# D5100 and off camera flash use



## tissa

I have D5100 and I just recently bought SB900 flash and was wanting to use it wirelessly off camera. Well little did I know that D5100 doesn't work as a commander and doesn't work as a trigger to trigger my SB900. Not because anything is wrong with my D5100, just coz it simply is not designed to do so. DUH! 
So I thought that I can simply buy a regular flash trigger and a receiver and be happy! Because I am poor and broke after my trip to Miami and buying SB900, I thought I would save on the trigger and get a cheap one from cowboy studio. Here is what I got: 16 Channel Wireless Studio Flash Trigger Receiver RD616   Well the cords on the receiver don't fit my flash (I guess you have figured by now that I am not knowledgeable about camera equipment and technical details), so I can't use this one... My friend who knows a little more about this stuff tells me to either get a hot shoe or get another cord like this FlashZebra.com: 5 Meter (16 Feet) Straight Flash Sync Cord With Mini Plug (Item #0024)

BUT! I just SIMPLY want to use my flash off camera! It really shouldn't be that hard! Why do I have to buy 10 additional things to simply make it work? So my question is is there ONE thing that I can buy that will do the job? Thank you!


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## KmH

The SB-900 has SU-4 mode. When in SU-4 mode the SB-900 can be triggered with the flash of light from the D5100's built-in flash unit. Pages D50 and C22 in the SB-900 user's manual.

However, you would have to set the SB-900 outpower manually.

Cords aren't needed for a 16 channel _*wireless*_ radio triggering system. Put the transmitter on the camera hot shoe, the receiver on the bottom of the SB-900, and make sure the transmitter and receiver are set to the same channel.

In off camera mode using bargain basement radio triggers, most of the bells and whistles you paid a premium for when buying the SB-900 won't be usable.

With radio triggers I usually used thes $85 a copy speedlight - Vivitar 285HV Auto Professional Flash


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## Mach0

Can you swap the pc cord on it?


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## sm4him

I have a D5100 and a Yongnuo YN560 flash which I use off-camera with a Yongnuo RF-603N wireless trigger/receiver set.
As KmH mentioned, I just attach the wireless transmitter to the camera's hot shoe, and the receiver to the flash and it works great.

Yes, I do have to set the flash power manually, but that's really no big deal.  And I don't have to deal with any wires or cables hooked up to anything.


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## Mach0

sm4him said:
			
		

> I have a D5100 and a Yongnuo YN560 flash which I use off-camera with a Yongnuo RF-603N wireless trigger/receiver set.
> As KmH mentioned, I just attach the wireless transmitter to the camera's hot shoe, and the receiver to the flash and it works great.
> 
> Yes, I do have to set the flash power manually, but that's really no big deal.  And I don't have to deal with any wires or cables hooked up to anything.



Unless I am reading wrong, the wireless set up the op is using is meant for monolights or similar since it has the built in mono jack. There isn't a shoe to attach to the flash. 


OP, if you can't swap the mono jack for another cord, I suggest getting a different wireless set up.


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## tissa

My transmitter doesnt attach to the flash because the cords on the receiver do not fit (see the links I provided). 
Mach0 no it doesnt look like i can swap the PC cord on it. 
KmH, thank you for the info about off camera use! I am gonna try to figure out how to do it! That would be great if I did not need ANYTHING at all to trigger SB900 with my D5100


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## Mach0

tissa said:
			
		

> My receiver doesnt attach to the flash because the cords on the receiver do not fit (see the links I provided)
> Mach0 no it doesnt ook like i can swap the PC cord on it.
> KmH, thank you for the info about off camera use! I am gonna try to figure out how to do it! That would be great if I did not need ANYTHING at all to trigger SB900 with my D5100



Just set your on camera flash to manual and as low power as possible unless you want it to contribute to the picture. ( I don't know how you plan on shooting)


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## sm4him

Mach0 said:


> Unless I am reading wrong, the wireless set up the op is using is meant for monolights or similar since it has the built in mono jack. There isn't a shoe to attach to the flash.
> 
> OP, if you can't swap the mono jack for another cord, I suggest getting a different wireless set up.



yeah, I understood that, but my answer wasn't very clear about it. What I was suggesting was purchasing a cheap wireless trigger system like the Yongnuo one I have, that DOES have the capability of attaching to the hot shoe and then you can dispense with the cords.

OP, I *have* also used my built-in flash as the "trigger" for my off-camera flash; it does work, but I just prefer the wireless set up I have.


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## tissa

Mach0 yes I have already figured that I got a wrong thing (my "photographer" friend said they all are the same and I can get any so I got this one and he was wrong)


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## Mach0

sm4him said:
			
		

> yeah, I understood that, but my answer wasn't very clear about it. What I was suggesting was purchasing a cheap wireless trigger system like the Yongnuo one I have, that DOES have the capability of attaching to the hot shoe and then you can dispense with the cords.
> 
> OP, I *have* also used my built-in flash as the "trigger" for my off-camera flash; it does work, but I just prefer the wireless set up I have.



Yes. That's what I have and much easier lol. I actually use the pc cords to fire my sb's.


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## tissa

Mach0 yes I have already figured that I got a wrong thing (my "photographer" friend said they all are the same and I can get any so I got this one and he was wrong)


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## tissa

KmH THANK YOU SOOO MUCH! SU-4 mode worked!!!! I bought the flash used and didn't have the manual and on all forums ppl were saying it wont work with D5100!


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## JeremyDueckPhoto

I use a set of SB800s and an SB700 for portable lights. 

I trigger them with either the TTL commander mode or the Yongnuo RF603 radio triggers. The triggers require manual flash control setting, like the others have posted, but outdoors in sunlight the built-in system just doesn't work 100%. 

You place a trigger on camera, and the receiver on the shoe of the flash (yongnuos can be swapped, the receivers are also transmitters). With these cheap systems the triggers simply send a "fire" signal to the flash and you set it how you want. With this I have no wires and with the $$$ I saved over buying expensive triggers I got anther strobe.


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## abhishek911

I have a question specifically for you. I am planning to buy YN560 and rf 603 and below are my questions:

1) how do i ensure that i am able to fire only the external flash and esnure that the built in does not flash on. Basically i want the yn560 to throw the loght from the side and ensure no front light is given by my built in flash - how do i do that?
2) is theer a way to ensure while i do above - i also change the output / power etc for the YN 560 to be such that it is on full power (outdoors)

i am asking these questions before i buy the above gear as i want to achieve one simple objective: Black background in an outdoor enviornment and i believe for that apart from chaning the settings i also need to ensure i have a side flash but no built in flash. will just buying yn 560 and the rf 603 solve the issue?




sm4him said:


> I have a D5100 and a Yongnuo YN560 flash which I use off-camera with a Yongnuo RF-603N wireless trigger/receiver set.
> As KmH mentioned, I just attach the wireless transmitter to the camera's hot shoe, and the receiver to the flash and it works great.
> 
> Yes, I do have to set the flash power manually, but that's really no big deal. And I don't have to deal with any wires or cables hooked up to anything.


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## KmH

Don't pop up the built-in flash. Just put the RF-603 transmitter on the camera's hot shoe.
When turned on,the YN 560 will fire every time you press the shutter release.

You adjust the YN 560 power output level manually from the back of the YN 560.
http://speedlights.net/2010/07/14/yongnuo-yn-560-speedlite-review/


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## abhishek911

thanks KMH... so its that simple? i dont need to have on my camera the other detailed sesstings of group A, B and making the inbuilt falsh "- -" like in some other cameras?
lastly if i put two flashes one left and right. they would both still fire. Sorry these sound naive questions but before i pull the trigger on the purchase might as well ask questions.


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## astroNikon

If you are going to buy another SB-910 or two can I recommend getting a SU-800 also.
I have one with 2 x SB-800s, a SB-700 & SB-600
and I can control them in 3 groups very easily from the back of the unit.  They are fairly cheap (compared to the flash) on ebay at around $170 used.

This is NIkons ' info on the SU-800 commander (infrared controller)
SU-800 Wireless Speedlight Commander from Nikon

and here is an example the SU-800 with some high end wireless triggers
PocketWizard® - Using your Nikon SU-800 as a Master Controller

This will bring your D5100 to a new level for OCF without using your Built-in popup flash at all
fyi, there are alternatives to the SU-800 from other manufacturers such as PocketWizard, Yongnuo etc
But I LOVE mine


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## abhishek911

which Yongnuo compares to SU800? and is that compatible with d5100



astroNikon said:


> If you are going to buy another SB-910 or two can I recommend getting a SU-800 also.
> I have one with 2 x SB-800s, a SB-700 & SB-600
> and I can control them in 3 groups very easily from the back of the unit. They are fairly cheap (compared to the flash) on ebay at around $170 used.
> 
> This is NIkons ' info on the SU-800 commander (infrared controller)
> SU-800 Wireless Speedlight Commander from Nikon
> 
> and here is an example the SU-800 with some high end wireless triggers
> PocketWizard® - Using your Nikon SU-800 as a Master Controller
> 
> This will bring your D5100 to a new level for OCF without using your Built-in popup flash at all
> fyi, there are alternatives to the SU-800 from other manufacturers such as PocketWizard, Yongnuo etc
> But I LOVE mine


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