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• Beginner Photography
Nikon Commander Mode • Landscape Photography
• Wildlife Photography
BY NASIM MANSUROV | 28 COMMENTS
LAST UPDATED ON OCTOBER 28, 2020 • Portraiture
• Post-Processing
• Advanced Tutorials
Instead of creating another post, I updated the “How to get the best out of your
pop-up flash” article to include plenty of information and a new video on Nikon’s
Commander Mode on semi-pro and pro-level Nikon camera bodies. Information LEVEL
on how to set up the built-in pop-up camera flash to be a commander, as well as
configuring Nikon speedlights (SB-600, SB-700, SB-800 and SB-900) is also
YOUR HORIZONS
included.

Here is the video on how to use the commander mode + flash communication
basics:

Part 3: Pop-up ,ash as a commander

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About Nasim Mansurov

Nasim Mansurov is the author and founder of Photography Life,
based out of Denver, Colorado. He is recognized as one of the
leading educators in the photography industry, conducting workshops,
producing educational videos and frequently writing content for Photography
Life. You can follow him on Instagram and Facebook. Read more about Nasim
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28 COMMENTS Newest

VBott
April 11, 2023 6:28 am

Hello
Thank you very much for the informative article.

I use a D810 built-in flash to trigger a SB700 and SB80DX remotely.

It used to work okay but now I think the built-in flash is triggering the flashes too early…they
fire before exposure is taken and have no effect on the image.

I cannot find a setting to change this: I have reset everything, and tried CMD mode settings
in M, –, AA and TTL. Slow sync or rear sync makes no difference. They are triggered too
early by the built-in flash.

If I mount the SB80DX on-camera, the timing is correct and the SB700 fires as expected, all
works.

Please can you help?

0 Reply

Michelle M-J
October 23, 2017 2:14 pm

Hey Nasim,

This video is very helpful but I do have a question. Can you mount a speed light on your
camera and use it, as well as have your camera in commander mode?

0 Reply

Naveen
October 30, 2016 12:58 pm

Thank you for this article Nasim. I just bought my Sb-700 and this tutorial has been very
helpful.

0 Reply

SIMIK SIMONIAN
March 26, 2016 2:06 pm

Hi Nasim, thanks for your all educational videos on youtube. I have Nikon D810, and SB-910
Speed Lite. I want to use the built in flash as commander and SB-910 as Remote. I have
already watched your video, and I put built in flash in — mode as well. The problem is that the
built in flash keeps firing every time I take the same shot (same distance). Why pre-flash
happens on each shot. Is this normal? I want to know why it fires in — or commander mode
every time, should it fire just once? Is something wrong with my camera or flash?

0 Reply

Rob
Reply to SIMIK SIMONIAN September 1, 2016 8:10 am

There isn’t anything wrong with the camera or the pop up flash. There will always be a
preflash to send out the signal to fire your off camera flash. Basically, light is how the
flashes communicate. I always feel when the camera is set to — there is plenty of flash
for communication but it seems to influence the exposure in some situations. It should
be for communication only but I don’t like the — setting. Rather, I set the camera to
manual output and choose 1/128 power. Just about every situation I shoot in has no
exposure impact from the on camera flash output and the off camera flash is seemingly
the only light influencing exposure. Even when I balance with ambient light.
www.takeandtalkpics.com

0 Reply

Dandan
Reply to Rob September 21, 2016 10:30 am

Hi, I seems having same problem. I am using D610 with SB800.

When I set it for remote shootoing at close distance, such as 2ft, the remote mode
always gives much over exposed picture. I try to set the in camera flash to “- -“, or
to manual with 1/128 power down, still got over exposed pictures,

Ant idea what’s wrong?

Thanks

Dandan

0 Reply

Richard mccann
February 4, 2016 5:14 pm

Thank you.

0 Reply

Tish
February 10, 2015 2:39 pm

i’ve had my sb-700 for a year or two now and it seemed overwhelming to use it. Your tutorial
was awesome and you explained it all so thoroughly. Thank you so much!!

0 Reply

Jim
November 17, 2014 6:17 pm

Is it possible to use the Nikon D610 and the SB700 with wireless flash without using the on
camera flash as part of the exposure?

0 Reply

Jim
November 17, 2014 6:16 pm

With the Nikon D610 and the SB 700 does wireless flash would with out the on camera flash
being part of the exposure?

0 Reply

Rob
Reply to Jim September 1, 2016 8:02 am

Kind of… You need to set the pop up flash to at least some power output to give signal to
the remote flash, SB-700 in this case. I have found if you set the pop up flash to manual
and and a power of 1/128 (the lowest output) it will be plenty to fire the off camera flash
but not enough power to influence the exposure. From a technical stand point any
amount of light, especially flash, is influencing the exposure at some capacity.
www.takeandtalkpics.com

0 Reply

s
September 4, 2014 6:55 pm

you said it wont work on the d3100 but it conflicts this url ?
www.revellphotography.com/blog/…announced/

0 Reply

Teresa
August 23, 2014 2:06 pm

Excellent! Such clear instructions. Thank you!

0 Reply

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