Are you getting the most out of the technological wonder that is your TTL hot shoe flash unit? If you’re anything like me the answer is probably no. Heck, after paying fairly heftily for my SB800 for most of the time I use it on manual and tethered to the camera with a bog standard PC cord! Actually, I can easily defend this modus operandi because for the sort of table top close up work I mostly do sticking the SB800 inside a softbox and adjusting the manual power setting until the exposure looks right has proven to be the most straightforward and consistent way to get the results I want. Of course, springing for such a technologically advanced piece of gear in the first place might be a bit more difficult to defend but if you don’t tell the wife I think I can get away with that one!

Now, however, as I contemplate venturing out into the wide world more often with my gear I will definitely be exploring the many modes and capabilities of my SB800 more fully. I don’t know about you but I find Nikon manuals (for both cameras and flash units) pretty impenetrable - Canon etc. may well be no better for all I know - so any tips and info from someone who has already figured all this stuff out is most welcome.

Now for some good news and some bad news. First the bad news - if you were eagerly rushing to read this post hoping for some neat tips and tricks from yours truly you are bang out of luck. That would be like the blind leading the blind! But - hooray - now for the good news. Someone has figured all this stuff out. His name is Dave Black and this link will take you to his site where you will find everything you always wanted to know about using your SB800 to the fullest limits of its capabilities, whether you own just one unit or are fortunate enough, like Dave, to have several units at your disposal. Just dive in and, after studying the profuse and detailed walk throughs that Dave is kind enough to share, start experimenting. That’s what I intend to do anyway!

Oh yes, and by the way Dave is also one of the very best sports photographers around so there’s plenty of fine work in that genre to inspire you (if that’s what you’re into) or just to enjoy even if it’s not exactly your preferred field of endeavor. All in all a thoroughly recommended resource!