# Using the SB-600 as a strobe with the D60?



## DScience (May 13, 2009)

I was about to get the SB-400, but then I started looking at the benefits of using a SB-600 as a strobe light, wirelessly. Ken Rockwell talks about it on his site, but it's from 2006 and does not mention if this would work with a D60. If I understand correctly, it will work like this with any i-TTL camera, which I believe the D60 is. Please help me out, will the SB-600 work as an external strobe flash?


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## goodoneian (May 13, 2009)

on the d60, no it will not. the d60 doesn't have the CLS capabilities that the d80, d90, d300, etc. do. in order for you to use the flash off camera you'd have to use some sort of trigger or hot shoe cable.

it will however work perfectly on the camera though


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## DScience (May 13, 2009)

Snap! Thank you for the info....another reason to upgrade to a d90


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## ANDS! (May 13, 2009)

. . .Or get an SU-800 for cheaper.


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## KmH (May 13, 2009)

If you can get ahold of a SB-800 speedlight it can be put in SU-4 mode and triggered (optical) off camera with the D60. I use a SB-800 in commander mode on my D60 to then trigger an SB-600 off camera.


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## bdavison (May 13, 2009)

You can use a slave unit that fires when it detects a flash, but its gonna be manual mode.


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## JerryPH (May 13, 2009)

KmH said:


> If you can get ahold of a SB-800 speedlight it can be put in SU-4 mode and triggered (optical) off camera with the D60. I use a SB-800 in commander mode on my D60 to then trigger an SB-600 off camera.



You can add an optical slave to a SB-600 and have it work in manual mode too, but let's be honest, if you are alone, its fine... but optical triggering sucks when there is more than 1 camera present.


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## DScience (May 14, 2009)

I apologize for my ignorance, but do I understand correctly that the SB-800 will do what I was asking in regards to the SB-600?

I can use the 800 as a wireless flash, that will sync with the D60? When you say it can be triggered 'optically' do you mean my on camera flash will signal the 800 to flash? Or will my camera communicate with the 800 so it flashes in sync with the shot?

And thanks for the replies, I really do appreciate the help. I know that I am still a beginner, but I thought the question would be better suited for the more experienced...which so far has proven to be true.


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## KmH (May 14, 2009)

An SB-800 configured in SU-4 mode would be triggered by your D60's pop-up flash. Actually it uses the Infrared portion of the pop-ups ligtht spectrum.

The D60 cannot be used in Commander mode. However an SB-800 can be put in commander mode and be used to then trigger an SB-600 as well as several other Speedlights.

Go to Nikonusa.com and look for the SB-800 users manual. Read up about commander and SU-4 mode.


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## adamwilliamking (May 14, 2009)

Not without firing a nasty on camera flash, so sorry.


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## kundalini (May 14, 2009)

A quick keyword search in the D60 manual did not show Commander moder is an option.  You'll need a trigger to fire your 600 remotely.




adamwilliamking said:


> Not without firing a nasty on camera flash, so sorry.


 A nikon camera with Commander mode does not necessarily fire a nasty on camera flash, which can be set to fire pre-flash only.  This does not contribute light to the scene.


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## Garbz (May 14, 2009)

adamwilliamking said:


> Not without firing a nasty on camera flash, so sorry.


Actually SU-4 still works when you set the onboard flash power to 1/128. Up the aperture a bit and it'll look like the on camera flash didn't fire at all. It's not ideal, but keeps the nasty flash undercontrol. 



kundalini said:


> A nikon camera with Commander mode does not necessarily fire a nasty on camera flash, which can be set to fire pre-flash only.  This does not contribute light to the scene.


He was talking about SU-4 mode, which does need to fire a flash. The D60 doesn't have a Commander Mode.


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## KmH (May 15, 2009)

Garbz said:


> Actually SU-4 still works when you set the onboard flash power to 1/128. Up the aperture a bit and it'll look like the on camera flash didn't fire at all. It's not ideal, but keeps the nasty flash undercontrol.


 
Or use a Nikon SG-3IR panel to block the visible light.


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