# How do I remote Flash my SB-800



## rangek (Jun 24, 2007)

Well, I have my new equipment in:

D80
Sigma 10-20mm
SB-800
Stand & umbrella

And I wanted to mount the sb-800 on the stand and have my D80 remotely fire it, but i can figure out how to do it....I am a complete NOOB, so i really cant figure out the manuals....

Can anyone put this into laymans terms for me......what modes & settings do i need to go into.....the flash works fine when mounted on the shoe...


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## rmh159 (Jun 24, 2007)

I can't give you a step by step but if you hold in the Select button on the SB-800 you'll get another set of menus.  The remote menu is in there.  Sort of hard to find but once you realize how to pull up that sub-menu the rest should be self explanatory.


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## JIP (Jun 24, 2007)

It is a little too extensive to get into here but if you look in you instruction manual under "Commandermode" you will find all the info you need.


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## rangek (Jun 24, 2007)

i saw the commander mode in the sb-800 manual, but it looked like it was to use the sb-800 flash to fire other flashes.................

and i didnt see anything in the d80 manual.....


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## Garbz (Jun 24, 2007)

Nope wrong idea. The SB-800 should be set to remote mode. Holding the select button to bring the menu will allow you to set that. The Camera needs to be set in commander mode. This should be set in the custom setting menu for flash. e5? Or somewhere there. Should be "inbuilt flash firing mode" or something like that. It will give you the option of manual TTL or Commander.

Then it's just making sure that the flash is on the right channel and group, and ensuring that the IR sensor on the flash is visible from the camera.

You can fire the SB-800 from non-CLS cameras too by setting it to SU-4 rather than remote. In this setting it'll respond to any flash.


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## Bayko (Jun 25, 2007)

I'd recommend some Pocketwizards, Yes they're expensive, but much more reliable than the optical slave built into the SB-800. I guess if you don't want to pay all the money for Pocketwizards, you could always pick up a set of ebay slaves. Nowhere near reliable as Pocketwizards but better than the optical.


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## JIP (Jun 25, 2007)

Bayko said:


> I'd recommend some Pocketwizards, Yes they're expensive, but much more reliable than the optical slave built into the SB-800. I guess if you don't want to pay all the money for Pocketwizards, you *could always pick up a set of ebay slaves*. Nowhere near reliable as Pocketwizards but better than the optical.


Or you could just use the internal system in the Nikon flash and camera.  I don't understand why you would go out and buy something when it is already installed in the camera.  Yeah mabye i can see the Pocketwizards but barring that why go to some cheap EBAY unit when it is already there.


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## rangek (Jun 25, 2007)

Garbz said:


> Nope wrong idea. The SB-800 should be set to remote mode. Holding the select button to bring the menu will allow you to set that. The Camera needs to be set in commander mode. This should be set in the custom setting menu for flash. e5? Or somewhere there. Should be "inbuilt flash firing mode" or something like that. It will give you the option of manual TTL or Commander.
> 
> Then it's just making sure that the flash is on the right channel and group, and ensuring that the IR sensor on the flash is visible from the camera.
> 
> You can fire the SB-800 from non-CLS cameras too by setting it to SU-4 rather than remote. In this setting it'll respond to any flash.


 

Sounds good....i will try this


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## sabbath999 (Jun 25, 2007)

JIP said:


> Or you could just use the internal system in the Nikon flash and camera.  I don't understand why you would go out and buy something when it is already installed in the camera.  Yeah mabye i can see the Pocketwizards but barring that why go to some cheap EBAY unit when it is already there.



JIP do you use the wireless flash systems that are built in? I don't currently have an external flash, but I was thinking about getting one and I am curious what you think of the wireless system Nikon has.


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## rangek (Jun 25, 2007)

Garbz said:


> Nope wrong idea. The SB-800 should be set to remote mode. Holding the select button to bring the menu will allow you to set that. The Camera needs to be set in commander mode. This should be set in the custom setting menu for flash. e5? Or somewhere there. Should be "inbuilt flash firing mode" or something like that. It will give you the option of manual TTL or Commander.
> 
> Then it's just making sure that the flash is on the right channel and group, and ensuring that the IR sensor on the flash is visible from the camera.
> 
> You can fire the SB-800 from non-CLS cameras too by setting it to SU-4 rather than remote. In this setting it'll respond to any flash.


 

OK, works good....

Set flash to "remote"
Set d80 to commander mode, onboard flash to --
set both to channel #1


THANK YOU!


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## Bayko (Jun 25, 2007)

JIP said:


> Or you could just use the internal system in the Nikon flash and camera.  I don't understand why you would go out and buy something when it is already installed in the camera.  Yeah mabye i can see the Pocketwizards but barring that why go to some cheap EBAY unit when it is already there.


Radio > Optical.


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## Garbz (Jun 25, 2007)

Pocketwizards have a great advantage of being able to trigger further, out of sight, through walls and stuff. In an enclosed room I have never had a problem with the SB-800 behind the camera out of direct view from the flash, but in the open you need the flash in front.

The downside? $400 is unjustifiable for anyone who is not a professional, when you can pick up cheap ($30) radio triggers for hotshoes, and sync cords of ebay which do exactly the same. I have seen these used, they rarely missfire, and they are less than 1/4 the size. I recommend these to any canon owners, but as for the Wireless CLS that Nikon has it has so far worked fantastically for everything I've done.

Heck if I can't trigger it wirelessly I'd buy a long sync cord. Still much cheaper than the $400 pocketwizards.


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## Bayko (Jun 25, 2007)

You can buy 3 pocketwizards for $400 if you look around hard enough. If you've ever used them you know that they're worth every penny.


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## DeepSpring (Jun 26, 2007)

I don't know this Nikon built in stuff but I just got sync cords for my canon and after a few shoots I am very happy. Under $30 for the camera adaptor, flash mount, and 15ft cord sync cord.


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