Thanks, Jplatanou.

@corbrax ,

I read this interview, which mentions that the D800 pop-up flash acts as a commander: http://blog.reflex-photo.eu/2012/03/nikon-d800-1er-test-terrain-interview.html

Jplatanou said:
Thanks everyone for the answers, so what I probably see, are the pre-flashes.

Are the pre-flashes interfering with the exposure in any way? If the answer is yes, what can I do? Buy a SU-800? Or maybe a second flash, like a SB-700/910, and use it as a commander like a SU-800? When I use a SB-700/910 as a commander, can I trigger off camera flash, without any pre-flashes (like a SU-800)?

The pre-flashes have no effect on the final exposure (other then allowing the camera to actually set the final exposure). They happen BEFORE the shutter opens. Now, there are tricks that can be used to lock the exposure (pre-flash the pre-flashes) if you are worried about people blinking.

Beyond that, even if you use a SU-800 as the trigger, your remote flash will pre-flash in order to allow the camera itself to figure out how to set the exposure for that zone

Grab your manual and learn how to set and use the flash/exposure-value lock

have fun

Thanks, Willis.

I hope you are right that the D800 does indeed include flash commander, but I suppose we will know definitively in about three weeks.

If the Nikonusa spec sheets are consistently written (perhaps a big "if"), I suspect that although the D800 supports CLS, it may well not include flash commander. The D3s spec includes the statement "CLS supported" (as does the D800 and D7000 spec), but the D7000 adds an additional statement "Built in flash commander mode". Neither the D800 nor the D3s spec adds this additional statement. Since you got me to wondering how the D3s could support CLS without a pop-up, I checked the D3s manual, and saw that the D3s supports CLS by way of either a CLS compatible flash or a SU-800.

Unless someone knows for sure, time will tell.

Thanks everyone for the answers, so what I probably see, are the pre-flashes.

Are the pre-flashes interfering with the exposure in any way? If the answer is yes, what can I do? Buy a SU-800? Or maybe a second flash, like a SB-700/910, and use it as a commander like a SU-800? When I use a SB-700/910 as a commander, can I trigger off camera flash, without any pre-flashes (like a SU-800)?

(please excuse my english)

The D3s has no popup flash, so its not going to trigger one w/o the commander module (which, as I understand it, uses a infrared pre flash). The D800 has a popup, so I can't imagine that it would not include CLS support. That's in every popup flash outside of their entry level model (at least it isn't in the D40... not sure about the D3100).

I believe that the D3s \ D4 would require a SU-800 (which desperately needs an update to bring it up to par w/ the improvements to the SB900 \ SB 910.

Jplatanou said:
just bought some lenses and a sb-910, for the upcoming D800.
Since I'll have to wait a few weeks for D800 to arrive, I borrowed a Nikon
D7000 from a friend, to try the lenses and the flash.

One question I have been trying to answer definitively is whether or not the D800 will have built-in flash commander like the D7000, D90, etc. A review of the Nikon site specs indicates (like the D3s) the D800 "supports" CLS, but unlike the D7000 spec, it does not say "Built-in flash commander mode". I frequently use the flash commander and would not look forward to having to purchase an SU-800 (or SB 910) to continue to use, say, the R1 wireless close up system with my new D800. Can anyone confirm the presence/absence of flash commander on the D800?

jonnyapple said:
John, you should be able to turn off the flash on the D7000. I assume you're in setting e3. In commander mode, when the 'Mode' setting is highlighted for the built-in flash, scroll up/down until "--" is displayed. The on-camera flash does fire pre-flashes (that's how it's communicating with the SB-910), but during the exposure it should stay off.

This is how the CLS works. The flashes are only Pre flashes that do not work into the image.

On my D7000 I have been setting the pop-up flash to -3 so it adds no significant contribution to the overall exposure but still contributes to a catchlight in the eye.

@jonnyapple

This is not exactly on topic but it is related to wireless flash issues. I was wondering, and since you're a physicist, do you know how the SG-3IR actually works? Does it actually cancel out all light except for IR? Or does it just reduce amount of light (pre-flash)? This question came up in another thread a little while ago so I thought you might be able to answer it.

The Nikon CLS offers a very large number of options and settings
Mike Hagen has a good book on the subject
my own solution is to use a pocket wizard, as the off camera flash, does not need to be in the line of sight

John, you should be able to turn off the flash on the D7000. I assume you're in setting e3. In commander mode, when the 'Mode' setting is highlighted for the built-in flash, scroll up/down until "--" is displayed. The on-camera flash does fire pre-flashes (that's how it's communicating with the SB-910), but during the exposure it should stay off.

Hi everyone,

I just bought some lenses and a sb-910, for the upcoming D800.
Since I'll have to wait a few weeks for D800 to arrive, I borrowed a Nikon
D7000 from a friend, to try the lenses and the flash. So everything works fine,
but I can't find a way to trigger the sb-910 off camera, without the pop-up flash firing.
Do you know if in D800, you'll be able to completely turn off the pop up flash?
I've just watched a video on youtube, where someone says that on the D300 you can
completely disable it. So is this a problem only with d7000?

Thank you,
John