Nikon SB-800 User manual

SB-800
Autofocus Speedlight
Page numbers in parentheses refer you to explanations in the main instruction manual.
A collection of example photos
Enter the exciting world of
Nikon's Creative Lighting System
with the SB-800.
En

A wealth of advanced flash-shooting
techniques await you
with the SB-800.
Soften the shadows.
Record details of small objects.
Take life-like portraits.
4
5"
7
"
8
!
9

Emulate the results of
professional studio photographers.
Create more natural-looking
pictures by illuminating both
the subject and background.
Use colored gel filters to add
specific colors to the scene.
• Numbers on the pictures refer to page numbers of this booklet.
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4Bounce flash
Normal flash
When photographing a person standing in
front of a wall, tilt or rotate the flash head up
to bounce the light off the ceiling. This softens
the light falling on the subject, while throwing
the dark shadow behind and below the
subject. This is an excellent technique to use
indoors to render the subtle tones of the
person’s face, where direct flash often
causes harsh, unattractive lighting (p. 98).
Shooting data (Bounce flash)
Camera: D2H
Lens focal length: 60mm
Speedlight: SB-800 set to Dwith
flash head tilted up
Aperture: f/8
Shooting distance: Approx. 4m (13.1 ft.)
Shooting data
(Normal flash)
Camera: D2H
Focal length: 60mm
Speedlight: SB-800
set to Dwith flash
head in normal
position
Aperture: f/9
Shooting distance:
Approx. 4m (13.1 ft.)
90゜
50゜
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Tilting the flash head and choosing the
reflecting surface
Tilt the flash head up at least 50° for the most
effective bounce flash. Also, make sure that the
light from the flash head does not illuminate the
subject directly. Optimum results are obtained
when the flash head is positioned 1–2m
(3.3–6.6 ft.) from the reflecting surface.
When shooting in color, select white or highly
reflective surfaces to bounce the light off of.
Otherwise, your pictures will come out with an
unnatural color cast similar to that of the
reflecting surface.
Flash set-up
Bounce flash Create more flattering portraits by tilting or
rotating the flash head to bounce the light
off the ceiling or walls.

5
With Nikon Diffusion Dome
Without Nikon Diffusion Dome
Shooting data
(Without Nikon Diffusion Dome)
Camera: D2H
Focal length: 105mm
Speedlight: SB-800 set to D
Aperture: f/6.3
Shooting distance: Approx. 2.5m
(8.2 ft.)
Notes on using the Nikon Diffusion Dome
Good results are obtained when the flash head is
tilted up 60°.
Essentially the same lighting effect is produced
when the camera is positioned either horizontally
or vertically.
Use of the built-in wide-flash adapter in conjunction
with the Nikon Diffusion Dome produces the
maximum amount of diffused light.
Nikon Diffusion Dome
Shooting data
(With Nikon Diffusion Dome)
Camera: D2H
Focal length: 105mm
Speedlight: SB-800 set to D
with Nikon Diffusion Dome attached
Aperture: f/6.3
Shooting distance: Approx. 2.5m (8.2 ft.)
The Nikon Diffusion Dome diffuses the light
from the flash to soften shadows and prevent
the subject’s face from coming out too bright.
By attaching the provided Nikon Diffusion Dome
over the flash head, you can diffuse the light even
more when doing bounce flash, creating extremely
soft light with virtually no shadows, while insuring
sufficient illumination of the background (p. 101).
Flash set-up

Shooting data
(i-TTL Automatic Balanced Fill-Flash)
Camera: D2H
Focal length: 70mm
Speedlight: SB-800 set to
Do
Aperture: f/14
In this mode, the camera automatically controls the
flash output to keep both the subject and back-
ground properly exposed. This mode is especially
effective when shooting scenes that include a
mirror, white wall, or other highly reflective
surfaces (p. 37).
i-TTL Automatic Balanced Fill-Flash Standard i-TTL flash
Auto FP High-Speed Sync
Shooting data
(Auto FP high-speed sync)
Camera: D2H
Focal length: 125mm
Speedlight:
SB-800 set to
BK
Aperture: f/2.8
Shutter speed: 1/3200 sec.
Automatic high-speed flash synchronization at
shutter speeds exceeding the camera’s flash sync
speed is possible. When shooting with flash
outdoors, faster shutter speeds allow you to use a
wider aperture to blur the background and/or
freeze fast-moving subjects (p. 60).
Auto FP high-speed sync
Flash shooting at normal sync speed
6
i-TTL Automatic Balanced Fill-Flash

FlashValue Lock (FV Lock)
Using FV Lock, you can obtain the correct
exposure, when the subject is off-center and
positioned against a dark or light background.
Because the flash exposure remains locked in
even if you change the aperture or composition, or
zoom the lens in and out, you can obtain the
correct exposure for the main subject. Without FV
Lock, the main subject is overexposed due to the
dark background (p. 61).
Shooting data
(Without FV Lock)
Camera: D2H
Focal length: 60mm
Speedlight: SB-800 set to D
Aperture: f/8
Using FV Lock for an off-center subject
Without using FV Lock
for an off-center subject
FV Lock is unnecessary when
the main subject is centered.
7
Shooting data (With FV Lock)
Camera: D2H
Focal length: 60mm
Speedlight: SB-800 set to Do
Aperture: f/8
Shooting data
(Without FV Lock)
Camera: D2H
Focal length: 60mm
Speedlight: SB-800 set to D
Aperture: f/8

Two flash units (one bounced from the side;
another used directly from the top rear)
Direct on-camera flash
Off-camera flash directly from the side
Off-camera flash bounced from the side
Three flash units
(one flash bounced from the side + two
flashes from the top and rear)
Close-up photography using multiple flash units
8
Flash set-up
2
1
Dramatic close-ups of small objects can be
created by using one SB-800 off-camera as the
master flash and another as the remote flash.
A feeling of roundness is provided by this set-up.
One SB-800, the master flash, is used off-camera
via a cord to bounce the light off a reflector card to
diffuse the shadows, while a second SB-800, the
remote flash, is positioned above and to the left
rear of the subject, providing direct illumination.
In this situation, the master flash unit is the fill light,
whereas the remote flash is the main light (p. 102).
Shooting data (Using two flash units)
Camera: D2H
Focal length: 105mm
1Master flash unit: SB-800 set to D
(bounced from the side)
2Remote flash unit: SB-800 set to D
(directly from the top rear)
Aperture: f/22
Shooting distance:
Approx. 1m (3.3 ft.)

On-camera flash
Two flash units: one flash
back-lit from the side +
another from the bottom using
a reflector and gel filter.
With a single on-camera flash unit, distinct
shadows appear behind the subject, contributing
to a sense of flatness. Bounced illumination from
the side and direct illumination from the top rear
provided by two SB-800s eliminate the shadows
and emphasize the motorcycle’s contours such as
the wheels. In this way, a much more vivid rendition
of both the miniature model of the bike and the
figure beside it are created (p. 102).
Shooting data
(Two flash units: Off-camera flash bounced
from the side + another directly from the top rear)
Camera: D2H
Focal length: 105mm
1Master flash unit: SB-800 set to D
(bounced from the side)
2Remote flash unit: SB-800 set to D
(directly from the top rear)
Aperture: f/22
Shooting distance: Approx. 1.5m (4.9 ft.)
Two flash units: Off-camera flash bounced
from the side + one directly from the top
9
Flash set-up 2
1

Close-up photography using multiple flash units (cont.)
By using more than one SB-800, you can take
breath-taking close-ups of subjects like flowers.
To bring out the gorgeous colors and textures of
the purple cattleyas, two SB-800s were used, one
on the left front (as the master unit via a cord) and
another (as the remote unit) on the right rear and
slightly above the flowers. Although both
Speedlights were used directly, this lighting set-up
produces soft shadows with enhanced subject
detail (p. 102).
Shooting data
(Using two flash units)
Camera: D2H
Focal length: 105mm
1Master flash unit: SB-800 set to D
2Remote flash unit: SB-800 set to D
(from the top)
Aperture: f/32
Shooting distance: Approx. 1m (3.3 ft.)
Two flash units (one from the side and another from above)
A single flash unit from above
!
Shooting data
(Using a single flash unit from above)
Camera: D2H
Focal length: 105mm
Master flash unit: SB-800 set
to D
Aperture: f/25
Shooting distance: Approx. 1m
(3.3 ft.)
Flash set-up
2
1

Wireless multiple flash shooting in theTTL auto flash mode
Shooting data
(Advanced Wireless Lighting)
Camera: D2H
Focal length: 70mm
Master flash unit: SB-800
set to D
Remote flash unit: SB-800
set to D
Aperture: f/11
Shooting data
(Using two flash units)
Camera: D2H
Focal length: 70mm
Master flash unit: SB-800 set
to D
Remote flash unit: SB-800 set
to D
Aperture: f/14
In addition to the master flash unit used on-camera,
the remote flash unit illuminates the subject from
the side to create a more natural-looking portrait.
In current wireless multiple flash shooting, the
overlapping portions illuminated by two flash units
are overexposed. However, with Advanced
Wireless Lighting in the TTL auto flash mode, the
subject comes out correctly exposed (p. 76).
Advanced Wireless Lighting shooting (Two flash units:
on-camera flash + remote flash from the side)
Current wireless multiple
flash shooting
The master flash unit is used on-camera while the
remote flash unit illuminates the subject from the rear
to emphasize the subject’s contour and bring out the
delicate details of subject’s hair. This lighting set-up
is particularly effective when shooting portraits
against dark backgrounds (p. 76).
Two flash units: on-camera flash + remote flash from the rear
Single on-camera flash
"

Multiple flash shooting (1)
Use more than one flash to illuminate both the
subject and the background.
With one SB-800 used on-camera, the subject in
front is properly illuminated, while the background
comes out too dark. To create a more natural-
looking picture of the woman sitting in the room,
one remote flash unit was placed behind the
subject and on the right, then bounced off the
ceiling to light the background. Another remote
flash unit with a red gel filter attached was
positioned in the fireplace behind a log to create
the impression of flames (p. 80).
Shooting data
(Using three flash units)
Camera: D2H
Focal length: 25mm
1Master flash unit: SB-800 set
to D
2Remote flash unit A: SB-800
set to D
(bounced off the ceiling)
3Remote flash unit B: SB-800
set to G
(with red gel filter)
Aperture: f/5.6
Three flash units (on-camera flash + one remote unit bounced off
the ceiling + one remote unit with red gel filter in the fireplace)
Single on-camera flash
Two flash units (one on-camera
flash + one remote unit bounced
from the ceiling)
#
Flash set-up
2
1
3
Fireplace

Multiple flash shooting (2)
Shooting data
(Using three flash units)
Camera: D2H
Focal length: 48mm
1Master flash unit: SB-800
set to D
2 Remote flash unit A: SB-800
set to
D
3 Remote flash unit B: SB-800
set to
G
Aperture: f/8
The master flash illuminates the subject from
the side, while two remote flash units soften
and eliminate the shadows.
In this setup, the master flash was placed off-
camera on the left to emphasize the subject
contours, but casts shadows on the woman’s face
and a harsh shadow on the back wall. Remote flash
A was positioned on the right to soften the shadows.
However, the shadow on the wall still exists.
To remove it, remote flash B was placed at the
subject’s feet to bounce light off the wall, resulting
in a dramatic portrait (p. 76).
Three flash units (One off-camera on the left + one on the
right + one behind the subject bounced off the back wall)
Single off-camera flash
Two flash units (One off-camera
on the left + one on the right)
$
3
12
Flash set-up

Slow-sync flash shooting with multiple flash
Using a slow shutter speed with more than one
flash produces more natural-looking pictures of
the subject and background.
Four flash units were used to illuminate the subject
and the room in back. Remote flash unit A was
added to the master flash unit used on-camera to
illuminate the subject from the side to create a
more vivid rendition of the woman and the fruit in
the basket. Two more remote flash units B and C
were placed in the room behind the subject. Light
from remote flash unit B was bounced off the wall,
while that of remote flash unit C was bounced off
the ceiling to illuminate the entire room and add
accent. Furthermore, a slow shutter speed was
used to make the tones of the subject and the
background come out brighter (pp. 58, 76).
Shooting data
(Using a slow shutter speed)
Camera: D2H
Focal length: 40mm
1Master flash unit: SB-800 set to D
2Remote flash unit A: SB-800 set to B
3Remote flash unit B: SB-800 set to B
4Remote flash unit C: SB-800 set to G
Aperture: f/8
Shutter speed: 1/30 sec.
Four flash units using a slow shutter speed Four flash units using
a normal shutter speed
%
Shooting data
(Using a normal shutter speed)
Camera: D2H
Focal length: 40mm
1Master flash unit: SB-800
set to D
2Remote flash unit A: SB-800
set to B
3Remote flash unit B: SB-800
set to B
4Remote flash unit C: SB-800
set to G
Aperture: f/8
Shutter speed: 1/250 sec.
43
1
2
Flash set-up

Slow-sync flash shooting
When shooting in extremely dark situations,
flash can be used with slow shutter speeds to
obtain the correct exposure for both the subject
and background.
Often, when taking flash pictures in low-light
situations or at night, the background comes out
vastly underexposed. In this case, set the
slow-sync flash mode on your camera.
This allows the use of slow shutter speeds for
recording detail in the background, while the flash
provides the correct exposure for the subject in the
foreground (p. 58).
Shooting data
(Slow-sync flash)
Camera: D2H
Focal length: 80mm
Master flash unit: SB-800 set to Do
Aperture: f/7.1
Shutter speed: 1/4 sec
Slow-sync flash
Normal shutter speed
&
Shooting data
(Normal shutter speed)
Camera: D2H
Focal length: 80mm
Master flash unit: SB-800 set
to Do
Aperture: f/7.1
Shutter speed: 1/250 sec.

Shooting with colored gel filters
The same is true when shooting flash pictures under
incandescent/tungsten illumination. In this case, set your
digital camera’s white balance to “Incandescent.”
Shooting data (With a gel filter)
Camera: D2H
Speedlight: SB-800 set to Do
White balance setting: Incandescent
Shooting data
(With a gel filter)
Camera: D2H
Speedlight: SB-800 set to Do
White balance setting: Flash
With a gel filter (for incandescent light) and the camera’s
white balance set to “Incandescent”
With a gel filter (for incandescent
light) and the camera’s white
balance set to “Flash”
Modifying the color temperature of the flash to match
that of the overall scene illumination.
If you shoot flash pictures under fluorescent light with your
digital camera’s white balance set to “Flash,” the main sub-
ject will look normal. However, the background will come out
green. To compensate, use a green gel filter, then adjust the
camera’s white balance to “Fluorescent” (p. 96).
With a gel filter (for fluorescent light) and the camera’s
white balance set to “Fluorescent”
Without a gel filter and the camera’s
white balance set to “Flash”
(
Shooting data
(Without a gel filter)
Camera: D2H
Speedlight: SB-800 set to Do
White balance setting: Flash
Shooting data
(With a gel filter)
Camera: D2H
Speedlight: SB-800 set to Do
White balance setting: Fluorescent

Single on-camera flash
Colored gel filters can be used to add dramatic
colors to the scene.
The optional Colored Gel Filter Set SJ-1 contains a
total of 20 gel filters in various colors. In the main
photo above, the on-camera master flash
illuminates the woman, while three remote units
are used behind her. Two units with red and blue
gel filters were bounced off the back wall to
accentuate the background in addition to the
indirect blue lighting. A third remote unit without a
gel filter was placed directly behind the subject’s
head to create rim-lighting on her hair (pp. 76, 96).
Shooting data
(With a single flash)
Camera: D2H
Focal length: 38mm
Master flash unit: SB-800 set
to D
Aperture: f/5.6
White balance setting: Flash
Four flash units: One on-camera + three remote flash
units (two with gel filters and one without)
Using colored gel filters with multiple flash
)
Shooting data
(With four flash units)
Camera: D2H
Focal length: 38mm
1Master flash unit: SB-800 set to D
2Remote flash unit A: SB-800 set to G
3Remote flash unit B: SB-800 set to G
4Remote flash unit C: SB-800 set to G
Aperture: f/5.6
White balance setting: Flash
3
4
Flash set-up
2
1

Using colored gel filters with multiple flash (cont.)
The optional Colored Gel Filter Set SJ-1 can be
used with the SB-800 to add specific colors to
create various renditions of a scene.
In these photos, the on-camera flash was bounced
off the ceiling and used as the master unit, while a
second flash unit positioned on the right side was
used directly as the remote unit. The color of the
illumination from the remote flash was modified by
attaching colored gel filters. In addition, the
background was changed by placing a window
shade between the subject and remote flash and
firing the flash through it (pp. 76, 96).
Shooting data (Using two flash units)
Camera: D2H
Focal length: 60mm
1Master flash unit: SB-800 set to D
2Remote flash unit: SB-800 set to G
Aperture: f/7.1
White balance setting: Flash
On-camera flash (bounced) + remote flash unit with a yellow
gel filter and positioned behind the window shade
On-camera flash only (bounced)
without the window shade
Two flash units with no gel filter
with the window shade
Two flash units with a blue gel
filter with the window shade
Two flash units with an red gel
filter with the window shade
~
Flash set-up
Window shade
2
1

Two flash units with no gel filter
without the window shade
Two flash units with a blue gel
filter without the window shade
Two flash units with an red gel
filter without the window shade
Truly original photos are possible to create by
using three remote flash units with colored gel
filters attached and positioning them on three sides
of the subject, then shooting the picture from a
high angle (pp. 76, 96).
Shooting data (Using four flash units)
Camera: D2H
Focal length: 45mm
1Master flash unit: SB-800 set to D
2Remote flash unit A: SB-800 set to G
with a yellow gel filter
3Remote flash unit B: SB-800 set to G
with a red gel filter
4Remote flash unit C: SB-800 set to G
with a blue gel filter
Aperture: f/8
White balance Setting: Flash
Four flash units with gel filters
+
Flash set-up
3
4
2
1

With the SB-800 mounted on the camera and used
directly, illumination of the wall with the framed
pictures falls off rapidly toward the rear. To spice
up the picture and add needed illumination, three
remote flash units with blue, yellow, and red gel
filters were bounced off the wall (pp. 76, 96).
Shooting data
(Using four flash units)
Camera: D2H
Focal length: 56mm
1Master flash unit: SB-800 set to D
2Remote flash unit A: SB-800 set to G
3Remote flash unit B: SB-800 set to G
4Remote flash unit C: SB-800 set to G
Aperture: f/5.6
White balance setting: Flash
Four flash units: On-camera flash + three remote flash
units with blue, yellow, and red gel filters
Single on-camera flash
Four flash units: On-camera
flash + three remote flash units
without gel filters.
Using colored gel filters with multiple flash (cont.)
,
1
4
3
2
Flash set-up