i tried searching, but couldn't get "SC-29" to provide any results, no matter how i entered it.
i've LONG wondered about the SC-29 cable- i know what it's supposed to do- use it for off-camera flash, and have either the flash or the camera-end of the cable emit the AF illum light.
I've been wondering though, if you can use it withough a flash, say- just on my D7000 body, to provide AF-illum.
If that is the case, is there some way this cable could be modified to just be the camera-mounted box, no coiled mess hanging off it?
All i want is the AF illuminator, to aid me in using AF in REALLY bad light haha.
It can only work in AF-S mode though for your intended use, and the number of AF points available will have to depend on both the speedlight unit and the lens focal length in use.
ISO1600 wrote:
I am hoping the unit itself could be modified to function like this
That's a wishful thinking. The SC-29 simply facilitates AF-Assist of the attached Speedlight. And different speedlight provides different numbers of AF points at a given FL.
I imagine that somebody with some wiring ability could modify it to simply spit out the same af assist beam any time the street is half pressed... The same way that the built in light would work on the camera.
Yeah it doesn't work. I tried it myself years ago. You see at the bottom of the flash there are two exposed metal contacts. The SC-29 has a little switch on it that raises two metal prongs. That's where the power comes from to light up the unit.
Its basically White light vs Red. Red at night is a bit less annoying/doesn't totally kill night vision.
I personally gave up the idea. But if you're that hardcore into it. Might i suggest the SU-800.
Su800 works but it's large pricey and fragile. A modified sc29 should work as the af light is constant and independent of what kind of flash is attached. The trick would be to simulate the resistance between the proper wires as if a flash is attached.
My multimeter skills aren't that hot nor do I have an extra sc29 to butcher.
Imo it's very possible though.
Edit.
It does.seem to draw around 5-6 volts from the flash when af assist is illuminated. It won't however illuminate without a flash when just provided power.
Anybody know if it's simple absence/presence of the flash that the sc-29 is.looking for or if there's some type of more sophisticated communication going on to allow the af assist to fire?
Sorry but that is funny. Sorry moving along.