Z6ii with SB800 Flash

[tundracamper]

Hopefully Nikon can create a Flash Cable similar to the SC-29 with a green light

What a great idea. Why hasn’t Nikon already done this? How long could it take to develop such an item? An afternoon?

 

[Models By Day]

What a great idea. Why hasn’t Nikon already done this? How long could it take to develop such an item? An afternoon?

Maybe no one uses Speedlights anymore as there is currently no new MILC speedlights made by Nikon.

Found a good article on Speedlights and Z cameras

Best part is:

"Z system autofocus sensors are sensitive to blue light, not red."

So they instead add a Green Light Hmmm.

Also now I remember my discussion with the Nikon Rep last week

He told me that the DSLR cameras focus system is separate from the Sensor hence it does not rely on the Sensor to figure the focus like in the Z cameras which do not have a separate focus sensor. (If I remember this all correctly, I should have written it down after I talked to him)

 

[Sagittarius]

What a great idea. Why hasn’t Nikon already done this? How long could it take to develop such an item? An afternoon?

Maybe no one uses Speedlights anymore as there is currently no new MILC speedlights made by Nikon.

Found a good article on Speedlights and Z cameras

Best part is:

"Z system autofocus sensors are sensitive to blue light, not red."

So they instead add a Green Light Hmmm.

Also now I remember my discussion with the Nikon Rep last week

He told me that the DSLR cameras focus system is separate from the Sensor hence it does not rely on the Sensor to figure the focus like in the Z cameras which do not have a separate focus sensor. (If I remember this all correctly, I should have written it down after I talked to him)

I have not seen anywhere that Z autofocus system is sensitive to blue light. Auto focus sensors on Z system are located in the green photosites, therefore sensitive to green light.

 

[Models By Day]

I have not seen anywhere that Z autofocus system is sensitive to blue light. Auto focus sensors on Z system are located in the green photosites, therefore sensitive to green light.

Good to know, must be a typo in the article. I've not had enough time to read every article on the Net in regards to Z cameras as I only started about 2 months ago with my first Z.

 

[Sagittarius]

I have not seen anywhere that Z autofocus system is sensitive to blue light. Auto focus sensors on Z system are located in the green photosites, therefore sensitive to green light.

Good to know, must be a typo in the article. I've not had enough time to read every article on the Net in regards to Z cameras as I only started about 2 months ago with my first Z.

I've read it in the Thom Hogan's book.

 

[Arkayem]

JWR, I tried several of those ideas, but in the end, my D810 was so superior over the Z6ii that I just stopped using it.

Now, if I need any flash work at all, I use my D810 and my D500. I am also thinking of buying a D850 to use, so everything will be FX.

I still like the Z6ii for travel photography and wildlife. But nothing that needs the flash

 

[JWR Photo]

It seems like it would be easy for Nikon to offer a mirrorless flash unit with green light, or just a green lens that could be retrofitted to the SB800. For me, turning on the green light on my Z camera and moving my focus box to the left side of the screen works well for capturing dancing in a dark room, while giving me the advantages of a mirrorless camera over a DSLR. While I still use my D800 from time to time, I love the advantages of mirrorless, especially eye autofocus (in good light). Of course, I could carry two cameras around, but having a camera with flash unit hanging off my belt gets a little unwieldy.

 

[HRS]

The same here with a Z6ii. I wish I'd kept my D750 for flash work as it worked perfectly with my SB800(s).

The main reason I've stayed with Nikon since 2005 is their (former) full support of their Creative Lighting System. I've spent a lot on Nikon's flash equipment, only to see the mirrorless bodies slowly abandon support for CLS.

 

[Sagittarius]

The same here with a Z6ii. I wish I'd kept my D750 for flash work as it worked perfectly with my SB800(s).

The main reason I've stayed with Nikon since 2005 is their (former) full support of their Creative Lighting System. I've spent a lot on Nikon's flash equipment, only to see the mirrorless bodies slowly abandon support for CLS.

What Z bodies do not support for CLS?

 

[HRS]

There still is (some) support, as I mentioned, but not for all the SB-800's capabilities.

For instance, my D750 could use an SB-800 as a trigger flash for CLS slave units, but no longer. I had to buy an SB-500 to get my Z6ii to trigger the slave units.

 

[Models By Day]

had to buy an SB-500 to get my Z6ii to trigger the slave units.

How well does the LED work on the SB500 can it help auto focus in dark? I know it is not Green light but if it was bright enough?

 

[Arkayem]

JWR, I’ve been watching some YouTube videos by mirrorless wedding photographers. Apparently, they do not use any flash. The say they don’t like the sharp images of flash! (?) Instead, they crank up the ISO to 20,000 or higher and use low ambient focus mode to shoot low light receptions. I guess they just live with motion blur and poor colors. Quite a few of the images they showed were converted to black and white.

I do carry two DSLR cameras now when I shoot weddings. One has a 24-120mm f/4 lens and the other has a 70-200 f/2.8. I don’t bring my Z6ii. I like my dancing shots bright and sharp.

 

[HRS]

The LEDs on the SB-500 are only for video lighting. Except for the focus assist lamp (assuming it's not blocked by a longer lens and or lens hood), you're "on your own."

 

[Arkayem]

HRS,

I’m not sure what the SB500 is that you mentioned and I don’t know what you mean.

The SB800 sits high, well above any of my lenses mounted on my D810 or D500, including the 24-70 f/2.8. The only time I ever see a flash shadow is at 24mm, at the very bottom of the image. The focus assist lamp always allows the camera a perfect focus even in complete darkness. I get almost instantaneous flash images from pushing the shutter to the capture

 

[HRS]

HRS,

I’m not sure what the SB500 is that you mentioned and I don’t know what you mean.

The SB800 sits high, well above any of my lenses mounted on my D810 or D500, including the 24-70 f/2.8. The only time I ever see a flash shadow is at 24mm, at the very bottom of the image. The focus assist lamp always allows the camera a perfect focus even in complete darkness. I get almost instantaneous flash images from pushing the shutter to the capture

My comments regarding the SB-800 with a Z camera had to do with its inability to act as a trigger flash with the CLS, unlike their DSLRs. Not to mention that with my old D750, the SB-800 could not only trigger remote CLS flash units, but at the same time also act as a standard TTL flash unit together with the slaves.

Yes, an SB-800 works as a regular flash on a Z body.

The SB-500 is another Nikon flash.

 

[Sagittarius]

There still is (some) support, as I mentioned, but not for all the SB-800's capabilities.

For instance, my D750 could use an SB-800 as a trigger flash for CLS slave units, but no longer. I had to buy an SB-500 to get my Z6ii to trigger the slave units.

Neither D500 and or any Nikon DSLRs after that. When I used D500, I had also to buy SB500 to control off camera flashes.

 

[HRS]

There still is (some) support, as I mentioned, but not for all the SB-800's capabilities.

For instance, my D750 could use an SB-800 as a trigger flash for CLS slave units, but no longer. I had to buy an SB-500 to get my Z6ii to trigger the slave units.

Neither D500 and or any Nikon DSLRs after that. When I used D500, I had also to buy SB500 to control off camera flashes.

That's interesting, and news to me.

For being such a "flagship" camera for Nikon, I'm surprised they dropped SB-800 CLS support. Yet, my non-"flagship" D750 from two years earlier fully supported CLS, as did my D70 from 2005.

 

[Sagittarius]

There still is (some) support, as I mentioned, but not for all the SB-800's capabilities.

For instance, my D750 could use an SB-800 as a trigger flash for CLS slave units, but no longer. I had to buy an SB-500 to get my Z6ii to trigger the slave units.

Neither D500 and or any Nikon DSLRs after that. When I used D500, I had also to buy SB500 to control off camera flashes.

That's interesting, and news to me.

For being such a "flagship" camera for Nikon, I'm surprised they dropped SB-800 CLS support. Yet, my non-"flagship" D750 from two years earlier fully supported CLS, as did my D70 from 2005.

You still can use SB800 for CLS but not as a commander. BTW D780 or D850 cannot us SB500 as a commander. and all of them do not have built in flash.

 

[SecondTimeAround]

There still is (some) support, as I mentioned, but not for all the SB-800's capabilities.

For instance, my D750 could use an SB-800 as a trigger flash for CLS slave units, but no longer. I had to buy an SB-500 to get my Z6ii to trigger the slave units.

Neither D500 and or any Nikon DSLRs after that. When I used D500, I had also to buy SB500 to control off camera flashes.

I don't have a D500 to try, but your experience seems to contradict Nikon's Speedlight Compatibility Chart:

https://nikonsupport.eu/europe/images/6312/SBCC_en.pdf

 

[Sagittarius]

There still is (some) support, as I mentioned, but not for all the SB-800's capabilities.

For instance, my D750 could use an SB-800 as a trigger flash for CLS slave units, but no longer. I had to buy an SB-500 to get my Z6ii to trigger the slave units.

Neither D500 and or any Nikon DSLRs after that. When I used D500, I had also to buy SB500 to control off camera flashes.

I don't have a D500 to try, but your experience seems to contradict Nikon's Speedlight Compatibility Chart:

https://nikonsupport.eu/europe/images/6312/SBCC_en.pdf

I am talking about control from the camera. But you can control from SB800 itself.

--
Best regards