tcole1983 said:
Ok I used my flash during a party on Saturday and I remembered why the exposure was off at Christmas time. With the flash on the camera in A-mode it sets the shutter to 1/60. No matter what you change the f stop to it keeps the shutter speed at 1/60. So it was causing shots wide open to be over exposed while stopped down shots are underexposed. I don't know if there is a setting that deals with this...or if that is just the standard when you have the flash on and you are supposed to deal with that.

I am dumb...there is a setting in the menus and I had the flash on manual. Obviously turning it on TTL fixed it...works much better that way.

The SB-400 has no remote or commander IR receiver capability. An off-shoe TTL cable, such as the SC-28 or SC-29 (or, the longer after-market TTL cables made for Nikon cameras) is the only option for using the SB-400 off-camera (unless it works with an SU-4). Can anyone chime in about using an SU-4 with an SB-400?

By the way, the remotely CLS-commandable, Nikon SB-600, is now selling for only $219 at Best Buy retail stores ($197 with 10% coupon, available in USPS' moving kits).

Ok I used my flash during a party on Saturday and I remembered why the exposure was off at Christmas time. With the flash on the camera in A-mode it sets the shutter to 1/60. No matter what you change the f stop to it keeps the shutter speed at 1/60. So it was causing shots wide open to be over exposed while stopped down shots are underexposed. I don't know if there is a setting that deals with this...or if that is just the standard when you have the flash on and you are supposed to deal with that.

tcole1983 said:
I don't think it is.

Yea, my apologies to KOK Yoon Lee, I misremembered. Only the onboard flash can be put in "manual" mode.

tcole1983 said: From what I understand though it should be automatically adjusting the intensity so things aren't overexposed though right?

Yes it should. That's what TTL (through the lens) flash metering is all about. If it is consistently overexposing forgrounds there are only a couple of possibilities.
Defective body (unlikely), Defective flash (very unlikely in the SB-400's case as i-TTL should either work or not, there isn't much room for semi-functional failure.), messed up camera setting, too close of range, misunderstanding of how Nikon's CLS works / faulty expectations.

Drab said:
Could either of you post an example photo of an "over exposed" foreground?

The SB-400 should be behaving no different than any other i-TTL speedlight.

I deleted all the pictures where it was overexposed because they were worthless.

Testing123 said:
That is simply wrong.

I don't think it is. I just got out my instruction manual and looked through it. Not sure I know exactly what it is saying for all the cameras because I haven't used the others, but as far as I can tell on the D5000 there is no manual power operation (unless this is what the flash compensation option is). From what I understand though it should be automatically adjusting the intensity so things aren't overexposed though right?

I think you guys are getting confused in terminology, so let me have a go. The SB-400 can be configured to use on iTTL cameras using TTL or "manual" power (meaning the power can be controlled on camera anywhere from full power to 1/128). In this sense, the flash allows for the use of "manual power". However, it will only operate on the hot-shoe of TTL compatible camera. I couldn't put it on an old camera, such as my FM2, and expect to fire at all. In that case, the SB400 isn't really a manual flash.

KOK Yoon Lee said:
On my D200, the SB400 is iTTL only, no manual power.

That is simply wrong.

EDIT: Retracted, see below.

On a D90, D60 etc, the SB400 can be controlled by the cam to function in iTTL and manual power.
On my D200, the SB400 is iTTL only, no manual power.
On my D3, I can't even control the FV on the SB400. I have to change the EV to reduce the flash output.

I know what you mean broxi - I'm still dizzyafter we beat the old enemy in their back yard :^}

Oh well we got there in the end spraynpray...my head's still spinning after the Jets beat the Pats, I hate those Jets lol.

Testing123 said:
Not only is it truly a TTL flash, it can not operate in any manner BUT TTL. Pulling the trigger pin low will not fire it, it requires a functioning serial interface to work at all.

Don't know where your problem lies, but I would start by cleaning your flash and hotshoe contacts and visually inspecting for proper alignment upon insertion. The problem as described could be on either end, but most likely the 400 itself is to blame.

Hey Drab/Broxi,

OK, well I think Bland uses a D90 too, so he definitely has a fault.

As for the rest of what you said; yes, in the case of the OP the SB400 is no good, but (and that is a big but), I felt the flavour of the thread moved towards the SB400 only being iTTL and not manual on camera - that is what I posted about?

Cheers,

"I have no idea what any of yous guys are talking 'bout"...I don't know what I'm talking about half the time either lol but here's a pic to illustrate, it's either on or off, you can't manually adjust any of it's settings unless it's on a camera and the camera is telling it to +1 or whatever...

spraynpray said:
I have no idea what any of yous guys are talking 'bout - my SB400 operates as iTTL and manual from full power down to 1/128th or summat.

This might seem like a matter of pedantic semantics, but it isn't. I intend no offense.

The SB-400 does not have manual power adjustments in the traditional sense. It is truly i-TTL only. Without the circuitry of an i-TTL body the SB-400 can not be operated at all. Place it on a D100 even, and it is a paperweight. Your body allows manual power adjustments from full to 1/128th. Not the flash. It has no external controls, no external trigger port, no trigger switch, and will not respond to the historical precedent of grounding the trigger pin.

Any flash Nikon sold prior to the SB-400 could be operated manually. A paperclip was all that was needed (if one were so inclined) to fire the flash at the power level of ones choosing.

I make this point because it is precisely this imprecision in language which leads to the confusion expressed by the thread starter.

I have no idea what any of yous guys are talking 'bout - my SB400 operates as iTTL and manual from full power down to 1/128th or summat.

Bland - you have a faulty flash.

Could either of you post an example photo of an "over exposed" foreground?

The SB-400 should be behaving no different than any other i-TTL speedlight.

It isn't a contact needing to be cleaned issue. I noticed this same thing while shooting with mine in A mode. It might be a setting or something, but I got the same results as you have described. I got full flash and totally over exposed images while shooting in A mode. I adjusted the aperture and they came out better, but it wasn't working as others have seem to think it should. Let me know if you figure it out...maybe I will take a look at it when I get home. I might find something in the instruction booklet.

I have only used mine a handful of times so I know the terminals aren't dirty...and I keep the little plastic guard in place when not using it.

Thanks everyone, I'll give it a cleaning and see what happens.

All you need to know is that Ken rockwell thinks that the sb400 is ALL you need...

Honestly clean the contacts with an alcohol wipe...

Testing123 said:
Not only is it truly a TTL flash, it can not operate in any manner BUT TTL. Pulling the trigger pin low will not fire it, it requires a functioning serial interface to work at all.

Don't know where your problem lies, but I would start by cleaning your flash and hotshoe contacts and visually inspecting for proper alignment upon insertion. The problem as described could be on either end, but most likely the 400 itself is to blame.

How could it be a body problem if, as you state, a working serial connection is needed to tell the SB-400 how long to fire? Sounds to me like the SB-400 is hearing the command just fine (meaning the body isn't to blame) but unable to act properly on it, always firing at full power.

Bland said:
My question on the SB400 is it truly a TTL flash?

Not only is it truly a TTL flash, it can not operate in any manner BUT TTL. Pulling the trigger pin low will not fire it, it requires a functioning serial interface to work at all.

Don't know where your problem lies, but I would start by cleaning your flash and hotshoe contacts and visually inspecting for proper alignment upon insertion. The problem as described could be on either end, but most likely the 400 itself is to blame.

Got it for convenience. Exploring use with other units. Has served well as a tiny, portable unit. Less of the "wow, look at the geek with the camera" at parties. Will likely give it to my brother in the near future but heck, if I can tie it into a multiple flash setup, what the heck...

My question on the SB400 is it truly a TTL flash? What I'm getting at is my SB400 doesn't meter distance and I have to adjust the Aperture of the camera to control the light or use my camera controls. Maybe it's suppose to meter but mine doesn't.

? pw with sb400's... why not just face the fact that you need a better flash? i imagine it being a nightmare to ttl off camera with numerous units. manual is the way to go.

Wrote directly to PW with my own questions about my flashes. Replied exactly as they said they would. Loving PW, going to get PWs, need lottery ticket for all the education and stuff needed. So much for praying for health, wealth, and wisdom...

From PW support:
Hello,

SB-900 = Master on camera if desired, full TTL & HSS/FP support on camera or remote. SB-400 - full TTL support UNDER X-SYNC. No HSS/FP sync with the SB-400.

SB-14 and the SU-2 adapter which is used to fire the SB-14 remotely (I believe the SB-14 is a handle-mount style flash) should work for manual operation - recommend Basic Trigger Mode, but the hotshoe can handle up to 50V so the trigger voltage isn't an issue.