Off camera with a flash bracket and an su800

[Uncle Frank]

This post will only be of interest to owners of Nikon CLS cameras.

One of the easier ways to get a flash off-camera is with a flash bracket. It only raises the flash a bit above the camera in landscape mode, but its real value is in portrait mode, where it keeps the flash over the lens and eliminates unsightly side shadows. Here's my rig, using a CB Junior flash bracket, in both orientations.



It can deliver surprisingly good images, particularly when used in conjunction with an ABBC bounce card.



The stobe is hooked to the camera using an sc29 sync cord, which allows for complete iTTL flash operation. It also has an annoying way of sliding into areas that make it difficult to flip the bar on the flash bracket. So when I bought an su800, I was anxious to see if it could substitute for the sc29, and reliably trigger the flash when using the bracket. Eureka! No more cord problems.



And there's a bonus! Now I can use additional off-camera flashes in conjunction with the flash bracket... be they on stands, or in the hands of passers by that I convince to hold an sb800 over their heads. And they can all be operated in iTTL mode!

That leaves me with a valuable sc29 cord that I no longer have use for. So I took an off-camera flash picture of it (of course), and sent it to someone who had mentioned they needed one one. The deal closed, and the sc29 is in the mail.

[Nikonfreak]

Hmm.. I don't know that I'm ready to cut the cord.

[Mark McCall]

Frank,
I use the exact same bracket...with a flash off camera the way your doing here, only I use the Canon 30D and 1D.

But the Canon flashes are junk compared to the Nikons. So I use the Metz. Instead of TTL, I use Thyristor Auto.

Off camera lighting will jump the level of your work into the stratosphere. Your going to love off-camera lighting.

Julio, DUDE!!
Try iiiiittttt, you'll like iiiiittttt!

[cyclohexane]

That's a really awesome use of the SU-800.

The only thing that worries me is battery life though; the remotes don't go idle (and therefore conserve power); when using my SB-800's in remote mode I get about 1/3 the expected battery life from one in the hotshoe/attached to the SC-29. Has battery life been a problem for you?

[Uncle Frank]

Originally Posted by cyclohexane

That's a really awesome use of the SU-800.

The only thing that worries me is battery life though; the remotes don't go idle (and therefore conserve power); when using my SB-800's in remote mode I get about 1/3 the expected battery life from one in the hotshoe/attached to the SC-29. Has battery life been a problem for you?

I haven't noticed yet, but I'm just beginning to use the rig in this manner. I'll make sure to bring lots of extra batteries to my next wedding shoot.

I tried out the rig a few hours ago. My friend, Jean Luc, brought a bottle of wine when he came over for dinner. But I made him pose for his supper anyway .

I positioned the fill light, an sb800 fired through an umbrella, at frame left, and used an sb800 mounted on my CB Junior flash bracket, with ABBC bounce card, for fill.

[Uncle Frank]

Originally Posted by Mark McCall

Frank,
I use the exact same bracket...with a flash off camera the way your doing here, only I use the Canon 30D and 1D.

But the Canon flashes are junk compared to the Nikons. So I use the Metz. Instead of TTL, I use Thyristor Auto.

Off camera lighting will jump the level of your work into the stratosphere. Your going to love off-camera lighting.

I love it already, and I'm still trying to figure out how to do it properly, Mark! I tried out your lesson on short lighting on Jean Luc after dinner.

Main: SB800 through umbrella
Fill: SB800 on CB Junior flash bracket with ABBC bounce card

[Mark McCall]

Nice shot using short lighting and head tilt.
MUCH more professional than on-camera flash.

[Kiron Kid]

That bottle didn't last long...

Kiron Kid