SB-800 - CLS Wireless Master
To set the SB-800 to Master mode it is necessary to enter the custom functions menu. Don't worry, this is not going to be too complicated, but it may seem so the first time you do it.
Press and hold the SEL button in the center of the Multi-Selector. You will need to hold this for at least 1 second until the display changes. Once the display changes to the Custom Menu, release the SEL button.
Using the Multi-Selector Up/Down/Left/Right buttons select the 'Wireless Flash Mode' function (shown highlighted) and press the SEL button. The Wireless Flash Mode menu is now active. Use the Up (+) and Down (-) buttons to select and highlight the MASTER function.
Press and hold the SEL button for 1-2 seconds until the display changes to the CLS Master mode.
In Master Mode
The LCD will now display the Master Setup, and allow you to set the operating mode for 4 individual groups. These are the Master (the SB-800) and 3 independent Remote groups known as A, B and C.
Which mode you choose for each Remote will depend on what (and where) you are trying to shoot.
Master Mode Group Selection
To select a Group press the SEL (Select) button until the desired group is highlighted. The first time you press SEL the M group will highlight, a second press will select Group A and so on.
In this example the 'M' group is currently selected, so any changes to the Mode or FEC will effect the only the 'M' group. Pressing the MODE button will select the next operating mode. The available Mode for each Group is [---] (Disabled), [TTL] (i-TTL), [ A ] (Aperture) and [ M ] (manual). Most of the time you will use either TTL or M. Mode 'A' is only recommended for non i-TTL cameras, and using 'A' may produce some unexpected results. For i-TTL cameras I recommend you stick to [TTL], [M] or [---].
With TTL selected the [+] and [-] buttons allow the exposure compensation for this Group to be changed. Pressing the [-] button will decrease the amount of flash power, while pressing the [+] button with increase the amount of flash power. This is useful if the i-TTL metering is not producing the desired balance of light between Groups. Groups are set individually, and it is highly likely that you will want to use this function on a regular basis. Engineers like to make flash as even as possible by default, but for more creative lighting effects, dialing in some + or - compensation is almost always required.
In TTL mode the amount flash output is controlled automatically (+ or - the amount of compensation set) by the camera metering system. However in M mode ([ M ] = Manual) the amount of flash power is controlled directly using the power settings on the SB-900. This gives huge amounts of creative control over how much light falls any any given subject, and I highly recommend taking the time to experiment with this feature. You can't really break anything, and all it takes it twiddling with the numbers, so spend a few hours on a rainy day just playing around with Manual mode. Because digital cameras give instant feedback of the shots taken, you can build your lighting one speedlight at a time, adjusting the power of each one until it is perfect.
In Manual mode the amount of light emitted is the same every time, and I also recommend using the camera in manual mode too. If you are unfamiliar with Manual mode, check out this brief tutorial. Manual mode allows the SB-800 to output anywhere from full power (1/1) down to 128th (1/128) power in full stops. There is a 7 stop range on the SB-800. This example shows the power set to 1/16 for the Master Group. Each Group can be set individually. Note that if you are controlling an SB-600 as a Remote, it's power range is actually only 1/1 to 1/64.
Selecting the Channel
After SELecting each of the M, A, B & C channels in turn, pressing the SEL button again will highlight the Channel number. The channel number for the Master SB-800 and Remote speedlights must match, otherwise the Remote speedlights will not flash. Press the [+] or [-] button to cycle through the possible channels (1,2,3 and 4), then press the SEL button to confirm the selection.
Setting the Aperture in A Mode
Aperture mode should only be used with bodies that do not support i-TTL.
With the Aperture highlighted, use the [+] and [-] buttons to manually select the required Aperture. You should not use this for other modes.
To set the ZOOM position
With the wide angle diffuser open, or if the diffuser dome is attached, the ZOOM position is automatically restricted to 14mm or 17mm. This is ideal for covering large areas (fill), or shooting in to a large umbrella.
With the built-in wide flash adapter retracted and diffuser dome removed, the widest zoom position is 24mm and the longest zoom position is 105mm.
To set the zoom position press the Left or Right button in increase or decrease the zoom level. If the Master SB-800 is being used for basic room fill, a wide angle setting is often the better choice, but you should always experiment to find your own preference.
Disabling the SB-800 Flash in Master Mode
Press the SEL function button until the M is highlighted at the top left of the display, then press the MODE button until the mode shows '---'. This effectively disables the main flash output for the SB-800. The same can be done for any of the Groups simply by setting the Group to '---' to disable it.
Caution - Master Disabled - or not ?
There appears to be some confusion on many internet forums about whether the SB-800 will emit it's own flash during the actual exposure time, even when disabled. In fact the SB-800 does fire during the exposure, even when disabled, because it uses visible (not infra red) light to communicate with the CLS Remotes. The amount of light that is emitted is much lower than a normal flash, and provided the subject is a reasonable distance away it is unlikely to have much (if any) effect on the exposure.
However, if you are positioned close to the intended subject (i.e. taking shots of something on a light table) even this small amount of flash can easily be seen in the resulting exposure. If you have a lens hood fitted, you may also see a shadow when the lens hood obscured the path of the flash.
So, how do you work around this? The easy answer is to rotate the head to point upwards and/or away from the subject. If this is is not working for you, check out the SU-800 CLS Commander, which does not have a built in flash head.
So, Now what?
Your SB-800 should now be set up ready to go. You should ensure that your Remote speedlights are set to the same channel as this Master, and that each Group is set appropriately. To see how to set up Speedlights in Remote mode, check out the following links.
Oh, I almost forgot...
If you press the Flash Test button on the master unit it will trigger each remote group in turn, about 1 second apart. This makes it really easy to remember which Remote speedlight belongs to each Remote Group!
For information about setting up Remote speedlights, choose one of the following links:
Setting the SB-800 as a CLS Remote
Setting the SB-600 as a CLS Remote
Setting the SB-900 as a CLS Master
Setting the SB-900 as a CLS REMOTE