Strange SB800 behavior

[Hlop]

Hi All!

Did anyone has a problem I've got today with SB800?

Firstly, "Ready" light started blinking and flash didn't fire. I thought that batteries are dry (I used them for a quite long) and I changed them to fully charged. After that, "Ready" light doesn't come up, flash still firing but if it goes to sleep (stand by) it doesn't come up by half-pressing D70 button as it did before. Also, AF assistant light from SB800 doesn't work - I checked settings - it is "on" and D70 AF assist light doesn't work when SB800 is "on" and suppose to use it's own AF assistant.
Strangely, flash still communicates with camera properly, getting zoom and apperture settings, switches to TTL when I switch metering to spot mode etc.

Birddog,
If it's faulty, how can I check if it's still under warranty (It should be but I'm not 100% sure) and where it's from (HK or Maxwell)?

[birddog114]

As I replied to your PM, never heard or had this problems with the SB800.
The SB800 is very reliable and robust.
Problem could be the contact(s) of the internal batteries or the fifth chamber are not real touching the batteries in both ends or the hot shoe of the D70, the hotshoe of d70 is the known issue with the external flash.
Try it on another D70 or try another SB800 on your D70.
The price you paid for it always stock came from HKG.

**What happens when you remove the SB800 off the D70?
Have you tried remote flash by using the D70 as master?

[birddog114]

Or try the SB800 with a new set of Alkaline battery, not rechargeable battery to narrow down the problem.
The rechargeable batteries may not recharge or the charger may not charge.

[Hlop]

Or try the SB800 with a new set of Alkaline battery, not rechargeable battery to narrow down the problem.
The rechargeable batteries may not recharge or the charger may not charge.

Huh! Thanks, Birddog! This one was a great advice. SB800 works fine - looks like my rechargeables discharged or I swaped them a while ago and forgot to recharge ....

Anyway, thanks again to this great forum and to it's patrons for helping us!!!

[xerubus]

the sb800 is extremely reliable... good to hear it was just the batteries.

for anyone out there that uses their sb800 remotely..... don't use it remotely if their are emergency vehicles or other strong flashing strobes around... it just flashes like there is no tomorrow...

[birddog114]

the sb800 is extremely reliable... good to hear it was just the batteries.

for anyone out there that uses their sb800 remotely..... don't use it remotely if their are emergency vehicles or other strong flashing strobes around... it just flashes like there is no tomorrow...

Mark,
Yes, I can see what you meant and actually it's.

I also used it as a flashlight to find the loo in the dark

[Steffen]

I also used it as a flashlight to find the loo in the dark

Haha, the strobe function can come in quite handy. The other day I assisted my mate, taking snaps with his mobile phone, by lighting up the scene with the SB800's modelling light...

As for batteries, I normally use 2500mAh rechargeables, but I'm aware of their limited life-span. A good pulse-type charger helps (like the $99 one from Jaycar).

I always pack a bunch of AA-Lithiums as backup. Those have forever shelf life and are verrry lightweight to carry.

Cheers
Steffen.