HELP! Elinchrom BX400, Nikon DSLR, SB-900

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Archive 2008 · HELP! Elinchrom BX400, Nikon DSLR, SB-900

kativstudio
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p.1 #1 · HELP! Elinchrom BX400, Nikon DSLR, SB-900

Hi all.

I recently purchased 2 of Elinchrom BX400 strobes and I do have 2 SB-900 units before that. Originally what I wanted to do was to use two strobes on the subject and one of SB-900 on camera(D700) as Master, and the other SB-900 as Slave hitting white background behind the subject. The BX400 units have optical light sensor so that it fires when there's other flash going off.

I set the SB-900 master to lowest power setting and Slave unit to FULL power. When I test shoot with this setting, everything fires at once, but the image doesn't seem to register lights from BX400 strobes. I only see background lit with subject really dark. I cranked up the BX400 to full power, but nothing changes in image lighting. So I think the BX400 is registering later than SB-900 lights

Do I need to use Skyport units instead? Or settings in the camera

I have no idea at this point. Any suggestions from pros and experts in this field?

Thanks!!

Nov 23, 2008 at 07:14 AM

turnert
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p.1 #2 · HELP! Elinchrom BX400, Nikon DSLR, SB-900

The Elinchrom lights are firing on the pre-flash signal from the speedlight.

Set the speedlights to a manual output setting so that they fire only once (no iTTL pre-flashes) and sync with your 400BXs.

Or, use the 400BXs to fire the speedlights. To do this, set the speedlights to SU-4 mode.

~Ted

Nov 23, 2008 at 07:56 AM

Gregg Heckler
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p.1 #3 · HELP! Elinchrom BX400, Nikon DSLR, SB-900

Ted has the right answer, but to go a little further. Studio lighting is a manual operation except for systems like the Elinchrom RX. You cannot use features like Nikon's CLS in combination with a studio strobe. You will need to use your SB-900's in SU-4 mode. You could use them as a key light but I find they are better used as background, hair, etc. lights. You will have to adjust the exposxure output manually.

Nov 23, 2008 at 04:35 PM

kativstudio
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p.1 #4 · HELP! Elinchrom BX400, Nikon DSLR, SB-900

Thanks so much for reply.
I'll try that for sure. I didn't know speedlights pre-flashes. Everything happens so fast, you know. ^_^

I'm not sure about SU-4 mode you are talking about though. How would I set it up?

Nov 23, 2008 at 04:39 PM

Gregg Heckler
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p.1 #5 · HELP! Elinchrom BX400, Nikon DSLR, SB-900

If you hold the center button the the SB-900 down a couple of seconds that will take you into the menu. Choose the wireless option (check your manual). You can then choose from several options like Remote, Commander, Manual, SU-4, etc. Choose SU-4. This will allow you to operate your SB-900 completely manual and trigger it from the light it sees from your Elinchrom's. Basically it's the same as having a built in slave (which it is) like the ones in your BX-400's. You will need to meter or guess the expossure ouput just as you would the studio strobes.

Nov 23, 2008 at 10:09 PM

danceswithfrog
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p.1 #6 · HELP! Elinchrom BX400, Nikon DSLR, SB-900

on a side note: the brand new elinchrom 250 & 500 BX Ri flashes can be programmed to ignore one, two or more pre flashes - automatically recognizing that even.

Nov 23, 2008 at 10:51 PM

kativstudio
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p.1 #7 · HELP! Elinchrom BX400, Nikon DSLR, SB-900

Gregg Heckler wrote:
If you hold the center button the the SB-900 down a couple of seconds that will take you into the menu. Choose the wireless option (check your manual). You can then choose from several options like Remote, Commander, Manual, SU-4, etc. Choose SU-4. This will allow you to operate your SB-900 completely manual and trigger it from the light it sees from your Elinchrom's. Basically it's the same as having a built in slave (which it is) like the ones in your BX-400's. You will need to meter or guess the expossure ouput just as you would the studio strobes.

It's been a long day and I didn't have time to read this reply. I wish I did. Setting the SB900 in manual mode didn't do the trick at the shoot, so I just used 400BXs for today, but I just did what you said, and yes, there is SU-4 option. (Now, this is why it's so important to read manual. ^_^) I'll test this setup tomorrow. Hope it works.

Thanks again!!

Nov 24, 2008 at 04:55 AM

kativstudio
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p.1 #8 · HELP! Elinchrom BX400, Nikon DSLR, SB-900

danceswithfrog wrote:
on a side note: the brand new elinchrom 250 & 500 BX Ri flashes can be programmed to ignore one, two or more pre flashes - automatically recognizing that even.

I'm too late for that now. I wasn't aware of those models then. But thanks for the info.

Nov 24, 2008 at 04:56 AM

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