Can someone help me set up my SB-800 to be triggered remotely with my D7000?

FlorioPhoto

New member
I've been trying to do this but am having no such luck. I believe I have it correct on the camera's menu, but it's not firing off the flash. I was going to buy PocketWizards to do this but thought I'd hold off on buying those if I can fire off my two SB-800's from the camera itself. Any help is greatly appreciated. Thanks.
​- Nick
 

WayneF

Senior Member
I've been trying to do this but am having no such luck. I believe I have it correct on the camera's menu, but it's not firing off the flash. I was going to buy PocketWizards to do this but thought I'd hold off on buying those if I can fire off my two SB-800's from the camera itself. Any help is greatly appreciated. Thanks.
​- Nick

There are two methods.

1. Using camera Commander and flash Remote mode (which can be TTL mode).
2. Using camera manual flash to trigger flash SU-4 mode (Manual flash only)

I assume you are speaking of 1, Commander mode.

Flash - SB-800. Manual is not the most clear, but it is page 79. Hold the center SEL button down two seconds to get the menu. It is the menu shown on page 69, select the second one, which says Wireless Flash mode. Select REMOTE there. Then hold SEL two seconds again (or quicker, just tap the Power button) to get to its menu, and specify a group (surely A in one flash, and B in the other) and a channel (1 is as good as any, for both). Page 79. These are the only settings on the REMOTE flash, the rest is in the camera Commander menu. The sensor on the side of flash (by battery door) ought to aim towards the camera (the head rotates on the body for the head to aim at the scene).

Camera menu E3 selects Commander mode. Then the commander menu controls the flash by group (one is A and one is B) and their flash mode (probably both TTL). Group and Channel are arbitrary choices, but the flash and the commander must agree with each other.

Important: One flash is Group A and one flash is Group B, to be individually metered and controlled. All units must be same channel, but any channel.

There is also a group for the internal flash. If you want the internal flash to contribute to the picture, select its group mode to be TTL. If you want it to only be a trigger, and not otherwise contribute lighting to the pictures, select its group to be "- -" (off). It will still flash commands, but won't contribute. You probably want it Off.

Using the Nikon CLS Remote Wireless Flash System has more which may be of interest, esp for two flashes.


If interested in SU-4 mode, it is manual flash mode only (not TTL). Select SU-4 mode in that same flash menu. Tap the Power button to get its menu, and select Manual, and set power level in flash. In the camera E3 mode, select MANUAL flash, and set its power level as desired, which can be quite low if you don't want it to contribute more than the trigger.
 
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LensWork

Senior Member
One error that I see quite often is that when setting-up the Commander function for the built-in flash, many neglect to press the OK button to actually apply the settings.
 

FlorioPhoto

New member
Thank You Wayne for the detailed reply. It was helpful and I got the flash unit to fire off. I didn't mention in my initial post, but I have two SB-800's. I figured if I was told how to fire one off then I would get the other to do so no problem. So it was holding the SEL button down on the flash and that got it going for me. I would like to turn off the on-camera flash and not have that contribute any light, so thanks for going over that as well. All info provided was very helpful. Thanks again.

​Nick
 
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