How To Setup Nikon SB-800 As a "Master Flash Unit"

If you want to control other flash units remotely using a SB-800, you have to set it up as a master flash unit. And here are the few steps to configure a SB-800 flash unit as a Master Flash Unit.

1. With the SB-800 unit turned on, press and hold the SEL button for two seconds and the display will be changed.

2. Locate the shaded box and use the toggle buttons to highlight the wireless symbol.

3. Press the SEL button for one second. By doing so, the one right arrow pointing towards the OFF will change to two arrows (up and down) and the OFF selection on the right will be shaded.

4. Scroll down and select the MASTER by highlighting it and pressing the SEL button for two seconds. The display will then change to the Master view.

5. Press the SEL button to highlight "M". By pressing "+/–" you can change the flash output compensation value for the "M" group. Pressing the MODE while a group (M, A, B or C) is highlighted will change how the Speedlights in that group will react.

Available Flash Modes: TTL - Through The Lens metering A - Auto Aperture M - Manual - - No light output (although in M - - a preflash will occur)

Press the SEL button to jump from group M to A to B to C. Set the amount of flash output compensation for each group using "+/–" as you go.

6. Use the SEL button to highlight “CH” and use "+/–" to select the channel you will be working in. There are 4 channels which allow multiple photographers using the Nikon Creative Lighting System to control only their own Speedlights.

Note: The channel you choose for the Master Speedlight must be the same channel the remote units are set to.

7. Attach the Master Speedlight to your camera and you are ready to control other speedlights remotely.

If you are looking for how to configure a SB-900 and a SB-600 flash units in a wireless mode, here are the links for How to setup the SB-900 as a Master Speedlight Unit and How to setup SB600 flash to work in Commander Mode.

Source: A Hands-on Guide to Creative Lighting by Nikon School

How To Setup Nikon SB-900 As a "Master Speedlight Unit"

You can configure a Nikon SB-900 speedlight unit in a Master or a Commander mode by using the Power ON-OFF switch, also known as wireless setting switch. Here are the few steps you can follow to configure a SB-900 flash to work as a master unit.

1. Turn the switch while holding down the button in the center.

2. Align the index on the Power ON-OFF switch to MASTER.

This is all you need to do to make a SB-900 work as a master unit.

Now, let’s talk about setting the flash mode, flash output level compensation values and the channel number on the master flash unit.

1. Press the Function button 1 on the Master flash unit to highlight “M”.

Note: Left most button on the second picture (left to the lock sign) is Function Button 1 and right button to the lock sign is Function Button 2.

2. Press the MODE button, then turn the selector dial to choose the desired flash mode, and then press the OK button.

3. Press the Function button 2, then turn the selector dial to choose the desired flash output level compensation value, and then press the OK button.

Available Flash Modes: TTL Through The Lens metering; A Auto Aperture; M Manual; - - No light output (although in M - - a preflash will occur)

4. Press the Function button 1 to highlight the Group ”A”. Group A is selected by default but if you want to select a different group than A, turn the selector dial to choose a different group name.

5. Repeat the procedures in step 2 and 3 to set the flash mode and the flash output level compensation values for the remote flash units in Group ”A”.

6. You can repeat the entire process to set the flash mode and the flash output level compensation values for the remote flash units in Group ”B” and ”C” as well.

Note: After setting the output compensation value, press OK twice to reveal the ”Ch” above Function button 2.

7. Press the Function button 2, then turn the selector dial to set the channel number, and press the OK button.

Note: The channel you choose for the Master Speedlight must be the same channel the remote units are set to.

8. Attach the Master Speedlight to your camera and you are ready to control other flash units using SB-900.

If you are looking for how to configure a Nikon SB-800 and a Nikon SB-600 flash units in a wireless mode, here are the links for How to configure SB-800 flash unit as a Master flash unit and How to set SB600 flash to work in a Commander Mode.

Source: A Hands-on Guide to Creative Lighting by Nikon School

The Photographer's Eye

Once you know how to use your camera and learn about all the controls and settings, your photography journey is just begun. Next thing and probably the most important thing you need to learn is a composition. Without knowledge of proper composition, your photographs won't look the best. There are many rules and adopted standard among world class photographers to extract the best picture out of the given subject. The best of way of learning composition is by shooting as many photographs as you can in a different situations and varying different parameters. You can then judge your photographs by looking at them and getting comments from others about the photographs. But before going out for shooting, usually, you need something to start from or find a good learning point so that you can start practicing.

There are thousands of books and materials available online to know about the composition. Few weeks ago I was reading reviews about the book "The Photographer's Eye" by Michael Freeman and the reviews on Amazon were pretty good. Based upon the reviews it got, I bought the book and started reading as soon as I got my hands on it. I am enjoying reading this book so far and the best thing I like about the book is the illustration with the pictures. It has lots of pictures to demonstrate the theory about specific photographic composition and talks about the rules in detail. Photographs are taken from different places around the world and they are very interesting to see and observe. I haven't completed the book yet but lots of readers were claiming that this is the must have book if you want to master the composition technique. Some readers also said that they repeated this book many times and learned new things every time they read. I am hoping to enjoy reading it to the end and will share more information as I go through this book.

At the time I was writing this blog, Amazon was selling this book for $19.77 whereas the original price was $29.95 if you are interested in getting your own copy.