Nikon CLS Specific flash setup questions

[PapaJim]

I'm planning to buy the SB700 and SB600 flash units. The SB700 has a builtin commander like the SB900 does. I'm told the Commander unit must be mounted on the camera and thus be used as a fill flash while the SB600 would be the key flash.

Questions:

1. Can I trigger the SB600 remotely without triggering the SB700? There are times when I don't want a fill flash.
2. What is the logic to having the most powerfull flash in the fill position? The lower powered flashes like the SB400/600 don't have a commander function.

Thanks
Jim

[scootermcq]

1. Yes, it will flash, but you can have it dialed down so that it does not contribute to the exposure.
2. Because that's the only way it works. You can buy an SU800 that is a commander only and does not flash, but darn it's one expensive piece of kit.

[PapaJim]

Thanks Scott, that's what I suspected. But now I'm wondering: with the sb700 dialed all the way down, how does it communicate with the sb600? Isn't the flash needed for that?

OK, you've blown out my Latin translators. What does your signature mean?

Jim

[scootermcq]

Originally Posted by PapaJim

OK, you've blown out my Latin translators. What does your signature mean?
Jim

When catapults are outlawed, only outlaws will have catapults.

On to the flash.....

It communicates with an infrared that piggybacks in the actual flash pulse. That is why you can use the onboard flash of the D70 & up as a commander and not have it actually contribute to the exposure.