, I seems having same problem. I am using D610 with SB800.
When I set it for remote shootoing at close distance, such as 2ft, the remote mode always gives much over exposed picture. I try to set the in camera flash to “- -“, or to manual with 1/128 power down, still got over exposed pictures,
Ant idea what’s wrong?
Thanks
Dandan
Thank you.
i’ve had my sb-700 for a year or two now and it seemed overwhelming to use it. Your tutorial was awesome and you explained it all so thoroughly. Thank you so much!!
Is it possible to use the Nikon D610 and the SB700 with wireless flash without using the on camera flash as part of the exposure?
With the Nikon D610 and the SB 700 does wireless flash would with out the on camera flash being part of the exposure?
Kind of… You need to set the pop up flash to at least some power output to give signal to the remote flash, SB-700 in this case. I have found if you set the pop up flash to manual and and a power of 1/128 (the lowest output) it will be plenty to fire the off camera flash but not enough power to influence the exposure. From a technical stand point any amount of light, especially flash, is influencing the exposure at some capacity. www.takeandtalkpics.com
you said it wont work on the d3100 but it conflicts this url ?
www.revellphotography.com/blog/…announced/
Excellent! Such clear instructions. Thank you!