External flash problem

karmilli

New member
Please forgive me because I know only how to point and shoot but am trying to learn. I don't know the terminology most of you use. Please help me set my D80 for an external flash. Instead of replacing my dull yellowed flash, I bought an external but cannot for the life of me figure out how to set the camera to use the external rather than the auto flash on the camera. I have looked thru a few threads and I am unable to get this accomplished. Help!? Is there somewhere someone walks you thru this process?
Thank you.
 

Horoscope Fish

Senior Member
Please forgive me because I know only how to point and shoot but am trying to learn. I don't know the terminology most of you use. Please help me set my D80 for an external flash. Instead of replacing my dull yellowed flash, I bought an external but cannot for the life of me figure out how to set the camera to use the external rather than the auto flash on the camera. I have looked thru a few threads and I am unable to get this accomplished. Help!? Is there somewhere someone walks you thru this process?
Thank you.

What external flash did you buy, specifically? This is important for reasons of compatibility between camera and flash.
 

karmilli

New member
I got a Powerextra DF-400. It was cheap and since I don't have a clue what I am doing I didn't want to spend a lot. I don't even know what kind of cord to buy to attach it to the camera. :/ Sorry I am such an idiot. I really do want to learn. Thank you for your help.
 

Horoscope Fish

Senior Member
I got a Powerextra DF-400. It was cheap and since I don't have a clue what I am doing I didn't want to spend a lot. I don't even know what kind of cord to buy to attach it to the camera. :/ Sorry I am such an idiot. I really do want to learn. Thank you for your help.
The DF-400 is designed to work with pretty much any modern digital camera with a hot-shoe and as such it will work on your Nikon D80. Unfortunately using the DF-400 is going to be more complicated than using a flash that is better designed to work with your D80 so... Before we go into a lot of explanation about what you're going to need to do to make the DF-400 work for you let me ask: Is this the road you want to go down, or can you return the flash you have and get something else? We can recommend some flashes that will make your life significantly easier but it's going to cost you more. The least expensive option I can come up with would set you back about $100.
 

karmilli

New member
I would like to try the hard way first as my funds are very limited at this time. If I really cannot make it work then I will have to go to a different route. :) I sure do appreciate your help. Will I need a cord?
 

Horoscope Fish

Senior Member
I would like to try the hard way first as my funds are very limited at this time. If I really cannot make it work then I will have to go to a different route. :) I sure do appreciate your help. Will I need a cord?

You shouldn't need a cord. The flash attaches to the hot-shoe on top of the camera like you see in the picture below.

Once your flash is mounted I'm going to refer you this article, Flash Photography Settings for Beginners, which will give some suggested settings and walk you through using on-camera flash.

flash.jpg
 
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LouCioccio

Senior Member
karmilli,
If your browser has reader view like EDGE instructions at the link. If you have a Mac and use Safari next to the url that Paul provided will make viewing a pleasure. In fact you may be able to print as a PDF (on a Mac) and on windows it may be different. This has always helped me. It make reading easy. If that flash has instructions there is a formula that you can use to get the Aperture with whatever ISO you are using and distance from flash to subject. Thats how I learned BEF (Before Electronic Flash) we used flash bulbs back then.
Always post questions and images there are plenty of helpers on this forum and remember we all started like YOU!

Lou Cioccio
 

karmilli

New member
I must just be too stupid because no matter what I do with the settings the auto flash still opens to flash even with it disabled and with the external attached. I guess I just have to return the external. I don't know what else to do. Thank you all for your help though.
 

LouCioccio

Senior Member
This is disabled in the camera menu? Which model camera maybe we can help. If it still does you might need to reset the camera.and/or flash the external one. If your using the built in flash as master it does come to flash an infrared signal to the external flas.
Lou Cioccio
 

karmilli

New member
Yes I disabled it in the camera menu. It is a Nikon D80 model. I have reset everything and still cannot get the autoflash disabled. So frustrating.
 

LouCioccio

Senior Member
Instructions
M Mode:
In this mode,you can adjust flash brightness according to your own preference,the speedlight will flash under the camera synchronous signal.


S1 Mode:
In this mode,DF-400 will trigger flash with the main speedlight first flash,the effect is the same as using radio trigger.When using this mode,your main speedlight should be set to manual flash mode,using neither TTL flash system nor red-eye removal function which caused multiple flash.


S2 Mode:
S2 mode is similar to S1 mode and is also known as “preflashing cancel mode”,but it can ignore the preflashing from TTL,so you can use it to support the main speedlight that working in TTL mode.In particular,if S1 mode is unable to synchronously flash with your built-in speedlight,you can try to use S2 mode

Okay straight manual flash very basic. Is this what you have. Are you saying that the flip flash of the D80 goes up when you have the DF400 mounted on the hot shoe. You may have to look in the manual of D80 to turn off the on board flash. You may be able to use the D80 onboard flash in manual power mode. (some one will chime in if I am wrong.) You can use that to also fire the the DF400 in S1 mode. You may have to test the power modes of the D80 to be low as not to affect the light to subject from your camera but the DF400 will light the subject.
Basic math Guide Number(33 at ISO 100) = [Flash to Subject Distance] x [F-Stop] so lets say you want shoot at an aperture F/4 you could use 33/4 = 8.25 feet

Hope this helps.

Lou Cioccio
 

Horoscope Fish

Senior Member
Yes I disabled it in the camera menu. It is a Nikon D80 model. I have reset everything and still cannot get the autoflash disabled. So frustrating.
Try this... It's the only other thing I can come up with:

Press the Flash/Flash Compensation button on the camera body and rotate the command wheel until you get the little No Flash symbol displaying in the top LCD.
 
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