# Cannot sync D5100 with SB700 off-camera!



## LenaBambina

*Answered!* *But feel free to leave some tips anyway * *Can't hurt*.

I bought a Nikon SB700 speedlight and this off-camera flash starter kit to use with my Nikon D5100.  I'm trying to use the speedlight off-camera, mounted on the light stand from the starter kit, and I dont care whether or not the built-in flash contributes to the exposure. I just want the speedlight to go off. 
Here are pics of my setup:

Hot shoes on camera and flash, connected with sync cord (all from the lighting starter kit)...




Built-in flash up and set to manual..



Speedlight set to SU4 remote mode...


I was told to do that because the D5100 doesn't have a commander function, but it still isn't working. Would really love some help here!


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## GDHLEWIS

Take the 700 off TTL and place the switch to manual. should do the trick


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## LenaBambina

Switched from TTL to manual just now, still didn't work.. both of the flashes failed to go off


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## astroNikon

FYI, that's a vertical switch to the left of the LCD screen. which has  

TTL
M
GN
A:B

just in case you didn't know 


and do I see your camera popup flash only partially open ?
are you in AUTO (green) ?


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## GDHLEWIS

Then you might have an issue with your cable. I had a similar issue as well and had to replace it. Try ditching the cable all together and use the 700 on the setting already stated. Should act as a slave then.


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## LenaBambina

I know about the switch, that's how I switched to manual just now.

@Lewis: I'll try that, but since the D5100 can't act as a commander I'm not sure if it can trigger a flash manually..


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## Mach0

If I recall correctly( I've never tried it) but I don't think your hotshoe is going to fire if you have the pop up engaged.  Just what are you trying to achieve ? If you want to use your pop up and don't care about contribution- then set your built in flash to manual ( so you get consistent exposure ) and set your sb700 to slave mode. If you want to use the cord just close the built in flash. To the best of my knowledge, the cable is just an extension of your hotshoe and should fire as if it were mounted on your camera.


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## GDHLEWIS

You should be able to reverse the 700 180 degrees so the front is facing forward enabling It to detect your pop up flash.


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## LenaBambina

I really hope it isn't a problem with the cable... it's brand new.

Mach0, I'm trying to use the speedlight off-camera as the only real source of extra light. The only reason I had the built-in up at all was because somebody elsewhere told me it had to be up, but if I can do this set-up without using the built-in at all I would like to do that. I'll try it with the built-in down and post the result.


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## KmH

Ditch the cable, put the SB-700 in SU-4 mode, and trigger the off camera SB-700 with the flash of light from the D5100's built-in flash unit.
Look up SU-4 mode in the SB-700 user's manual Index.


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## Mach0

LenaBambina said:


> I really hope it isn't a problem with the cable... it's brand new.  Mach0, I'm trying to use the speedlight off-camera as the only real source of extra light. The only reason I had the built-in up at all was because somebody elsewhere told me it had to be up, but if I can do this set-up without using the built-in at all I would like to do that. I'll try it with the built-in down and post the result.



Make sure you're not in auto mode: I think that will make the pop up fire.


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## GDHLEWIS

LenaBambina said:


> I really hope it isn't a problem with the cable... it's brand new.
> 
> Mach0, I'm trying to use the speedlight off-camera as the only real source of extra light. The only reason I had the built-in up at all was because somebody elsewhere told me it had to be up, but if I can do this set-up without using the built-in at all I would like to do that. I'll try it with the built-in down and post the result.



My cable was only a few weeks old and barely used, cant remember what brand it was but it wasn't cheap.


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## Mach0

KmH said:


> Ditch the cable and AS-15, put the SB-700 in SU-4 mode, and trigger the off camera SB-700 with the flash of light from the D5100's built-in flash unit. Look up SU-4 mode in the SB-700 user's manual Index.



+1 or just buy a set of cheap triggers


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## LenaBambina

The camera is already in manual and closing the built-in flash didn't work, neither did ditching the cable... I'll try KmH's idea now. Fingers crossed that it'll work and I won't have to buy anything extra because somebody sold me a crap cable..


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## astroNikon

When I bought my first flash, which was ironically the SB-700
I triggered it with the flash from my camera, a D7000.  It was fairly simple.  Just move the on switch to on, then depress the middle button and move the selection ring one more step up.

But the D7000 has a commander mode and all that which the D5100 doesn' t seem to have.


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## LenaBambina

Triggering it wirelessly worked! Not sure how because I was told elsewhere that the D5100 can't do that, but apparently it can.. Such a relief to have this worked out. Thanks everyone!

edit @astroNikon: Yeah, the D5100 isn't supposed to have commander flash so I'm baffled as to how this actually worked, but.. it did.


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## cgipson1

With the cable you don't need SU4 mode.... that is for optical flash activation.... and the cable might be getting in the way of that.

Also check the orientation of the cable in the hotshot... that doesn't look right...


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## LenaBambina

How should the orientation be, in case I end up having to use the cable at some point? I just put it on the first way that seemed to fit.


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## cgipson1

Page 77 in the nikon users manual shows that the 5100 can only shoot in Commander mode if a Commander capable flash / SU800 is in the hotshoe... so if the flash went off, it was because you still had it in SU-4 mode, and popped the pop-up flash.  Commander mode doesn't require SU4 mode  on the flash either.. just remote mode.

http://www.nikonusa.com/pdf/manuals/dslr/D5100_EN.pdf

Try the cable without the flash being in SU4 mode... just standard TTL or manual


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## cgipson1

LenaBambina said:


> How should the orientation be, in case I end up having to use the cable at some point? I just put it on the first way that seemed to fit.



I am looking at the top of the hotshoe cable.. it looks like the plastic goes all the way up? Or is that just the photo? can you slide a flash into that from the rear?


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## LenaBambina

Oh my. Looks like I did have it on backwards, good catch. The wireless setup seems to be working, but I'll try your setup as well. If the cable is connected then the built-in flash needs to be down, right?


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## cgipson1

LenaBambina said:


> Oh my. Looks like I did have it on backwards, good catch. The wireless setup seems to be working, but I'll try your setup as well. If the cable is connected then the built-in flash needs to be down, right?



I don't know.... Never tried to use the pop-up flash and a cable at the same time.


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## LenaBambina

Using the cable, built-in flash down with the speedlight on ttl worked for the first shot but now won't work on any setting including ttl, so maybe the cable is the problem.. maybe I had it in that one position that a bad cable can work in and then moved it the slightest bit afterward.

I'm going to play with the settings now that you've all given me a place to start. Will keep checking back on the thread in case anyone has more ideas.


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