Does a PC sync cable function the same as a hot-shoe to flash cable?

Naboo32

Naboo32

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So, I have a Nikon D700 with a PC sync socket and an SB900, also with a PC sync cable. According to something I read on a website, it should be possible to access all of the iTTL functions if I have the flash connected via this cable, although the rear curtain flash function doesn't work (no idea why :shrug:).

I just wanted to know what your opinions/experiences are with using one of these cables for OCF work :). The original Nikon (SC-28/SC-29) hot-shoe cables are too expensive for my liking and the cheap eBay copy that I bought didn't work at all in iTTL mode (in fact it didn't really do much at all :().

So, can I save myself some money here? What do you think?
 
No, I think the PC Sync socket will only fire the flash it has No ttl capabilities...

You have to buy the proper TTL Leads...
You can get cheaper copies of the original manufacturer... Flash in the pan sells them...

Not a nikon man but cant you use Nikon cls wirelessly between camera and flash ???


:thumbs:
 
PC cables have two connections, which short together to fire the flash.

If the D700 and the D900 talk together down this using some kind of serial comms, it's new to me, but would indeed be very interesting as the price of the 3-pin TTL cables is daylight robbery.

Most likely you'll need a 3-pin TTL cable such as this: http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Flash-PC-Sync...es_CameraCablesConnectors&hash=item27b162102b


Or a shoe connector like this: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Version-Camera-SB-900-SB-800-SB-600/dp/B0027MNWZY

I'd be very interested to know if they've pulled off some auto-sensing serial comms via PC with the SB-900 though, as that would be pretty sweet. Now if only they'd stop using those antique connectors...
 
I think Nikon CLS uses either infrared or radio signals...

Not 100% sure if your items will do this :thinking: as i am a Canon user. Im sure there will be Nikon users along soon...

:thumbs:
 
markw08 said:
No, I think the PC Sync socket will only fire the flash it has No ttl capabilities...

You have to buy the proper TTL Leads...
You can get cheaper copies of the original manufacturer... Flash in the pan sells them...

Not a nikon man but cant you use Nikon cls wirelessly between camera and flash ???


:thumbs:
Click to expand...

markw08 said:
I think Nikon CLS uses either infrared or radio signals...

Not 100% sure if your items will do this :thinking: as i am a Canon user. Im sure there will be Nikon users along soon...

:thumbs:
Click to expand...

markw08 said:
Found this...

nikon-creative-lighting-system
Click to expand...

Thanks for all of your input, Mark :thumbs:.

I know that there are cheaper versions of these TTL leads, but I bought one recently and it was crap - ended up wasting time on money on sending it back. Also, I know about the infa red triggering options, but I need something more dependable.

I read the link to the CLS, but unfortunately it didn't say anything about the sync cable :|. Thanks again anyway.
 
Denyerec said:
PC cables have two connections, which short together to fire the flash.

If the D700 and the D900 talk together down this using some kind of serial comms, it's new to me, but would indeed be very interesting as the price of the 3-pin TTL cables is daylight robbery.

Most likely you'll need a 3-pin TTL cable such as this: http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Flash-PC-Sync...es_CameraCablesConnectors&hash=item27b162102b


Or a shoe connector like this: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Version-Camera-SB-900-SB-800-SB-600/dp/B0027MNWZY

I'd be very interested to know if they've pulled off some auto-sensing serial comms via PC with the SB-900 though, as that would be pretty sweet. Now if only they'd stop using those antique connectors...
Click to expand...

The 3-pin cable in the eBay link is the kind of cable that I was asking about. The listing isn't too specific about the functions that are available when using it, so I might assume that this is only going to work with a limited set of functions, too :|.

As you say, the price of the OEM cables is pretty hard to swallow (unless you're a working pro, very rich, or very philosophical - I'm none of those, BTW ;)). Still, every time I come here and ask questions about OCF triggering options, I always end up thinking that they are the only reliable solution (short of Pocket Wizards :naughty:).

:thinking: Hmm, what to do!?
 
The D700 has a pop up flash, so if you're indoors or in not too overpowering sunlight you can use CLS quite happily IF you can tolerate the pre-flash delay. For some kinds of photography the fitz-fitz data flashes are too slow, though for most they're just fine.
 
Denyerec said:
The D700 has a pop up flash, so if you're indoors or in not too overpowering sunlight you can use CLS quite happily IF you can tolerate the pre-flash delay. For some kinds of photography the fitz-fitz data flashes are too slow, though for most they're just fine.
Click to expand...

I wanted the cable for mainly outdoor work - shooting candids with fill-in flash and the like. The problem with relying on triggering from the built-in flash is that it doesn't always work and it's hard to know if it did (when you're in bright sunlight). Besides which, you often only get one chance with these kind of shots :shrug:. It's for that same reason that I want a cable which will work fully with iTTL, as I plan to move from location to location and can't really judge the manual inputs for the flash if the light levels are constantly changing :(.

Perhaps I should re-phrase my original question and ask if anyone can point me to a third party (Nikon) SC-29 (or even SC-28) cable, which works with the D90/D700 cameras and the SB-900 flash, to give full iTTL functionality :shrug:? Having bought one which claimed to do all of that and didn't, I'd like to get some feedback from those here who are in the know ;).
 
david1701 said:
use cls its free, for a cable buy one off flash in the pan

sync leads are fire only
Click to expand...

Thanks for that, Dave.

I'd be interested to hear from anyone who's used one of FITP's (1.5m) leads with the Nikon SB-900, what kind of functionality they get with it :naughty:?
 
i get full as if on shoe with the canon version

and from the research I did on the comms protocol I know how it works (canon) so should be fine
 
I was in Jessops the other day and was looking at one of their Nikon compatible TTL cables. Cost is £35 which is cheaper than Nikon but I have no experience of the quality.

The Nikon SC-29 cable has a sensor in the camera connector end giving distance information back to the camera which is relevant when using the SB for Fill flash at a different flash-subject distance compared to camera-subject distance. I also believe you cannot use TTL-BL setting (Fill in flash) if using off camera flash without a TTL cable but don't quote me. Confusing isn't it. Great web site explains all :thinking:

http://nikonclspracticalguide.blogspot.com/


pete
 
If you use a dedicated iTTL cord, it's exactly as if the flash is on the hot-shoe. Full functionality (though I have heard of some cheapies with faulty connections).

If you use the pc socket, the flash will fire. That's it. No other functionality.
 
Peter said:
I was in Jessops the other day and was looking at one of their Nikon compatible TTL cables. Cost is £35 which is cheaper than Nikon but I have no experience of the quality.

The Nikon SC-29 cable has a sensor in the camera connector end giving distance information back to the camera which is relevant when using the SB for Fill flash at a different flash-subject distance compared to camera-subject distance. I also believe you cannot use TTL-BL setting (Fill in flash) if using off camera flash without a TTL cable but don't quote me. Confusing isn't it. Great web site explains all :thinking:

http://nikonclspracticalguide.blogspot.com/


pete
Click to expand...

Hi Pete,

Thanks a lot for posting the link - I'll have a look at that when I'm feeling less sleep-deprived :D.



Flash In The Pan said:
I have, but I'm not exactly impartial :D
Click to expand...

Well Graham, I was sniffing around to see what I could find out about the TTL cables that you sell, before approaching you with such a (relatively) trivial query, but seeing as you're here :naughty: ...

Can you please confirm that your Nikon-fit cable has exactly the same functionality as the SC-28 (or possibly even the SC-29) and if it doesn't would you be able to clearly explain the differences :shrug:?

I know that this a big fuss over a fairly cheap cable, but I've been caught out before, although not by you, I hasten to add ;). Cheers :thumbs:.
 
HoppyUK said:
If you use a dedicated iTTL cord, it's exactly as if the flash is on the hot-shoe. Full functionality (though I have heard of some cheapies with faulty connections).

If you use the pc socket, the flash will fire. That's it. No other functionality.
Click to expand...

Hiya Hoppy! Insomnia's got hold of you too has it :D? Oh wait, you're an hour behind us :thinking:!?

Anyway, the PC socket idea is definitley out of the window now, thanks to the clarification provided in this thread.

The TTL cord is the way forward, but I want to make sure that I get the right one this time :naughty:!

david1701 said:
also the yonguouy one is better made than the canon one :p
Click to expand...

:p I have a couple of their remote shutter releases (wired and wireless) and they were both great for the money :).
 
Naboo32 said:
Well Graham, I was sniffing around to see what I could find out about the TTL cables that you sell, before approaching you with such a (relatively) trivial query, but seeing as you're here :naughty: ...

Can you please confirm that your Nikon-fit cable has exactly the same functionality as the SC-28 (or possibly even the SC-29) and if it doesn't would you be able to clearly explain the differences :shrug:?

I know that this a big fuss over a fairly cheap cable, but I've been caught out before, although not by you, I hasten to add ;). Cheers :thumbs:.
Click to expand...

Here's a pic of my Nikon-fit cable...

4521042527_6507a1e1f1.jpg


as you can see it has a wheel rather than the switch to lock it onto the hotshoe (as per the SC-17) - I've found that on some of the copy cables the flick switch can fail, making them almost impossible to remove from the camera hotshoe, something that can't happen with these ones.

The SC-28/29 have ports on the side for the old SC-18/SC-19 cords, which mine don't. The YongNuo cables do have this feature, however the build quality isn't as good and the lock nuts round these ports have a habit of just falling out if you connect a cable to them!
 
Flash In The Pan said:
Here's a pic of my Nikon-fit cable...

4521042527_6507a1e1f1.jpg


as you can see it has a wheel rather than the switch to lock it onto the hotshoe (as per the SC-17) - I've found that on some of the copy cables the flick switch can fail, making them almost impossible to remove from the camera hotshoe, something that can't happen with these ones.

The SC-28/29 have ports on the side for the old SC-18/SC-19 cords, which mine don't. The YongNuo cables do have this feature, however the build quality isn't as good and the lock nuts round these ports have a habit of just falling out if you connect a cable to them!
Click to expand...

OK Graham, I'm convinced ;). I'll just bod on over to your other thread and place an order :thumbs:.
 
I had a Yongnou TTL cable similar to the one in the picture. A quirk of the design meant that, in it's supplied state, pressure on the locking knob on the back caused it to trigger. After opening it up, it was clear there was a flaw in the design which a small file and pair of cutters quickly fixed.

You get what you pay for, but those with a couple of small tools can usually swing that equation in their favour :D
 
Well, I've ordered one from FITP now (as well as an RF602 trigger set and a whole load of lighting goodies, with the money I 'saved' :naughty:) so we'll have to wait and see how it works :|.

Thanks to everyone who contributed to the thread :).
 
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