Sb-800

[Heaterguy]

I really like my Nikon Digital equipment but what a learning curve. My SB-800 I found was very strong. Out of desperation for a better lighting solution I began putting the diffuser on it for a softer light. I began noticing problems with the light hitting the subject the way I wanted it to do.
I have a friend who uses the diffuser religiously and swears it is the best way to go. However, this past weekend I had the opportunity to review some of his results and pointed out the same exposure problems.
I returned to the manuals, one for the camera and one for the flash and came up with the following solution.
First, the diffuser is for using a wide angle wider than 14mm, so I put it back in the bag. To solve the powerful lighting issue I went into the camera menu and reduced the contrast to low. I figure I can adjust the contrast, if needed, in Paint Shop.
Using the SB-800 straight on is a powerful light source for portraits and macro even with the automatic capabilities. When bouncing its not much of a problem producing pretty good even lighting.
Anyone have any other suggestions for reducing the output of the flash to soften the light?

Heaterguy
Nikon D-70

[clockdoc]

How are you coming along with your SB800? I just have scratched the surface having had mine two weeks. Other than using it in Auto and TTL, I have bounced it off walls and into corners with it still mounted on the hot shoe. Tonight I was experimenting with using it in manual mode and having the onboad flash trigger it remotely using 1/128 power onboard. Worked as advertised.
Here is a link to several shots I took at a recent church breakfast. The ISO ranged from 500-1000 and I used the diffusion device that came with the flash. Otherwise everything was on auto.
http://family.webshots.com/album/560920645QbKLMd

I am learning something new every day. Drop me al ine if you have any questions and I'll try to help.

[Digidave]

Here's a page I found a while back. It makes for a good read when you don't have a clue as to where to start with your SB800. You can skip down almost to the bottom of the page to find, using it remotely, & as fill flash outdoors. Good Luck & let us know how your getting along with it. Because, like Clockdoc I too am still learning that little bugger.

http://www.juliagreerphotography.com/sb-800-article.htm

[clockdoc]

Thanks, Digidave. I looked through her site and I appreciate all the links she has provided for her gear. That is very helpful. Last night I fabricated some "snouts" as shown in the Strobist articles and will work on that as time permits. What have you been able to use your SB800 for so far? I have used it in the Manual mode with the onboard flash triggering the SB800. I have not experimented with the TTL features as yet. Much to learn here. I'll be happy to share what I know as I learn more about the SB800. I am glad that I stretched the budget a little bit and opted for the 800 over the 600 or 400. I look forward to seeing some of your work with the 800.
Here is a series of informal portraits I did for one of our pastors a week after I got the SB800. I had not figured out any remote triggering so these were all done with the SB800 mounted on the hotshoe and in Auto mode. I did twist the flash head (with the diffusion dome in place) to bounce light off walls and ceilling where possible. I even used it outdoors as extra fill light. The larger the room (chapel or sanctuary) the less effective was the bounce as you might expect.
http://good-times.webshots.com/album/560859458NvfvPm

[Taallyn]

Another thing to consider is getting/making a bounce card. There is a commonly used one that gets really good word of mouth called A Better Bounce Card. It is a do-it-yourself card you can make pretty cheaply with art store supplies. I keep meaning to try it myself, but just haven't had the time to stop by a craft store for the supplies. The website for it is http://www.abetterbouncecard.com/. There is another DIY bounce card I found on the web that I kind of like a bit better, but I don't have the link with me here at work.

[clockdoc]

Hi and thanks for the link. He has some interesting video's on lighting. Before I got the D80 and SB800, I had used a plain 3x5 index card attached to my Sony F1000 flash when used in the vertical position. The bounced light off the ceiling gave a nice even illumination while the card added a small catchlight. I suspect his bounce card provides more reflected frontal light than my small index card. In a pinch I once used a piece of folded looseleaf notebook paper held on with a rubberband!

[Taallyn]

Yeah, it is pretty much the same idea. The other design I saw had the foam cut a different way and you used small Velcro pieces to adjust the top angle for more or less forward bounce.

[Heaterguy]

Well, I shot some photos at an Eagle Honor Court for a local LDS Church's Boy Scout Troop and I did it the way I described previously. No diffuser, reduced the contrast and did some bounce flash as well. I was happy with the results and so were the Eagle Scouts.
I used the flip card built into the SB-800 for the bounce and caught some nice catch lights in the eyes as well.

[clockdoc]

Do you have a link to the shots you took so we can see the results?

[Heaterguy]

Do you have a link to the shots you took so we can see the results?
Unfortunately not. I turned the entire disk over to the church for their own use. Nothing artistic about them so I didn't feel a need to keep them.