# SB-910, Nikon D750 + Studio Slaves - HELP!



## Eagles Beachwear

I am trying to use my SB-910, Nikon D750 & two studio lights on slave mode. I want just the studio lights to flash and not the SB-910. I have tried a couple different settings and can't seem to get the right combo! So I kind of just want the SB-910 to be the commander. Thanks


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## Designer

I think it has to flash to signal the strobes.  Turn the power down to just where it no longer triggers the slaves, then adjust it a bit upwards so it will once again trigger the slaves.  Now you've got it at the lowest power that it will still trigger the slaves.  If you can place a reflector between the SB-910 and your subject, and still trigger the slaves, that is about the best I can come up with. Try an experiment to see if you can still trigger the slaves when you turn the flash head up or back.  

Can you afford to buy a set of RF transceivers?  Then you trigger the strobes with your triggers, not the Speedlight.

Or you can obtain a long PC cord to trigger just one strobe which will trigger the other one.


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## tirediron

Then you're going to need different triggers.  The SB910 can only act as a "Commander" for Nikon speedlights which have the Nikon Creative Lighting System (CLS) incorporated into them.  This is not a feature found on studio lights.


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## Eagles Beachwear

Thanks guys, How do I turn the flash down to its lowest power? I am still confused on what settings everything should be set at too... I can't seem to find an adaptor in stores either... I need this for tomorrow, trying to test today. There is a sync cord with the light set up, but I do not have a port for it on the camera


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## Designer

You can purchase a device that fits on the hotshot and has a PC connection for a PC cord, but why not invest in a set of Pocket Wizards?  I really like mine, and that's what I would use.  

I'm not sure if you can turn down the power on the SB-910 to where it wouldn't affect the photo and still fire the strobes, but if you want to try, it, go into the menu on the SB-910 and select "manual" and then you can turn down the power level (turn the wheel).  I think it goes to 1/125 of full power, if I remember.  

Can you get a couple of Pocket Wizards today?  That would be the best fix in the long run because you'll use them all the time.


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## astroNikon

on the 910 there a little rubber cover over the PC-sync port if you want to use that.

you can get an adapter such as an Nikon SC-15 (this is what I use but on a handheld bracket for roving around with a higher flash) that does the same thing without being a flash.  Or the SB-800 which is another commander but not a flash (but don't need because of the strobes).

Or on nikon d700 (not d750), d8x0 and higher cameras they have a built in PC-sync port so you don't need anything extra.

you're not going to do TTL .. you'll have to set the strobes manually.  The PCSync port is just going to tell the strobes when to flash.

"I need this for tomorrow, trying to test today." ==> last minute testing ?


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## Eagles Beachwear

where would i get pocket wizards?


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## astroNikon

Eagles Beachwear said:


> where would i get pocket wizards?


since you need it today, the local camera store.
You may need a cable adapter from the PW (pocketwizard) to your strobe.


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## Eagles Beachwear

last minute model scheduled! I was trying to just figure out for my product photography, then the model said she could come tomorrow!


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## Designer

astroNikon said:


> You may need a cable adapter from the PW (pocketwizard) to your strobe.


The adapters are included when you purchase new Pocket Wizards.  I have the Plus III's and they came with the adapters.  All it is is a short cable that connects the PW to the strobe, but it should be included.  The PW is lightweight, so it can just hang on the cord.


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## Eagles Beachwear

thanks!! i don't have any camera stores near me  not that I can find on the map!


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## Designer

Eagles Beachwear said:


> where would i get pocket wizards?


Got any photography stores nearby?

Or if you're bucks up, get them overnighted.


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## Eagles Beachwear

Designer said:


> Eagles Beachwear said:
> 
> 
> 
> where would i get pocket wizards?
> 
> 
> 
> Got any photography stores nearby?
Click to expand...

 no !!! not that i can find on the map I am in the myrtle beach area


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## Designer

Get them online and get overnight delivery.


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## Designer

BTW: did you try that idea of turning the speedlight down low to see if it worked?  Put up an opaque card between the speedlight and your subject and let enough light spill around to fire the strobes in slave mode.  Something like a piece of cardboard or a clipboard on a light stand a few inches in front of the speedlight, making sure the strobe detectors can get the flash.


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## Eagles Beachwear

thanks i don't know if i can get the money for that! yes i tried it, i think thats going to have to work!


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## Eagles Beachwear

the problem is i am not sure if i am doing it right in my settings, ill show you a picture


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## Derrel

I would set the SB-910 to *Manual* flash power control, not Commander mode; Commander mode would be for triggering OTHER, _Nikon-protocol_ flash units using the SB-910 as...the "command-sending device". 

I am assuming you want to use the on-camera SB-910 to trigger multiple, off-camera studio flash units, like monolights, or other studiuo flash units which have flash-sensing slave triggers, so, turn the optical slave control switch to ON, on the remote flash units, and then fire the camera with the SB-910 set to a lowish flash output level in MANUAL mode.

MANUAL flash mode on the SB-910 will eliminate ANY kind of pre-flash, so even the dumbest, lowest-tech optical slave triggers will reliably time up (synchronize) the shutter and the flash bursts. In TTL type flash control modes, the pre-flash unit the flash emits will NOT synchronize with "dumb" slaves, but only advances slaves which are specially designed so as to ignore pre-flash emission. Depending on the room/distance/position of the satellite flashes, as little as 1/64 power on the SB-910 might be enough power to trigger a remote flash unit. In some cases, you might need to go as high as 1/8 power.

You can aim the SB-910's flash head in multiple directions, to avoid it contributing much, if at all, the the lighting or exposure that is made by the satellite flash units. A tinfoil diverter, a cardboard diverter, or simply aiming the flash upward, or bouncing it off to one side of the room, all of those tricks can work to allow a low-power speedlight burst to trigger remote, satellite flash units operating on optical slave triggers. Once the MAIN monolight fires, its burst will easily trigger other satellite units: *you only need to get light from the SB-910 to strike **one** powerful satellite flash's optical slave cell*, and that one unit's output will in turn, trigger multiple others.


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## Eagles Beachwear

i think i got it! you mean just changing the camera mode to manual right?


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## astroNikon

Eagles Beachwear said:


> i think i got it! you mean just changing the camera mode to manual right?


The FLASHes mode to MANUAL
so then you can set it to the lowest flash output such as 1/128 to minimize any light from the flash hitting the model.

see your 2nd picture .. set it to M% Manual
instead of CMD Commander Mode


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## Derrel

smoke665 said:


> If I were to use a 2x convertor with my 50 mm prime lens. Would there be any issues or adjustmental I should be aware of?





Eagles Beachwear said:


> i think i got it! you mean just changing the camera mode to manual right?





astroNikon said:


> Eagles Beachwear said:
> 
> 
> 
> i think i got it! you mean just changing the camera mode to manual right?
> 
> 
> 
> The FLASHes mode to MANUAL
> so then you can set it to the lowest flash output such as 1/128 to minimize any light from the flash hitting the model.
> 
> see your 2nd picture .. set it to M% Manual
> instead of CMD Commander Mode
Click to expand...


First off, whenever shooting flash photos in-studio or on-location, for the past 35 years, I have ALWAYS set the camera to Manual exposure mode. I then pick the shutter speed, manually, and set that speed (usually 1/125, or 1/160, but sometimes 1/180 or 1/200 or 1/250) by hand, on the camera. I then choose the f/stop needed for the depth of field required: I shoot most flash shots at f/8. But sometimes f/9.5, or f/10, or f/11, or even f/13 or f/16, and occasionally as small an aperture as f/22 to f/32.

Shooting flash images is most-easily done with the camera in M mode. This is the traditional, best-practice way to shoot studio flash images, with the camera in Manual exposure control mode, and the proper shutter speed set for the conditions and the camera one is using.

For using a camera-connected flash to trigger OTHER flash units via optical slaves, it is best to set the flash unit's power-regulation system to MANUAL mode as well: not TTL, not Repeating, not Commander mode--but to Manual flash power control mode on the flash. This is how this is done by 99.9% of established photographers.


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## Designer

Eagles Beachwear said:


> the problem is i am not sure if i am doing it right in my settings, ill show you a picture


The flash is down to 1/4 power, and it will go lower, down to 1/128. 

Forget "commander mode" on the camera. 

The camera can be set to any mode that will fire the flash, but "commander" mode is just for multiple Nikon Speedlights. Go into the camera menu to turn on the flash. 

All you want is for the Speedlight to flash on low power and so one of your strobes can "see" it.  The other strobe will fire at the same time, presuming you will set them both to slave mode.


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## Eagles Beachwear

thanks, that smoke665 was no my comment! haha so just put the camera menu back to regular?


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## Designer

Eagles Beachwear said:


> .. so just put the camera menu back to regular?


Yes.  Just not "commander".


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## gckless

How exactly are the remote flashes triggered? If they're IR, then you can use the pop-up flash. Nikon sells a little flash blocker that lets the IR still transmit: SG-31R IR Panel for Built-In Flash from Nikon

Then you have another flash to put out there as well. The SB-910 is pretty expensive to use only as a trigger IMO. If they're optical you can't do it that way, but still might be worth getting a cheaper flash to use as a trigger.

Just another option, if Pocket Wizards are too expensive for your budget, I've used Yongnuo stuff for a little while, specifically the 560-TX controller and 560-IV speedlights, and haven't had any issues. Well, that's if you get good copies of the Yongnuo stuff, they have QC issues. I did have to return one flash. But if you get a good copy from the get-go, they seem pretty reliable.


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## fmw

If you don't want the Nikon speedlight to fire, then don't use it.  Synch one of the monolights to your camera and put the other one in slave mode.


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