Nikon sb800 wireless problem

[Steveo]

hello all am really hoping some one can help me on this as its scaring me abit, any way i have been trying to use my sb800 via the remote on some of my macro works and the flash is not firing of, the channels and groups are the same on both the flash and d80, but still not luck i have not done it in awhile but i no the sb800 has done it before, any ideas :shrug:

 

[Yv]

Does it give any error beeps when you try to trigger remotely? [assuming the 800 is like the 600 in thi srespect] - and also, ganny and eggs time, has it got fully charged batteries?

 

[Steveo]

the batteries are the only thing i can think of as am getting no error messages

 

[Hacker]

Is the sensor on the flash pointing towards the camera? If the flash is very close it might not be picking up the signal which should be line of sight, this wouldn't be a problem if slightly further away due to the 'spread' of the signal (hope that makes sense!).

 

[Steveo]

freshly charged battery's on the d80 and sb800 both set to channel 4 and group a tried in both master and remote and still nothing what am i missing here, have also tried the other channels and still nothing

 

[Yv]

dunno, almost a total newbie to this myself and using a D300 with an SB600, but pressume set up is similar. I take it the on board is firing ok?

 

[Steveo]

dunno, almost a total newbie to this myself and using a D300 with an SB600, but pressume set up is similar. I take it the on board is firing ok?

onboard is firing fine and when the sb800 is attached to the camera they work fine together its only when they are seperate that it happens

 

[Barlines]

If you havent already done it, you could try resetting it and see if it suddenly decides it wants to play ball - Press the Mode and power buttons at the same time and hold for approx. 2 sec. to reset all settings.

 

[Yv]

I agree with barlines, try a reset just to make sure it hasnt got its circuits all of a dither. DOnt forget to set the right group/channel in camera menu again afterwards, 3 and A is default IIRC.

Another thing, that means nothing to me, but might help someone more knowledgeable diagnose the issue - does the red light inside the receiver on the flash light up?

 

[Steveo]

reset both the camera and flash and still no go so am lost i think the sb800 could be bust but am not sure :shrug:

does the red light inside the receiver on the flash light up?

not sure on this one :bang:

 

[Barlines]

Will the SB800 fire as a dumb off-camera optical slave flash still rather than using CLS?

 

[Steveo]

Will the SB800 fire as a dumb off-camera optical slave flash still rather than using CLS?

sorry but what

 

[Barlines]

Sb800 can work one of two ways - you can use it as a simple optical dumb flash in that it will fire when it sees another flash go off

OR

its can also do Nikons CLS system where you can adjust the output of the flash from the camera.

It maybe you are doing a bit of both which is why it isnt working.

 

[Barlines]

when you do CLS you should actually see a VERY short series of flashes from the camera rather than just one

 

[Steveo]

uumm not sure now how can i tell if am doing a bit of both

 

[Barlines]

on the flash

if you press and hold sel
and go to the menu that says

off
master
master(rpt)
remote
SU-4

Using CLS you would set that to REMOTE
Using it as a optical flash you would set it to SU-4

 

[Steveo]

right it works in SU-4 but still not CLS ie remote :shrug:

 

[Barlines]

ok so it works of sorts

Bad news is it doesnt actually use the same receptor on the flash - SU-4 uses the hole on the left of the red perspex on the front.

CLS uses the round window next to the battery door.

When you set to use CLS on the camera, make sure that its THAT window that is presented to the flash.

I don't have a D80 so I don't know the settings on the camera.

I've just loaded a set of nearly duff batteries in my flash and its worked via CLS so maybe batteries dont enter into it at all.

All I can suggest is make sure you have the flash set to remote-the settings match the camera and that the flash window can see the flash from the camera - does the flash look like a short burt or just one flash?

 

[Baldieheidit]

Oh god I'm intruiged, what's happening Steveo??? Fixed yet?

 

[Steveo]

nope not yet having to wait mid month before i can go in to the bigger town next to me, there is a dedicated camera shop were i can hopefully get them to test it for me, as its either the sensor on the sb800 or d80 thats gone belly up :bang: will have to keep it either way as the flash still works on the camera and i cant afford another one :thumbsdown: