Nikon SB-28DX speedlight

[johnmac]

Hi I'm new to this site and would appreciate some help. I have a Nikon SB-28DX speedlight and I want to use it on my Nikon D5000. I’m sure I can but only in manual mode. Can anyone help with advice please? Also is there any advantages/disadvantage using it?

Any help appreciated

[johnmac]

Hi, I have a Nikon SB-28DX speedlight and I want to use it on my Nikon D5000. I’m sure I can but only in manual mode. Can anyone help with advice please? Also is there any advantages/disadvantage using it?

Any help appreciated, my appologies if you see this thread in the external flash section.

[Bob Nichol]

The Nikon SB-28DX only supports D-TTL flash control which is the older technology. The D5000 only supports I-TTL flash control, which is the current technology so it probably will only work in manual mode.

http://www.bythom.com/nikond5000review.htm
http://www.bythom.com/flashcompare.htm
http://www.bythom.com/sb28.htm

[mtclimber]

johnmac-

The advantage would be that the SB-28 is a fairly powerful flash. The disadvantage is that it takes too many connections. Here is how to do it. Sunpak made a flash bracket called the Flash Adapter. Here is a photo of that hard to find piece of equipment.

Sarah Joyce

[mtclimber]

That Sunpak Flash Adapter takes 4 AA cells to power it. Then you mount the adapter to your camera and flash, followed by you beginning test fire the camera, flash, and flash adapter through all of the 5 channels available on the Flash Adapter.

This test firing is done to learn how many pre flashes you flash emits. One of the available 5 channels is supposed to work with the combination you are testing. Here is a photo of the flash head showing the unlighted 5 channel lights. The switch to move from channel to channel is located near the top inside right hand side of the Flash adapter.

Sarah Joyce

[mtclimber]

And finally there are 8 battery contacts, 5 channels, plus the camera, your flash, and the Flash Adapter. As you can easily see there are too many connections to fail. So this set-up in my personal trials with it using a Nikon SB-20 flash only works at best 20% of the time.

My suggestion is to forget the possibility of using the Nikon SB-28 flash, the chances of circuit failure is too high to be practical.

Sarah Joyce

[JimC]

John:

Your SB-28DX is not fully compatible with newer digital SLR models.

But, you can use it in non TTL Auto mode and let the flash control it's own output.

Basically, just mount the flash on the camera and use it's +- buttons to set the desired ISO speed. I'd probably go with something like ISO 400 to give you a bit more range at typical apertures indoors. Press the SEL button to lock in that choice.

Then, use press your Mode button until you find the A choice and select the desired Aperture using your +- buttons. I'd probably go with something like f/5.6 for starters.

Set your D5000 to Manual exposure (M on your mode dial) and set the same Aperture you set on the Flash (f/5.6 in that example). Set the camera's ISO speed to match the flash, too (ISO 400 in that example)

You'll want to pick a shutter speed that lets in the appropriate amount of ambient light, staying within the camera's x-sync speed limit of 1/200 second or slower. I'd probably try around 1/100 second for starters in most indoor conditions. That should still freeze the action in most indoor conditions (since the subjects would be underexposed at 1/100 second, f/5.6 and ISO 400 in most indoor lighting without the flash).

Using one that way, the flash measures the reflected light during the exposure (your flash has a built in sensor for that purpose), terminating the flash output when it sees enough reflected light for the ISO speed and aperture you have set. Since the flash burst is probably 1/1000 second or faster, as long as your manual exposure settings result in an underexposed image without the flash, the flash can freeze the action.

On the downside, using it for fill flash outdoors would be more problematic, since that kind of setup would not give you High Speed Sync (since you'd be limited to a fastest shutter speed of 1/200 second before you started seeing issues with shutter curtain shadows, and you may need faster shutter speeds at wider apertures in very bright outdoor light). But, it should work fine for you in typical indoor lighting.

An added benefit to using a flash that has a non TTL Auto mode available is that you eliminate the need for a metering preflash. None is needed since the flash itself is measuring reflected light during the exposure with that type of setup using it's non TTL Auto Mode (terminating the flash output when it sees enough reflected light for the ISO speed and aperture you set on it).

[johnmac]

Many thanks Bob, that's what I thougt. It's always been a good speedlight. I've had my 5000 for about two weeks now but haven't had chance to really try it out due to being so busy at work.

Thanks again for your help

[JimC]

johnmac:

It looks like you posted the same question in more than one forum. So, I've merged the threads so that all of the answers will be in the same place.

JimC

[johnmac]

Thank you all so much for your help, I really appreciate you taking the time to reply to my question. I didn't realize how helpful this site can be.

Many thanks JimC, I wouldn't have known what settings to use without your reply you have really helped me out. Can't wait to try the speedlight and 5000 out
out

Thanks again