p.1 #1 · Looking for simple, basic fill flash for Z9
I'm looking for suggestions for a fill flash unit to use with my Z9s...
Basically,
- Camera set to M with auto ISO
- Flash off-camera, on a foot/light stand/tripod with remote transmitter on camea
- Flash is set to manual output, just enough to lift the deepest shadows a little
- This is a dark venue (usually ISO 4000-7000 or so) and if the lowest manual flash output is too much I'll just tape sheets of printer paper over the head to attenuate it
- Flash is gelled with small piece of CC film to balance it
I bought a Godox V480(N) and XT-2(N) thinking they'd do this in manual mode, but no. As soon as I turn on the flash or mount the trigger on the hotshoe the camera switches to ISO 100 (!!!). The flash then pops at 1/256 or whatever power, and I get a black image.
Is there something here that just works? I don't need TTL this or that, a million settings. Just for the camera to expose normally like it would and a tiny bit of fill.
I also have an SB-700, but no remote trigger for it, so it's not a great option, but when I test with it on the camera it switches to ISO 400 instead of 100 but otherwise behaves exactly the same. Can a Z9 even remote trigger an SB-700, it looks like they're completely different generations. I really DON'T want to put a small flash on the Z9 just to trigger a remote flash on a dumb photocell cold foot - because I'm sure once I attach THAT trigger I'm back to square one... Although the PC jack would work!
p.1 #2 · Looking for simple, basic fill flash for Z9
The SB-700 can be optically triggered by a flash which supports master/commander operation with optical AWL such as SB-700, SB-9x0, SB-5000, or the SU-800 commander. The SB-5000 is what I use for small remote flash applications (as the remote) and I radio trigger it with a WR-R10/A10. There is a newer radio trigger available which does not require the adapter.
Third party flashes offer a variety of correct and incorrect behavior and can be bizarre at times. Nikon reportedly supports Nissen and Profoto with inside information to assist them in making compatible flashes.
Auto ISO with flash is generally not recommended and probably won't work the way you would want it to. Use manual ISO when working with flash.
p.1 #3 · Looking for simple, basic fill flash for Z9
I rarely use flash but when I do I want off-camera fill flash. Because of occasional use I found it a pain to remember all the controls and intricacies of very capable flashes like the SB700, SB900 to do this. I find the little SB-500’s perfect for my needs - the on camera flash menu makes controlling mutliple off camera flashes very simple even for an infrequent user like me. i used to have 4 of these but have pared bad to two. However you do need one SB-500 on the camera which you have said you would like to avoid
p.1 #4 · Looking for simple, basic fill flash for Z9
Jan Brittenson wrote:
I'm looking for suggestions for a fill flash unit to use with my Z9s...
Basically,
- Camera set to M with auto ISO
- Flash off-camera, on a foot/light stand/tripod with remote transmitter on camea
- Flash is set to manual output, just enough to lift the deepest shadows a little
- This is a dark venue (usually ISO 4000-7000 or so) and if the lowest manual flash output is too much I'll just tape sheets of printer paper over the head to attenuate it
- Flash is gelled with small piece of CC film to balance it
I bought a Godox V480(N) and XT-2(N) thinking they'd do this in manual mode, but no. As soon as I turn on the flash or mount the trigger on the hotshoe the camera switches to ISO 100 (!!!). The flash then pops at 1/256 or whatever power, and I get a black image.
Is there something here that just works? I don't need TTL this or that, a million settings. Just for the camera to expose normally like it would and a tiny bit of fill.
I also have an SB-700, but no remote trigger for it, so it's not a great option, but when I test with it on the camera it switches to ISO 400 instead of 100 but otherwise behaves exactly the same. Can a Z9 even remote trigger an SB-700, it looks like they're completely different generations. I really DON'T want to put a small flash on the Z9 just to trigger a remote flash on a dumb photocell cold foot - because I'm sure once I attach THAT trigger I'm back to square one... Although the PC jack would work! ...Show more →
I don’t think the flash / trigger is the issue, but your auto ISO settings.
If you set the camera to ISO 4000 and then enable auto ISO it shouldn’t go lower than that. But it will probably still assume with flash enabled it should go to the lowest possible ISO. Not sure if that can be changed, check your e4 setting to see if the other one works better.
p.1 #5 · Looking for simple, basic fill flash for Z9
I would put an SB-500 on top. Light and fine for fill. Not bad for key indoors even when bounced. Since you have an SB-700, I would put that on of the Z9, it's fully compatible although will not work with Unified Flash Control.
And don't use Auto ISO with flash. It causes problems, like the ones you have seen.
So if you're doing fill off-camera, then an SB-5000 off-camera with the WR-R11a remote controller on-body.
Performance: Near-impossible to overheat (built-in fan), 67% faster recycle time than Godox V860III with an external pack, and only 0.3s slower without. Color-accurate to default flash WB.
Compatibility: Integrates with Nikon’s Unified Flash Control, works with shutterless Z cameras (no HSS banding), and supports future bodies without firmware issues.
Ease of Use: Uses common AA batteries, has a fast foot lock, and the WR-R11a is lightweight, battery-free, and leaves the hotshoe free. It syncs bodies and works with the WR-T10 trigger.
Support: Nikon provides troubleshooting and repairs.
Jan Brittenson wrote:
Is there something here that just works?
See above.
Jan Brittenson wrote:
Can a Z9 even remote trigger an SB-700, it looks like they're completely different generations. I really DON'T want to put a small flash on the Z9 just to trigger a remote flash on a dumb photocell cold foot
The SB-700 is compatible with CLS. If you have a 'small flash' (e.g., a used SB-5000) on top of the Z9 then you control the off-camera SB-700 from the back of the Z9 body through Unified Flash Control with the Small Flash as the Master. Infrared / visible CLS works fine indoors.
But I would just put the SB-700 on top of the the Z9 for fill flash, as at the top of this reply.
Jan Brittenson wrote:
Although the PC jack would work!
The ultimate fall-back Again, I would do fill-flash with and on-camera flash. This also opens the door to bounce flash, a stable of event photography.
p.1 #6 · Looking for simple, basic fill flash for Z9
fjablo wrote:
If you set the camera to ISO 4000 and then enable auto ISO it shouldn’t go lower than that. But it will probably still assume with flash enabled it should go to the lowest possible ISO.
In auto ISO ON, the camera will use the closest ISO setting to the user-selected ISO which will allow the correct exposure to be achieved. With flash there may be complications, best not to mix flash with Auto ISO.
p.1 #7 · Looking for simple, basic fill flash for Z9
pwschladen wrote:
I rarely use flash but when I do I want off-camera fill flash. Because of occasional use I found it a pain to remember all the controls and intricacies of very capable flashes like the SB700, SB900 to do this. I find the little SB-500’s perfect for my needs - the on camera flash menu makes controlling mutliple off camera flashes very simple even for an infrequent user like me. i used to have 4 of these but have pared bad to two. However you do need one SB-500 on the camera which you have said you would like to avoid...Show more →
Also, with either Godox or SB-700 the "flash control" menu section is disabled. It only seems to be enabled with the SB-500, SB-5000, etc - i.e., the current generation flashes. I'm really annoyed the SB-700 can't told to completely ignore the camera and just output a specific amount of light! The camera just needs to tell it when. If I shoot at too high frame rate for it to cycle some frames can be unfilled; that's a perfectly fine compromise.
p.1 #8 · Looking for simple, basic fill flash for Z9
I'm going to try a simple PC-sync adapter... PC from camera to cold shoe, and then the transmitter on the hot (top) side. Hopefully this fully decouples the camera from the lighting and all it does is just trip the transmitter. I really would like to be able to adjust the flash output from the transmitter on the camera without having to walk over to it...
p.1 #9 · Looking for simple, basic fill flash for Z9
ilkka_nissila wrote:
In auto ISO ON, the camera will use the closest ISO setting to the user-selected ISO which will allow the correct exposure to be achieved. With flash there may be complications, best not to mix flash with Auto ISO.
Agree with this. Took me a long time to realize that my flash exposure issues with both my mirrorless and DSLR Nikons were because of auto ISO. I now make sure that anytime I need to use flash that I turn auto ISO off.
p.1 #10 · Looking for simple, basic fill flash for Z9
Jan Brittenson wrote:
I'm looking for suggestions for a fill flash unit to use with my Z9s...
Basically,
- Camera set to M with auto ISO
- Flash off-camera, on a foot/light stand/tripod with remote transmitter on camea
- Flash is set to manual output, just enough to lift the deepest shadows a little
- This is a dark venue (usually ISO 4000-7000 or so) and if the lowest manual flash output is too much I'll just tape sheets of printer paper over the head to attenuate it
- Flash is gelled with small piece of CC film to balance it
I bought a Godox V480(N) and XT-2(N) thinking they'd do this in manual mode, but no. As soon as I turn on the flash or mount the trigger on the hotshoe the camera switches to ISO 100 (!!!). The flash then pops at 1/256 or whatever power, and I get a black image.
Is there something here that just works? I don't need TTL this or that, a million settings. Just for the camera to expose normally like it would and a tiny bit of fill.
I also have an SB-700, but no remote trigger for it, so it's not a great option, but when I test with it on the camera it switches to ISO 400 instead of 100 but otherwise behaves exactly the same. Can a Z9 even remote trigger an SB-700, it looks like they're completely different generations. I really DON'T want to put a small flash on the Z9 just to trigger a remote flash on a dumb photocell cold foot - because I'm sure once I attach THAT trigger I'm back to square one... Although the PC jack would work! ...Show more →My Z5 and Z50 did the same thing with a nikon SB500 and SB910. When a flash is attached it defaults to iso 100.
p.1 #11 · Looking for simple, basic fill flash for Z9
Jan Brittenson wrote:
Also, with either Godox or SB-700 the "flash control" menu section is disabled. It only seems to be enabled with the SB-500, SB-5000, etc - i.e., the current generation flashes.
[...]
I'm really annoyed the SB-700 can't told to completely ignore the camera and just output a specific amount of light! The camera just needs to tell it when. If I shoot at too high frame rate for it to cycle some frames can be unfilled; that's a perfectly fine compromise.
1) yes, Unified Flash Control is not available with pre-UFC flashes or non-Nikon flashes.
2) it can be told to "output a specific amount of light" - that's "Manual flash mode", described on page C-6 of the manual. This is what you would use off-camera with a pc-sync cord.
Godox X2T transmitter on the flash foot. The foot is nice and tight despite not having a lock.
However, I think the X3 transmitter is a better choice than the X2T; it has a Li-Ion battery, charges with a USB-C cable, is much smaller, and can go down to 1/256 or even lower manual power. (The Godox V480 goes down to 1/256.) Might also be easier to read in low light. The X2T has focus assist and modeling light, but I personally never use either of those anyway, so I think an X3 needs to go in my bag...
This setup just works!
The X2T transmitter can also be connected directly to the camera with a PC-to-3.5mm cable, but it still needs the foot. I verified that plugging in the cable doesn't make it stop telling the camera things. With it further up, cable management becomes messier.
Again, I would do fill-flash with and on-camera flash. This also opens the door to bounce flash, a stable of event photography.