# Can somebody please answer a quick SB-700 lighting question?



## jwbryson1 (Oct 31, 2011)

My SB-700 is set to commander mode and my custom setting in my D90 is set to engage the SB-700 wirelessly, but it seems the SB-700 will not go off unless my on camera flash also flashes which I don't want.  I don't understand.  Does somebody have a simple answer for this (besides that I'm a dumb a$$)?  :lmao:

Thanks.


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## jwbryson1 (Oct 31, 2011)

To answer my own question, I found another website that had the same question and this was the response given:

"_I recall from the recent Flash Bus Tour that when using the D90 in  commander mode, you will see the flash on the camera fire....but that  flash is only a means of the camera communicating with the SB-700.  The  flash from the camera will not be included in the photo.  When the  SB-700 fires (if the D90 is in commander mode only) it will provide all  the flash for the photo_."

This sounds correct.  Anybody care to agree or disagree?

Thanks!


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## Kerbouchard (Oct 31, 2011)

As long as the D90's built in flash is set to -- it shouldn't contribute to the exposure.You are correct, the pre-flash will still fire, but it won't contribute to the exposure.  If both are in 'ttl', it will contribute to exposure.

Quick way to make sure, set the D90 to commander mode, turn your SB-700 off, and see what the exposure looks like.  If it's lit, obviously, your built in flash is firing.  If it's not, you should be able to just turn your SB-700 on.  Should be good to go.

Edited to add:  Good on you for searching to answer your own question.  It's nice to see every once in a while. :thumbup:


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## jwbryson1 (Oct 31, 2011)

Kerbouchard said:


> As long as the D90's built in flash is set to -- it shouldn't contribute to the exposure.You are correct, the pre-flash will still fire, but it won't contribute to the exposure.  If both are in 'ttl', it will contribute to exposure.
> 
> Quick way to make sure, set the D90 to commander mode, turn your SB-700 off, and see what the exposure looks like.  If it's lit, obviously, your built in flash is firing.  If it's not, you should be able to just turn your SB-700 on.  Should be good to go.
> 
> Edited to add:  Good on you for searching to answer your own question.  It's nice to see every once in a while. :thumbup:



To follow up on this, YES, I have read the manual several times--it's just not clear to me.  And thinking this through further, when I set the custom setting to -- , NEITHER the camera nor the OCF fires.  I only get the SB-700 to fire when I have the custom setting in the camera set to i-TTL.  

I know this is an easy question which is why it has me so frustrated.


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## MLeeK (Oct 31, 2011)

WHen I went to FlashBus this was something Joe McNally addressed. I can't remember the exact explanation, but suffice to say that the way it is set to trigger the speedlight the camera flash does not contribute to the exposure of the image.


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## Kerbouchard (Oct 31, 2011)

Custom mode E2(on your camera) needs to be set to commander mode.  Push the right selector switch with it highlighted and you will bring up the commander mode options.  

For the Built in Flash, you set it to --.  Set Group A to TTL, AA(auto), or M(manual).  Make note of what your channel is selected to(probably 1).  On your SB700, you don't want it in commander mode.  You want it set to wireless.  You also want to make sure it is in the proper group and channel.  I don't have an SB-700, so I can't tell you the exact way to do it, but it should be pretty easy to find.

From there, you should be good to go.  Let me know if you have any further issues.


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## MLeeK (Oct 31, 2011)

Here's a decent link on it: The Nikon Remote Wireless Flash System Is Easy To Use


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## Big Mike (Nov 1, 2011)

It seems like the issue has been addressed...but just to put it in very simple terms, the flash is what the camera uses to communicate with the remote flash unit.  So if you want to trigger the remote flash with the Commander mode on your camera...you are going to see the flash fire.

The key point here, is that you can still set (on camera/built in) flash so that it doesn't fire when the shutter is open (as mentioned above).


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## jwbryson1 (Nov 1, 2011)

Big Mike said:


> It seems like the issue has been addressed...but just to put it in very simple terms, the flash is what the camera uses to communicate with the remote flash unit.  So if you want to trigger the remote flash with the Commander mode on your camera...you are going to see the flash fire.
> 
> The key point here, is that you can still set (on camera/built in) flash so that it doesn't fire when the shutter is open (as mentioned above).



Thanks.  I think I have it set up correctly, but my kid kept saying "they're both flashing!"  I thought this was an error, but based on the link supplied by MLeeK (thank you!!), it appears that the onboard flash fires before the shutter opens and this flash triggers the speedlight.  I did not connect the dots that the onboard flash fired before the shutter opened.  I think it makes sense now.

Thanks for all the helpful responses!  :thumbup:


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## Big Mike (Nov 1, 2011)

FYI, any time you use a flash in TTL mode, it actually fires at least twice.  Once before the shutter opens, which is used for metering...then it fires again when the shutter is open.  This all happens so fast that most people never notice it.  

So when you are using off-camera flashes with Nikon's CLS system, it uses pre-flashes for metering and communication...and you probably wouldn't notice it, unless you weren't expecting the camera's flash it fire.


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