Nikon 50DX Instruction Manual - Page 25

Wireless Multiple Flash Operation You can perform wireless multiple flash operation with the SB-50DX. The light sensor on the SB-50DX senses light received from the master flash unit (Speedlight, such as the SB-50DX attached on the camera or camera's built-in Speedlight) to trigger the SB-50DX and control the flash duration of the SB-50DX. • TTL auto wireless multiple flash operation 1. Attach the master flash unit to the camera. • Before attaching the Speedlight, turn off the Speedlight and camera. 2. Position the SB-50DX as a slave flash unit. Slave flash unit Subject Light from master flash unit • Set the SB-50DX at a position (normally closer to the subject than the camera) where light from the master flash unit can reach the light sensor on the SB-50DX. • Effective range of the SB-50DX's light sensor in the TTL wireless multiple flash operation is approx. 7m (23 ft.). • There is no limit to the number of slave flash units (SB-80DX, SB-50DX, SB-30 units or other Speedlights with the SU-4 attached, p. 56) that can be used together. However, if too much light from other slave flash units enters the light sensor of the Speedlight, correct operation may not be possible. So the practical number of Slave flash units usable is up to three. 3. Turn on the camera and all the Speedlights. • To use the SB-50DX as a master flash unit with (silver chloride) film cameras, press the SLAVE button for approx. 1 sec. to set the Wireless Flash mode with indication in the LCD panel. Monitor pre-flashes (p. 27) will not be fired even if the Automatic Balanced Fill-Flash with TTL MultiSensor (p. 25) is selected. 4. Set the flash mode on the master flash unit to TTL auto (p. 18). • To use the camera's built-in Speedlight as the master unit, release the built-in Speedlight. (See your camera's instruction manual). • Auto wireless multiple flash operation is also possible with the master flash unit set to non-TTL auto. (See the Speedlight instruction manual for details.) With the master flash unit set to non-TTL auto, the light sensor on the slave SB-50DX unit also senses light received from the master flash unit to trigger the slave SB-50DX unit and control the flash duration. With non-TTL auto, you can perform auto wireless multiple flash operation with Nikon digital SLRs or cameras that are not compatible with TTL auto flash (Nikon FM2, FE10, FM10, etc.). Cancel Monitor pre-flashes When using a Group I camera (p. 28), cancel the Monitor pre-flashes of the master flash unit (p. 47). 5. Set the SB-50DX (used as a slave flash unit) to the Wireless Flash mode. • Press the SLAVE button for approx. one second to activate for Auto Slave Flash mode or for Manual Slave Flash mode indicated in the LCD panel. If the is shown, press the MODE button to set the Auto Slave Flash mode with indication. • When the Wireless Flash mode is activated, the flash mode indication (p. 18) disappears from the LCD panel. • In the Wireless Flash mode, leaving the SB-50DX unused for more than approx. one hour activates the standby function (p. 13) and the SB-50DX is automatically turned off. • To cancel the Wireless Flash mode, press the SLAVE button until the Wireless Flash mode indication disappears from the LCD panel. (Turning off the SB-50DX does not cancel the Wireless Flash mode.) Technical Operation 48 49