A couple from today. Comments welcome.

[Diego Garcia]

Hi all,

Popped out to try a bit of portrait with the D300 and the SB800 triggered wirelessly. I enjoyed it, but its tough work til you crack it, which I am yet to do. I ended up shooting in P mode as this gave me the best exposure for the background, allowing the late sun to peek through the trees. Using the 18-200 VR, I set the SB800 to manual in the 300 body and shot it at manual flash output -64 and -128 which I think means a reduction in light output. Ideally a second flash or reflector would have been good but overall, please with the images. Printed them out earlier, they look great...I do like they way it has brought everything to life.

I have some questions. 1. The SB800 seems hit and miss when triggered by the body. Is this the case and 2. Am I doing the right thing regards to flash output. Is it simply a case of trial and error?

Comments welcome, all advice recd, as you may be aware I am literally starting from scratch with Nikon.

 

[HIMUPNORTH]

It is rare that I can tell you anything new Pete but here I think I can help.

When photographing the mountain bikers and use remote flash I virtually always use manual settings. I work out my settings thus:

I first need to decide on the flash output. If bright or I cannot get the flash close enough it needs to be higher (1/8 or 1/4) but if dull or in trees I can use 1/16th or 1/32nd and enjoy faster recycle times and less wear on the batteries.

I then set my aperature for this setting (I chimp)

I try to get as close to max synch speed as I can with sports but in portraits it is easier to balance the ambient light by using a slower shutter speed without having to crank the ISO way up.

Each time you change your ISO remember to check your aperature.

Does that help?

 

[Diego Garcia]

It is rare that I can tell you anything new Pete but here I think I can help.

When photographing the mountain bikers and use remote flash I virtually always use manual settings. I work out my settings thus:

I first need to decide on the flash output. If bright or I cannot get the flash close enough it needs to be higher (1/8 or 1/4) but if dull or in trees I can use 1/16th or 1/32nd and enjoy faster recycle times and less wear on the batteries.

I then set my aperature for this setting (I chimp)

I try to get as close to max synch speed as I can with sports but in portraits it is easier to balance the ambient light by using a slower shutter speed without having to crank the ISO way up.

Each time you change your ISO remember to check your aperature.

Does that help?

It is going in, slowly. Flash is hard graft to get right...:bang:

 

[zeroeseight]

If you haven't already, try strobist.com, a great site for flash usage in layman terms. I like the first picture better as I prefer the more natural lighting.

 

[Janice]

If the Nikon is anything like the Canon, Pete...and YOU should know!!... P mode with flash will set the shutterspeed to 1/60th. This is ok with a bit of light in the background like you have here, but when dark at a party say, it wont register any background light and you will get that old rabbits in headlights phenomenon.

The shutterspeed controls how much ambient light from the background enters the shot. So a tripod and slower speed than 1/60th will give you a more natural shot if its darker.

 

[Diego Garcia]

If the Nikon is anything like the Canon, Pete...and YOU should know!!... P mode with flash will set the shutterspeed to 1/60th. This is ok with a bit of light in the background like you have here, but when dark at a party say, it wont register any background light and you will get that old rabbits in headlights phenomenon.

The shutterspeed controls how much ambient light from the background enters the shot. So a tripod and slower speed than 1/60th will give you a more natural shot if its darker.

Cheers Janice. Flash is one thing I never really got into a bothered with due to how I was shooting.

Pete.