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Mahault · 10-25-2015, 12:36 PM

Hello folks!

I've a Nikon SB-700 Flash here and I'm willing to take some shot with it with my k-30.

However, I've NO experience with flashes, I would like to know if they are compatible together and if I can set the flash on a tripod during the shooting, and sync the flash with the K-30 wirelessly.

Any guess? Any experience? Any help?

Thank you guys

shaolen · 10-25-2015, 12:50 PM

I've wanted to do this too. The pattern for the hot shoe is similar and I've heard you can shoot in auto mode but not TTL. I believe the SB700 has a dumb slave flash option

**jatrax** · 10-25-2015, 12:59 PM

I use an older SB-26 but no experience with this model.

However, the flash will work on the hot shoe in manual mode. Not P-TTL mode which is a Pentax protocol. So the camera can say "fire" and the flash will fire. But the camera cannot say "fire at this intensity" because the flash will not understand it. To use it this way you need to set the flash power on the flash. If the flash has an "auto thyrister" mode you could try that, sometimes it works OK. In this mode the flash reads the light and decides how much flash to add, again with no communication with the camera.

And the flash will NOT work off camera without a wireless trigger. The camera metering pre-flash will set off the SB-700 early and it will not contribute to the actual image.

Mahault · 10-25-2015, 01:05 PM

Okido!
Yep I tried in manual and it's working well, but not off camera.

Thanks for info now I'm sure I can't use it other way.

#badnews

**jatrax** · 10-25-2015, 04:11 PM

Originally posted by Mahault

#badnews

Unfortunately there is no universal flash control protocol.

However, a relatively inexpensive set of wireless triggers will do a lot. Take a look at the Cactus v6 ones. They allow you to control the flash power from the camera on a lot of different flashes. Not sure if the SB-700 is on their list though. But even if not you can make it work off camera, you just need triggers.

Class A · 10-25-2015, 11:50 PM

Originally posted by jatrax

Take a look at the Cactus v6 ones. They allow you to control the flash power from the camera on a lot of different flashes. Not sure if the SB-700 is on their list though.

Yes, remote power control is supported with the SB-700 (as it is for the SB-26).

@Mahault: Your SB-700 may also support optical triggering. If so, we can look further into this.

10-25-2015, 12:36 PM	#1
Mahault New Member Join Date: Apr 2015 Posts: 6	K-30 & Nikon SB-700 Hello folks! I've a Nikon SB-700 Flash here and I'm willing to take some shot with it with my k-30. However, I've NO experience with flashes, I would like to know if they are compatible together and if I can set the flash on a tripod during the shooting, and sync the flash with the K-30 wirelessly. Any guess? Any experience? Any help? Thank you guys

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10-25-2015, 12:50 PM	#2
shaolen Veteran Member Join Date: May 2012 Location: Phoenix AZ Posts: 1,047	I've wanted to do this too. The pattern for the hot shoe is similar and I've heard you can shoot in auto mode but not TTL. I believe the SB700 has a dumb slave flash option

10-25-2015, 12:59 PM	#3
jatrax Site Supporter Join Date: May 2010 Location: Washington Cascades Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 12,991	I use an older SB-26 but no experience with this model. However, the flash will work on the hot shoe in manual mode. Not P-TTL mode which is a Pentax protocol. So the camera can say "fire" and the flash will fire. But the camera cannot say "fire at this intensity" because the flash will not understand it. To use it this way you need to set the flash power on the flash. If the flash has an "auto thyrister" mode you could try that, sometimes it works OK. In this mode the flash reads the light and decides how much flash to add, again with no communication with the camera. And the flash will NOT work off camera without a wireless trigger. The camera metering pre-flash will set off the SB-700 early and it will not contribute to the actual image.

10-25-2015, 01:05 PM	#4
Mahault New Member Join Date: Apr 2015 Posts: 6 Original Poster	Okido! Yep I tried in manual and it's working well, but not off camera. Thanks for info now I'm sure I can't use it other way. #badnews

10-25-2015, 04:11 PM	#5
jatrax Site Supporter Join Date: May 2010 Location: Washington Cascades Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 12,991	Originally posted by Mahault #badnews Unfortunately there is no universal flash control protocol. However, a relatively inexpensive set of wireless triggers will do a lot. Take a look at the Cactus v6 ones. They allow you to control the flash power from the camera on a lot of different flashes. Not sure if the SB-700 is on their list though. But even if not you can make it work off camera, you just need triggers.

10-25-2015, 11:50 PM	#6
Class A Pentaxian Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Wellington, New Zealand Posts: 11,251	Originally posted by jatrax Take a look at the Cactus v6 ones. They allow you to control the flash power from the camera on a lot of different flashes. Not sure if the SB-700 is on their list though. Yes, remote power control is supported with the SB-700 (as it is for the SB-26). @Mahault: Your SB-700 may also support optical triggering. If so, we can look further into this.

K-30 & Nikon SB-700

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