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Just got my SB800 last weekend.

Was just looking for general tips and specific macro tips.

For Macro:
Should I be shooting in manual and letting the flash do its thing? Or something else?

Cheers,
Nick

Hey Nick, welcome to the SB800 club.

I'm not much of a macro shooter myself, but all I can advice you is, be mindful of the 0.6 meter flash to subject minimum distance.

So the flash can't meter if the subject is too close?
Explains why sometimes it was firing off full power when doing macro.

pippin88 wrote:So the flash can't meter if the subject is too close?
Explains why sometimes it was firing off full power when doing macro.

Put a plastic container over the flash output area, as to reduce the power hitting your subject, or tape 2 or 3 contaner lids to the flash head, carefull you do not cover the flash sensor

Warning..... make sure the wife has gone shopping.........

This flash is the bee's knees, gives great room filling light when bounced off the ceiling with the standard diffusion dome.

pippin88 wrote:Just got my SB800 last weekend.

For Macro:
Should I be shooting in manual and letting the flash do its thing? Or something else?

Cheers,
Nick

Hi Nick,

FWIW, on macro shots I use manual on the camera, usually the fastest shutter speed I can get with the smallest aperture. I keep the sb800 on auto and let it do its thing.

But, if the flash is attached to the camera hot shoe, you have to have sufficient working distance from the subject for the flash to be effective.

KerryPierce wrote:But, if the flash is attached to the camera hot shoe, you have to have sufficient working distance from the subject for the flash to be effective.

What about setting an EV, say, -1 in this case? For example, I'm trying to get 1:1 macro of something (31cm which is about 2 times closer than flash min. distance) and SB800 attached to hot shoe. Will it work?

Hlop wrote:

KerryPierce wrote:But, if the flash is attached to the camera hot shoe, you have to have sufficient working distance from the subject for the flash to be effective.

What about setting an EV, say, -1 in this case? For example, I'm trying to get 1:1 macro of something (31cm which is about 2 times closer than flash min. distance) and SB800 attached to hot shoe. Will it work?

Hi Hlop,

I was talking about the distance from the lens to the subject. I assume that a 60mm might have to be too close to the subject and give a shadow. That could be corrected by using the flash off camera with a cord.

I haven't had any issues with the minimum flash distance. I usually use the spot meter and adjust the flash +/- EV as necessary, depending on the subject. With the small apertures I use, I rarely have to use a -EV setting on the flash.

KerryPierce wrote:Hi Hlop,

I was talking about the distance from the lens to the subject. I assume that a 60mm might have to be too close to the subject and give a shadow. That could be corrected by using the flash off camera with a cord.

I haven't had any issues with the minimum flash distance. I usually use the spot meter and adjust the flash +/- EV as necessary, depending on the subject. With the small apertures I use, I rarely have to use a -EV setting on the flash.

Thanks Kerry! Actually, I've tried few shots with Sigma 105 macro and SB800 with wide angle adaptor and dome and didn't get any shadow yet. But I've done just very few of test shots - still trying to make some time frame to get out and practice macro.

KerryPierce wrote:Hi Nick,

FWIW, on macro shots I use manual on the camera, usually the fastest shutter speed I can get with the smallest aperture. I keep the sb800 on auto and let it do its thing.

But, if the flash is attached to the camera hot shoe, you have to have sufficient working distance from the subject for the flash to be effective.

So you are just setting exposure based on the cameras metering. Nothing more tricky than that?

Do you use the diffusion dome?
Point flash straight at subject? Or use the bounce card?

I use the Sigma 105, so shadow isn't a problem.

pippin88 wrote:So you are just setting exposure based on the cameras metering. Nothing more tricky than that?

Yes, normally that's all I do, using iTTL and spot meter if appropriate.

pippin88 wrote:Do you use the diffusion dome? Point flash straight at subject? Or use the bounce card?

It depends on the ambient lighting. I frequently use the bounce card, with the flash pointed straight at the subject. f/32 @ 1/500 requires a lot of light. I've had to back off the shutter speeds to as low as 1/250 at times, because of the low light levels.

pippin88 wrote:I use the Sigma 105, so shadow isn't a problem.

I didn't think it would, but wasn't sure. I don't recall having used the sb800 with my Tamron 90 at the minimum focus distance.