I know that I can use the pop up flash on my D700 to act as a commander for my remote SB700. That is all well and good, but I would really like to be able to do this using standard sync cables (SC17,28, knockoffs, etc.).
So stupid question. Can I set my SB700 to be a remote flash and control its power levels using my camera with a sync cord?
Thank you for your help. I have been looking but haven't found any hard answers.
huddy wrote:
...I would really like to be able to do this using standard sync cables (SC17,28, knockoffs, etc.). So stupid question. Can I set my SB700 to be a remote flash and control its power levels using my camera with a sync cord?
The SC17 isn't really a "standard sync cable." It's a fully-dedicated off-camera cable. The diference is that a sync cord, AKA a PC cord, only sends a "fire now!" signal to the flash, while an SC17 can send all the iTTL signals, etc. to the flash.
Now, to answer the main question, you don't need to set the SB700 as a remote flash when using a dedicated cable (and in fact that won't work); as far as the camera is concerned, an SC17-mounted Speedlight is still in the hot shoe, and so is just like an on-camera Speedlight.
Prior to my recent acquisition of ETTL-capable radios, I used to use both a standard-length and a long (24-foot) off-camera shoe cord (not at the same time, of course), so that I could get full control of a flash on a stand, in a softbox, etc. from the camera position. It worked great!
Brian, thanks for the reply. I have an SC17 and a Yongnuo 10m SC-28 clone. Both of them work beautifully for iTTL work and such and I used them happily yesterday.
I think my question probably had some ambiguity though. IIf it is possible, how does one set the power levels manually on an SB700 using the camera body when the flash is inside a modifier, on top of a 10' lightstand, etc?
Example: Flash is up in a tree, wired to hot shoe. I realize that 1/4 power isn't enough, but I want to change it to 1/1 using my camera, without having to climb up and change the settings on the back of the flash.
huddy wrote:
...I think my question probably had some ambiguity though. IIf it is possible, how does one set the power levels manually on an SB700 using the camera body when the flash is inside a modifier, on top of a 10' lightstand, etc?
Ah, gotcha. Well, I'm primarily a Canon user, and on my 7D I use the camera's Flash Control Menu and use the submenu for the "External Flash" in non-wireless mode. (That is, not Master and not Slave.)
I'll pull out my D700 manual when I get home and see what I can find for that camera.
Okay, I looked at the manual. It says an SB-400 can be controlled from the camera's e3 menu; maybe an SB-700 will also work. It says:
When an optional SB-400 flash unit is attached
and turned on, Custom Setting e3 changes to Optional flash, allowing the flash control mode
for the SB-400 to be selected from TTL and Manual (Repeating flash and Commander
mode options are not available).
Thanks for helping me dig through it all. I am hopeful that Yongnuo's new 622 triggers for Nikons will have as much functionality as the Xanon version, but I am not optimistic.
