Getting into off camera flash for Nikon

[Lazarus52980]

I am looking into getting setup with some off camera flash lighting for my Nikon camera, and I can't seem to find this out.. Nikon offers some "through the lens" metering that I would like to take advantage of, but because I don't want to have the flash on the camera, I need some sort of wireless trigger, like a pocket wizard or other device.

The question I have that I can't seem to find is: will through the lens metering with a remote trigger even work? Do I need a particular trigger?

Help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Syborg1211]

If your Nikon camera is a D90/D7000 or higher, you have a commander built into your on camera flash. This means that the camera will use its on camera flash to send out light signals to other flashes to control them.

If not, you can buy the pocket wizard flextt5 radios that support the TTL protocol through them.

 

[Lazarus52980]

My camera is a Nikon D5200. How can I tell if it is a "commander"?

 

[Syborg1211]

D3xxx < D5xxx < D7xxx

You do not have a commander. Check out the Pocket Wizards.

Edit: Another thing you can do is buy multiple flashes and have the flash on your camera one that supports commander mode. The SB-700 can be a commander.

 

[tdawg]

I found the SU-800 used on Amazon for under $200. Paired with an SB-600 or higher gets you into Nikon's CLS for a not-horrible amount of money (compared to 2 PW's). Or get an SB-700 or higher to act as an on-camera commander flash and pair it with an SB-600 or higher.

Or, if you really don't need that much range between camera and flash, buy a TTL flash cord for wired link between camera hot-shoe and detached speedlight.

Be wary of cheap 3rd party remote triggers (in my case, run from CowboyStudio options); no guarantee they'll actually work.

 

[slashbinslashbash]

What kind of stuff are you going to be shooting with your off-camera lighting? If you aren't dealing with really dynamic situations, non-TTL lighting (i.e. setting it all up manually) is not all that hard to figure out. I find myself using manual power settings even when the speedlight is mounted on my camera. You take a few practice shots to get the power setting right, and then it works until you move locations or the environmental lighting changes drastically.

Examples of non-dynamic situations: studio shots, interior shots where the lighting is fairly uniform.

 

[Paladin3]

Easiest, cheapest and most reliable way to do it is with a TTL off-camera cable. Ebay has them for around $10-$40, depending on the length you need. It's not as sexy as wireless, but cheaper and no batteries to worry about.

A cable is also nice when you want to bounce your flash but it won't swivel or tilt into exactly the right position. Cables also work outdoors when a camera's pop-up is drowned out by the bright sunlight and won't trigger the second flash.

 

[_Rick_]

Also, TTL-flash metering has a "huge" delay between pressing the "shutter release" and actually taking the shot.
Enough for people to blink from the metering flash, anyway.

Personally, I use a D70 and SB 600 which is an okay combo. For anything more elaborate, you probably want either decent studio lighting, or a macro flash.
An SB-800+SB-600 would work as well, if you need something that can be set up quickly and unobstrusively though. Some cheap tripods to go with each off-camera flash also help tremendously.

 

[trevorjb1406]

Have a look at the Nikon Speedlight flash units. I have three which work on & off camera. If you need more details let me know. Regards Trevor

 

[trevorjb1406]

Hello again,
You can use the flash off camera by using a cable with a hot shoe fitting. It's a bit like a telephone cable. Alternatively you can buy remote triggering. I'm sorry I only just got your message so I will check the d5200 metering for you and send you further information later today or tomorrow latest. Kind regards Trevor

 

[trevorjb1406]

Back again,
Metering mode
TTL exposure metering using 2016-pixel RGB sensor...YES you do have ttl metering. I thought it would have but just checked on the Nikon site for you.
Accessory shoe
ISO 518 hot-shoe with sync and data contacts and safety lock
Nikon Creative Lighting
System (CLS)
Advanced Wireless Lighting supported with SB-910, SB-900, SB-800 or SB-700 as a master flash or SU-800 as commander; Flash Color Information Communication supported with all CLS-compatible flash units
I hope this helps, kind regards Trevor