How to Use Flash off camera 5200 + SB 700 ??

Hi everybody. This really is an International site eh?

I recently purchased a D5200 having swapped my D90 for the privilege!

As there is no command feature in the 5200 menu settings, how the heck do I use my SB 700 flash off camera? I am sure there is a way, but please help someone.

Only joined this great forum last night. Will put up some pictures soon.

Regards

Patrick
North of England

I think you'll have to buy a remote/radio flash trigger. More mp don't necessarily mean better handling of a camera... I guess you found out.

If you still can (I don't know how long you've had your 5200), you could maybe swap the 5200 for the 7000 since the 7000 has basically the same function buttons and flash commander mode as the D90...

Press the menu button, select remote and set toSU-4.Turn flash on to remote. Set on board flash to manual. Now you can control the flash with on board flash and if you don't want a lot of flash from the on board flash, just lower the strength of the flash..

Marcel said:

If you still can (I don't know how long you've had your 5200), you could maybe swap the 5200 for the 7000 since the 7000 has basically the same function buttons and flash commander mode as the D90...

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What type of lenses do you own? The D90 accepts the older film style lenses so they will autofocus--I don't think the D5200 accepts them although they will work if you focus them manually. However, the D7000 does (yes, I realize your question was about flash, but there are features on the D7000 which are more similar to the D90).

Nikon | Imaging Products | Lens Compatibility - Nikon D5200

I use RF remote triggers. You can get really fancy and expensive and use Alien Bee triggers or do like I did cheaper units I got on Fleabay for about 25% of the price. Since I only use fully manual Sunpak 544 units, I use an external flash meter to determine the correct ratio, but I am sure there are some out there which will allow you to use it in auto if you don't have the ability to measure the flash manually and determine the best ratio, which from my experience should be 20-25% for daylight fill.

seaviews said:

As there is no command feature in the 5200 menu settings, how the heck do I use my SB 700 flash off camera? I am sure there is a way, but please help someone.

Click to expand...

Five possible choices:

1. With what you already have, use SB-700 SU-4 optical slave mode (manual flash). Set D5200 internal flash to manual flash also. Internal flash can also contribute lighting (using two flashes, fill on camera) with a higher power level, or it can just be only a trigger with a very low level. The SB-700 SU-4 mode will trigger in sync with it. Wireless.

2. Buy radio triggers, transmitter on hot shoe, receiver on flash foot. Still Manual flash mode. Wireless.

3. You can use a PC sync cord, if you add PC adapters to both flash and camera. Manual flash mode.

4. Could add a hot shoe extension cord (like Nikon SC-28). This can allow automatic TTL flash, but is typically a very short cord. If more than a couple feet from camera, the coil tension tends to tip over the light stand. Be sure to only use Spot metering mode with a SB-700 on such a hot shoe cord, to prevent different D-lens distance from messing up TTL exposure.

5. Add a Nikon SU-800 to hot shoe, to be a commander. This will also do automatic TTL flash mode. This would make more sense if with a couple of SB-700. Wireless.

Just-Clayton said:

Press the menu button, select remote and set toSU-4.Turn flash on to remote. Set on board flash to manual. Now you can control the flash with on board flash and if you don't want a lot of flash from the on board flash, just lower the strength of the flash..

Click to expand...

This is superbly great info.

I was looking for this exact info to practice for an upcoming shoot

I have a $60 Polaroid manual flash that i have been using to cut my teeth on bounce-tilt-swivel flashes. It has 2 slave modes and works just as mentioned above

Thank you

hark said:

What type of lenses do you own? The D90 accepts the older film style lenses so they will autofocus--I don't think the D5200 accepts them although they will work if you focus them manually. However, the D7000 does (yes, I realize your question was about flash, but there are features on the D7000 which are more similar to the D90).

Nikon | Imaging Products | Lens Compatibility - Nikon D5200

Click to expand...

Thanks Hark

Just looked back on the site and at previous Q and A's and realised that when I asked, and you replied - I did exactly what you suggested. I sold my D5200 and bought the best value replacement I could afford / value for money and I came up with the D7000 which I love to bits. Wow, it is so much better in every way.
And it sorted out the Nikon flash gun problem I had.