troubling question - Nikon

I've been wondering and asking around for an answer for months!

i have a nikon flash.. the sb600 and a d300.

is it possible to use the focus metering of the flash (the red thing that lights up) but not the flash itself??

for example if i need to focus in a difficult-to-focus situation i, obviously, would prefer to have the flash's assistance, instead of the white LED on the camera..but if i don't want the flash to fire I don't know what i can do.. is there any way to do this??

http://www.michaelxuereb.com

MichaelXuerebcom said:

is there any way to do this??

Click to expand...

Yup, replace the SB600 with a SB800.

Tape a cover over the flash head?

So I guess it's not possible.. right?

http://www.michaelxuereb.com

What's the situation that this is beneficial? If it's too dark for the camera to be able to AF then you will need flash otherwise you will have no picture. Perhaps carry a torch to illuminate the subject to utilise AF then turn the torch off?

In my FLASH Custom Setting Bank, I have assigned the Fn button (Custom Setting F4) to FLASH OFF "The Flash is OFF when the Fn button is depressed"... This works with the builtin speed light and the SB400/600/800 Speedlights...

The Fn button set for FLASH OFF lets you take two quick shots, one wth flash and on without and you can do a quick preview to see which you like best...

Dennis

One of the reasons to buy a SB-800 or SU-800.
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Respond to rudeness with civility, it really annoys them.

Regards,

JR

Many museums and galleries do not allow flash photography. When using a tripod, you can take good photographs even in very low light, when manual focussing can be very difficult. The flashgun's AF assist illuminator can be very useful at times like these. The SB800 allows you to switch off the strobe while leaving the AF assist illuminator active. With the SB600, you can inhibit the flash from firing using the Fn button, or use duct tape to cover the flash head.

Alternative options are trading your SB600 for an SB800, getting an SU-800 or getting the SC-29 TTL remote cord. I'm not entirely sure if the SC-29 will do the trick without an SB800, but it does feature it's own IR illuminator.

Amy

It could be a handy device, a tiny AF-illuminator that fit the flash shoe. Of course if Nikon made it, they'd want $150 for it.

I'm actually surprised that I can't find something like that. A laser grid pattern would be easy to do and simple to make work. Tie it in to the AF illuminator contact in the hotshoe and have it cut out just before the shutter opens.

Pocket Wizards should add that to their products.
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Chefziggy
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MichaelXuerebcom said:

I've been wondering and asking around for an answer for months!

Click to expand...

Have you contacted Nikon UK?

http://nikoneurope-en.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/nikoneurope_en.cfg/php/enduser/contact_us.php?p_sid=WEAXwBdj&p_lva=&p_accessibility=&locale=en_GB

I find it hard to believe they couldn't answer your question on the same day. I see you have to pay 10p for phone support - that sucks. US is free (or was free last time I called). But dropping them an e-mail through their web site ought to get you a definative answer.

Hint: Don't ask if it can be done. Ask how it can be done.

Sorry I can't answer the question myself. I have trouble enough figuring out the SB-800.
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• Arved

'Take only pictures. Leave only footprints.'