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SB800 Not enough light
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<blockquote data-quote="WayneF" data-source="post: 479889" data-attributes="member: 12496"><p>Welcome to the forum.</p><p></p><p>It all depends of course. To have a clue here, what is your flash zoom and its distance to the subject? Is it direct flash? Is the Ready LED flashing immediately after the shot?</p><p></p><p>Or is it bounce? (I know it cannot be, not stopped down so far to f/16, so we can rule that out.)</p><p>TTL or manual flash? f/16 1/80 second ISO 200 is not brightest sun, we can rule that out.</p><p>Some description of your situation could only help to understand. Otherwise, no clue here.</p><p></p><p>SB-800 is powerful, but it has finite capability. <img src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" class="smilie smilie--sprite smilie--sprite1" alt=":)" title="Smile :)" loading="lazy" data-shortname=":)" /> Is it macro? In an umbrella? Stopping down to f/16 is a pretty strong demand on its power capability if at much distance. f/16 requires 4 times more flash power than f/8, or 16 times more power than f/4. We tend to use f/4 a lot for speedlights. <img src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" class="smilie smilie--sprite smilie--sprite1" alt=":)" title="Smile :)" loading="lazy" data-shortname=":)" /> Saying, some situations need a larger studio flash unit (which won't be TTL).</p><p>So try f/8 or f/4 once, not as a final solution, but just as a test to see it the power level helps the exposure of your case? That result would be clear.</p><p></p><p>What a SB-800 ought to do:</p><p></p><p>Assuming 50mm flash zoom (to have a number), bare (no diffuser) direct flash full power Guide Number is 144 (feet). Times 1.414 for ISO 200 is GN 203. So at f/16, the maximum direct flash range expected is 203/16 = 12.7 feet (at 50 mm zoom). Or more likely, 24 mm flash zoom is GN 98 x 1.414/16 = 8.6 feet maximum distance range. Greater distance is not a reasonable request for those f/16 conditions. </p><p></p><p>A white or light colored high reflectance subject usually needs significantly more than metered (comes out dark, normal metering limitations). </p><p></p><p>For hot shoe bounce flash, my SB-800 works if STANDING under at a ten foot ceiling at ISO 400 up to about f/7 (maximum). f/16 is of course out of the question. I usually stay about f/5 to have some flexibility, for ceilings and subject and distance and stuff, and faster recycle.</p><p></p><p>If Exposure Compensation or Flash Compensation (on camera body, or on the flash body) are not Zero EV, then that affects what the TTL flash is instructed to do.</p><p></p><p>The Ready light flashes (about three times fast) immediately after the (Nikon flash) TTL shot any time its maximum power level is reached, when at the limits of what it can do, warning of probable underexposure. Does it? The flash LCD will tell you how much underexposure then. In which case, open the aperture, reduce the subject distance, or increase the ISO, to allow it to work. I am not familiar with the TT5, but that is how TTL works, can't be much different. If Manual flash mode, then of course it is you that determines the power requirements.</p><p></p><p>TTL BL metering mode probably gives less exposure than TTL mode. Good for fill in bright sun, but indoors, TTL mode is better. Since there is no TT5 feedback back to the camera, metering must be at the cameras default of TTL BL (unless Spot metering). Exif will show it.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="WayneF, post: 479889, member: 12496"] Welcome to the forum. It all depends of course. To have a clue here, what is your flash zoom and its distance to the subject? Is it direct flash? Is the Ready LED flashing immediately after the shot? Or is it bounce? (I know it cannot be, not stopped down so far to f/16, so we can rule that out.) TTL or manual flash? f/16 1/80 second ISO 200 is not brightest sun, we can rule that out. Some description of your situation could only help to understand. Otherwise, no clue here. SB-800 is powerful, but it has finite capability. :) Is it macro? In an umbrella? Stopping down to f/16 is a pretty strong demand on its power capability if at much distance. f/16 requires 4 times more flash power than f/8, or 16 times more power than f/4. We tend to use f/4 a lot for speedlights. :) Saying, some situations need a larger studio flash unit (which won't be TTL). So try f/8 or f/4 once, not as a final solution, but just as a test to see it the power level helps the exposure of your case? That result would be clear. What a SB-800 ought to do: Assuming 50mm flash zoom (to have a number), bare (no diffuser) direct flash full power Guide Number is 144 (feet). Times 1.414 for ISO 200 is GN 203. So at f/16, the maximum direct flash range expected is 203/16 = 12.7 feet (at 50 mm zoom). Or more likely, 24 mm flash zoom is GN 98 x 1.414/16 = 8.6 feet maximum distance range. Greater distance is not a reasonable request for those f/16 conditions. A white or light colored high reflectance subject usually needs significantly more than metered (comes out dark, normal metering limitations). For hot shoe bounce flash, my SB-800 works if STANDING under at a ten foot ceiling at ISO 400 up to about f/7 (maximum). f/16 is of course out of the question. I usually stay about f/5 to have some flexibility, for ceilings and subject and distance and stuff, and faster recycle. If Exposure Compensation or Flash Compensation (on camera body, or on the flash body) are not Zero EV, then that affects what the TTL flash is instructed to do. The Ready light flashes (about three times fast) immediately after the (Nikon flash) TTL shot any time its maximum power level is reached, when at the limits of what it can do, warning of probable underexposure. Does it? The flash LCD will tell you how much underexposure then. In which case, open the aperture, reduce the subject distance, or increase the ISO, to allow it to work. I am not familiar with the TT5, but that is how TTL works, can't be much different. If Manual flash mode, then of course it is you that determines the power requirements. TTL BL metering mode probably gives less exposure than TTL mode. Good for fill in bright sun, but indoors, TTL mode is better. Since there is no TT5 feedback back to the camera, metering must be at the cameras default of TTL BL (unless Spot metering). Exif will show it. [/QUOTE]
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