flash SB700

bery

Hi everyone,

I would like to ask you for help because my flash is driving me crazy I am experiencing big problems when TTL mode is activated. In standard position (0°) everything works normally. When flash is in any other position for example in 90° with built-in bounce card out - flash-ready indicator in camera and on the flash is blinking and strange of fire is really low and cant be see some difference on the picture.

Please see the video for better imagination. As you can see picture withou flash and with flash in 90° is quite same. Just temp changed.



I tried all ISO, aperture, speed combination...I have same problem also with some extreme settings like 1/40, ISO 3200 and aperture 1.8.
As I am trying somehow diagnostic when the problem is appearing, I discovered that it is not doing when I am somewhere in dark place where are no lights, but I am not sure. It is really uncertain

it was in official Nikon servis - they didn't diagnostic issue. According to them everything is ok.
I tried on 2 different body -> same problem.

can somebody help me please? Probably I will need to go to Nikon again and would like to speak with technician personally and show him.

PB_PM

The reason you are having issues is the ISO and shutter speed. At those high ISO settings and low shutter speeds the camera will gather too much natural light for the flash to have much effect on the exposure.

Ironheart

Post some photos with the EXIF data intact that illustrate the problem.

bery

The reason you are having issues is the ISO and shutter speed. At those high ISO settings and low shutter speeds the camera will gather too much natural light for the flash to have much effect on the exposure.

ok, let's say that you are right. Why I have the problem in P mode as well?

bery

Post some photos with the EXIF data intact that illustrate the problem.

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/kjkkx2xl8kyvlit/AABklQxY6XaNvGfh0PL6-V1Oa?dl=0

Ironheart

Just a few quick observations.

At ISO 2500 which is what both of these photos are taken with, the flash will have to fire very little, if at all, to "bring the shot up". The second photo of the DJ has enough ambient light to properly expose the subject, so the flash would likely not fire at all in any mode, other than manual.

The venue for both of these photos seems to be a bar/club. Typically these venues have "blacked out" ceilings which will eat flashes for lunch and dinner. In other words, there will be approximately, roughly zero bounce effect from such a ceiling. In your first photo, the flash may have very well fired, but at ISO 2500 the flash will be firing at 1/16 to 1/32 power, and with a black ceiling, will not contribute to the final image at all.

In this type of venue, straight on flash is the only way to go. Either that and crank up the ISO and shoot without it at all. It looks like you have the nifty 18-35 f/1.8 sigma, so open that puppy up all the way and shoot in the dark without flash :-)

bery

Thank you for your comment. I still don't think so that I am doing something wrong I am shooting with the same settings for quite long time and never had problem. Just in the end of that party my flash started having these problems.

I am not shooting with that small bounce card but I am using something like this

http://www.izenet.com/WebRoot/ce_fr2/Shops/255617/4F7E/E0E8/8BAC/058E/75AA/C0A8/8007/AF80/SBOX33b.jpg

with golden plate inside.

Here is rest of the photos from that club - just for comparison how it should look like when flash works normally. Most of the time same settings. shutter time around 1/30, Aperture f/2 and ISO from 2500 to 3200. I am reducing flash usually between -0.3 EV up to -1.3 EV

http://www.brfoto.cz/Report/CJ-Bolland/

Yes I now thinking too that I am really stupid and don't know how to use my flash because it so mysterious for me Never had problems like this and using my camera still same

Ironheart

You said it is having the same issue on different cameras, so lets focus on the flash. Do you have the switches in the same places? Check the contacts in the hot-shoe? It is possible that there is a loose connection when the flash head is rotated upwards. Can you fire the flash manually in this position?

bery

yes right, same issue on different cameras. It fires normally when head is up and I fire it manually. Switches are ok, contacts in the hot-shoe cleaned and are ok.