# SB600 / Nikon off camera Speedlight questions



## MOREGONE (Sep 20, 2012)

Hello,
I have some questions about use of flash off camera I cant seem wrap my head around in different scenarios and would appreciate some help.

My gear consists of Nikon D90, SB600 flash and I borrow/access to cheap Cowboy Studio wireless triggers.


When I have the Camera connected to the flash wirelessly (no triggers) through Commander Mode, set as TTL, if the Flash is set to TTL the strength of the flash will be determined by the camera, correct? Essentially, Auto Mode.


If I press the flash button, and adjust flash compensation to say -0.7, will everything (Shutter, f/stop) remain the same, but less power output?




If I change camera from TTL to Manual, I now control the flash output from the cameras menu?




If I change the flash from TTL to Manual, I have to control flash output from the flash itself?




Does any of this change with the method I connect to the flash? Whether through Commander Mode or Triggers?

I hope this doesn't seem too remedial. Thanks for the help!


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## Boney (Sep 20, 2012)

For remote flash triggering with D90 and the SB600, that's all you need.  No other triggers required.  Set the commander mode in both the camera and the flash and you are good to go.  One of Nikons neat features.


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## SCraig (Sep 20, 2012)

MOREGONE said:


> Hello,
> I have some questions about use of flash off camera I cant seem wrap my head around in different scenarios and would appreciate some help.
> 
> My gear consists of Nikon D90, SB600 flash and I borrow/access to cheap Cowboy Studio wireless triggers.
> ...


 Correct.



> If I press the flash button, and adjust flash compensation to say -0.7, will everything (Shutter, f/stop) remain the same, but less power output?


Yes.  Flash compensation only affects the flash itself, not the camera exposure.



> If I change camera from TTL to Manual, I now control the flash output from the cameras menu?


Edit ... See Tirediron's response below.



> If I change the flash from TTL to Manual, I have to control flash output from the flash itself?


Correct.



> Does any of this change with the method I connect to the flash? Whether through Commander Mode or Triggers?


No, however with Cowboy Studio triggers you are only going to have manual mode.  Those triggers do not transmit the TTL information so TTL will not work with them.


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## tirediron (Sep 20, 2012)

MOREGONE said:


> Hello,
> I have some questions about use of flash off camera I can&#8217;t seem wrap my head around in different scenarios and would appreciate some help.
> 
> My gear consists of Nikon D90, SB600 flash and I borrow/access to cheap Cowboy Studio wireless triggers.
> ...


Hope that helps.


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## MOREGONE (Sep 24, 2012)

Hello,

Thanks for all of your responses, they are appreciated.  Sorry for the delayed response, signed up with a new email address and was looking for the response notifications in my old email.


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## Graystar (Sep 24, 2012)

MOREGONE said:


> Hello,
> I have some questions about use of flash off camera I cant seem wrap my head around in different scenarios and would appreciate some help.
> 
> My gear consists of Nikon D90, SB600 flash and I borrow/access to cheap Cowboy Studio wireless triggers.
> ...


Yes, that's correct. 




> If I press the flash button, and adjust flash compensation to say -0.7, will everything (Shutter, f/stop) remain the same, but less power output?


Correct. FEC only affects flash power. Note that any application of EC using the camera's EC button will apply to flash as well on a Nikon.




> If I change camera from TTL to Manual, I now control the flash output from the cameras menu?


Presuming you're asking under the context of wireless flash, and further presuming you mean TTL->Manual in the Flash Commander...yes. You select the flash power in the Commander menu. This makes setting flash power very convenient...especially when you have a flash unit 7 ft. up on a light stand.




> If I change the flash from TTL to Manual, I have to control flash output from the flash itself?


Presuming you're asking under the context of wireless flash...You cannot set a flash mode on the flash when AWL is enabled on the flash unit. You can adjust the zoom level and change the channel/group only.




> Does any of this change with the method I connect to the flash? Whether through Commander Mode or Triggers?


Yes. CLS features are only available when using the Commander. With simple wireless triggers you must take the SB600 out of wireless mode. In this case, you set the flash power on the flash manually.


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