SB-700 flash missed when using over 1/4 on SU-04 wireless with D7200 as CMD

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bigearl91

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Anyone else encountered this issue?

My camera 'misses' the flash (I think it's firing a split second too late) when using my speed light wirelessly on any power over 1/4. This is using manual flash settings on SU-04 with the camera firing a commander flash only and just using the light from the speedlight. This also happens when using the on camera flash as an additional light source.

Has anyone else found this issue using the SB-700?

Cheers
Earl
 
^
And what SS are you using?
 
one further though to those already mentioned as it only happens at higher power are you giving enough recycle time
 
Evening chaps,

Triggering flash is on camera flash set to CMD mode with no flash being used - it is merely for the command flash.

Shutter speed is 1/60, the flash does fire but it almost seems like it isn't in time for the shutter release. not to do with recycle not complete but good point pal, I tested it several times allowing full recycle. I just forked out a measly £15 on the neewer flash trigger off amazon. I'm usually Nikon only kind of guy and will happily spend that bit extra on the kit for the quality but I wanted to see how advantageous it is using a radio trigger. It feels cheap but it is so useful, firing the flash out of line of sight. for £15 with 2 receivers I can't grumble. Think when I next have some spare cash once these break (which to me feels inevitable) I will get the proper Nikon trigger. Problem is "solved" but still struggling to understand the issue at hand. I can't see how this wouldn't work.

Very grateful for the input guys, great to see people trying to help fellows,

Cheers
Earl
 
The commander flash is sending a small burst of flashes to set the slave up.
SU-04 mode is a dumb slave mode, and will see the instruction flash as the reason to pop, and will then miss the second flash as it is still recycling .
The reason you manage to get an exposure on shorter flash settings is because your slave is firing less, and therefore recycling quicker as there is more in reserve in the capacitors.

Set the remote flash to remote, rather than SU-04, and then you can set it to manual from the command flash. Make sure they tally with regards to group.
In remote mode, the flash expects a small flash first, in which it will receive instructions as to power output etc, and then will pop with the main signal
 
Michael Sewell said:
The commander flash is sending a small burst of flashes to set the slave up.
SU-04 mode is a dumb slave mode, and will see the instruction flash as the reason to pop, and will then miss the second flash as it is still recycling .
The reason you manage to get an exposure on shorter flash settings is because your slave is firing less, and therefore recycling quicker as there is more in reserve in the capacitors.

Set the remote flash to remote, rather than SU-04, and then you can set it to manual from the command flash. Make sure they tally with regards to group.
In remote mode, the flash expects a small flash first, in which it will receive instructions as to power output etc, and then will pop with the main signal
Click to expand...

Cheers for the quick response Michael,

I do have the speed light set to remote (when you push the button in and turn the switch the extra click into slave - sorry to put in into laymans but just so we're on the same page. In slave mode there is "Advanced" and "SU-04", to my understanding the Advanced mode is a iTTL mode required a camera mounted speedlight which sends a series of flashes out to allow an adaptive measurement of light from the groups of speedlights set up. I do understand SU-04 is basically stupid simply waiting for a trigger flash to be fired which is what mine is setup to do. I may be doing something incorrectly and I will review your comments tomorrow and retry just incase I am leaving a setting out but just as information my setting are,

Speedlight (SB-700):
1/2 - 1/1
Slave
SU-04
Normal Flash Angle
24-105mm (non work)

Body (D7200):
Flash mod set to CMD, on camera flash disabled
SS 1/60
ISO 100-6400

Just peculiar how it works from 1/128-1/4 but not higher,

Cheers again for the response

Earl
 
Yep, your commander is sending the instruction signal, and your remote is seeing the first pop as the reason to go. It therefore does not have enough charge to go again within a split second when the real pop is required.

1) Set the SB700 to advanced remote and set to group A
2) from the Body, using the command mode of your flash, you should be able to select group A, and then set the output of that flash. Lets say set it to Manual at 1/2 output

Ensure both SB700 and the body are at the same channel and also group, and you should be good to go
 
Last edited:
Michael Sewell said:
Yep, your commander is sending the instruction signal, and your remote is seeeing the first pop as the reason to go. It therefore does not have enough charge to go again within a split second when the real pop is required.
Click to expand...

If you want to stick with SU-04, try setting the on-board flash to manual at low power. Otherwise, Michael has it spot on.

The great thing about iTTL is that you can still have the flash on a manual setting, but controlled from the camera. :)
 
Going to try this, I'll report my results, really appreciative of the helps guys, I'm sure it will work.

Earl
 
I read both manuals twice, but definitely misinterpreted what I read. So glad for your help, it appears I need to start again at flash school :p

Your suggestions worked perfectly, and I actually feel a wee bit silly, for most situations I think I will continue to use in manual mode for confidence in the TTL mode and my own learning. This however, could change everything.

Essentially my impressions were that advanced mode only worked when using another speedlight, particularly TTL, I'll need to re-read the manual to find where I 'got this information from.' I just had an epiphany, SU-04 is legacy indeed...

Incredibly thankful, the as wet to my initial query appears to be, I was just flashing wrong :p

Earl
 
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