dpullum Loc: Tampa Florida

Superb, superber, superbest, by a superbist!! :thumbup:

GENorkus Loc: Washington Twp, Michigan

If you do use Ittl or Ettl or Pttl or whatever auto flash, the camera preflash will likely setoff your slave and you'll need to wait for it to recharge. That is why many photographers use a radio wireless remote when in a crowd. You don't want someone else using your flash.

davejann Loc: Portland Oregon

Either wireless and there are some relatively inexpensive units available on line or mount an on camera flash that will not preflash set the camera to aperture priority and "chimp" the exposure to your satisfaction.

If you want more flexibility, then you are stuck with upgrading your slave unit to one that will work with your cameras' TTL system.

I use the on camera setup as described above but I shoot this way to capture speakers at meeting/conferences. So that means I have the advantage of fixed distances and exposures so when I get the exposure right I can stay with it for the whole shoot.

Dave

anotherview Loc: California

One of the benefits of shooting with a studio or studio-like setup: "when I get the exposure right I can stay with it for the whole shoot."

wireman8 Loc: Toledo, Ohio

I have the D70 and a SB600 and use the commander mode to fire the flash off camera all the time. I believe it's IR controlled.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

My SB-600 is being repaired. I look forward to trying it out remotely when I get it back.

PJT Loc: Sarasota,Florida

Hello depullum:
Basically I tend to agree with most of your post. You nailed the slave flash adapter cause and effect perfectly and this was the original question in this thread.However one thing sticks out and that is unless you have a guide number for your flash and do the math ( F stop = GN divided by the distance),(GN= f stop X distance)or have power reduction on your slaves how are you determining your correct ratios?
Over time all flashes lose some of thier output.This may be from excessive use, overheating, age, or close proximinity to moisture. Additionally corosiveness in the battery compartment will diminish output levels to the point of intermittent electrical power.
So to be certain of the correct ratio of output I strongly encourage the use of a flash meter!
:thumbup:

anotherview Loc: California

One could review the Histogram, too. I understand some pros use this method instead of a light meter.

Hanger One Cafe, Hemet-Ryan Airport (2011)

dpullum Loc: Tampa Florida

To Quote PJT: Basically I tend to agree with most of your post. You nailed the slave flash adapter cause and effect perfectly and this was the original question in this thread.However one thing sticks out and that is unless you have a guide number for your flash and do the math ( F stop = GN divided by the distance),(GN= f stop X distance)or have power reduction on your slaves how are you determining your correct ratios?
Over time all flashes lose some of thier output.This may be from excessive use, overheating, age, or close proximinity to moisture. Additionally corosiveness in the battery compartment will diminish output levels to the point of intermittent electrical power.
So to be certain of the correct ratio of output I strongly encourage the use of a flash meter!
========================================

PJT I agreed, with above, obviously for you/I/ol'-duffers we already know the details you have pointed out, but younger may not, so your comments are valuable. I have a flash meter (measures incoming light at the subject), never used it in 3 years, and just bought at a swap meet a regular light meter (measures reflected, bounce back light) for $10. Now that, regular meter, I will use and I still yen for the return of the needle in the eye-view ( not the complicated histogram, who adjusts the blue or red? No one! just the total light really counts in a fast shoot) along with dial for f&speed.

For fast shoots like wedding receptions, I like to set focus manually and intelligently use DOF, see reference:
http://www.dofmaster.com/doftable.html
That decision to use manual focus results from mistakes when shooting and not allowing the camera to come to focus OR oops focusing on the building far behind the couple because one is on left one on right and building centered behind!!! where the focus is being calculated by the camera.

By using the DOF tables you will see that manual setting of your DSLR can be advantages and nearly fool proof,, Example: For Wedding Reception shooting you can set camera at 10' and have very good results the table shows: 28mm at f=8 gives you 6-24' when focused at 10'.

If you use an auxiliary flash on a stick extended high (look out for the overhead fan!!) you can up the f and eliminate some shadowing of the furthest people. OR use a hot-shoe extension cord to allow flex of the flash positioning. Off camera will eliminate the need for red-eye and so that along with setting camera on manual focus and no-TTL opens up for the use of simple-minded-zombie (humm nice phrase, Ill copyright it!) flashes.

One last point, under exposed is better than overexposed (burn out) the under can usually be saved in editing. Mastering all this stuff is not all that difficult,,, and is a lot easer with digital vs film. I love my Auto-settings, but manual settings in certain situations is much better. The Auto only know what it sees and that is not necessarly what you want it to see. end of my part of this discussion this morning,, my coffee is cold, time running out to go teach and have not eaten breakfast!!! Thank you guys, with out this discussion, I woud not have been given Ideas from all of you and would not have been forced to think out things for my own benifit. I will go out of this forum-discussion a lot smarter than coming in all based on a simple question that mushroomed.

:idea: :arrow: Know the basics - Know your camera. You are the MASTER of your camera... :thumbup:

PJT Loc: Sarasota,Florida

Enough Said!
I really enjoy your responces to others who post a question! Please keep it up!
OBTW
I agree about the histogram. While it may tell you about sections of an image being to dark ,or overexposed, it only tells in which direction compensation is need. It does not tell you how much!
Yes it's true that if you spend enough time reading histograms you can get petty good about judging how much compensation is needed and which direction either + or -.
I still prefer to use a flash meter for multiple flash set ups and a hand held true reflected spot meter( mine are a Sekonic and Pentax) for regular photography. I know that the new matrix reading sensors are getting better each day,however I myself prefer to do things the old fashioned way.
To that end to each his own! :lol:

dpullum Loc: Tampa Florida

PJT and All, If only I could change that Histogram to a Needle that would be progress; let the histogram in the software suffice. With that thought, it dawned on me that I do have a dial that I can touch and change F or Speed depending on mode priority S or A dial ,,, ouch, never thought of that!! Humm advanced age, no advanced cameras and submission to them. Forums and two coffeys make us think.

Re: Multi Flash,, here is a guy who uses ol'fassion approach
http://strobist.blogspot.com/2012/02/b2b-one-big-top-light.html

Re: Manual op of camera... the following sounds interesting... we ol'dudes are not alone in our feel for controling the camera.... in admiration of Kalyan Kumar
the below is a quote from Picturecorrect blog...

Kumar Says “I am always shooting in full manual mode and then adjust the exposure as the light changes. The exposure really varies depending on the shot. .”
http://www.picturecorrect.com/tips/know-your-digital-cameras-enemies/

Enjoy photography.
There is a big non automatic world out there.... at times Retro is better.