Nikon SB800 and H3D39

[pflower]

I really don't use flash very often and having read the H3D manual don't really understand what is involved in using flash with the H3D.

However I want to do some shots using a fill flash attached to my H3D.  I have several Nikon SB800s sitting idle.  Is there any way of utilising these with the H3D as follows:

1. Simple flash with the flash attached to the camera's hotshoe - purely manual flash is fine although some kind of TTL could be useful.  The suggestion is that attaching a nikon flash to the hotshoe will fry everything and bring the world to an end.  Is this true?  Or can it be done with extra cables and somehow disconnecting the hotshoe contacts etc.?  If so what?

2.  As above but using the on camera flash to trigger 1 or 2 other SB800s off camera.

Or should I spend yet more money and get something else?  If so what portable flash guns work well with hasselblad?

Oh yes I also have an old Metz 45 CT-4 with just the pc cable.  Can this be usefully used?

Thanks

[Greg]

The best solution for flash work is, of course, a studio or portable studio setup.  However, I have found the Metz 54 MZ-4i with a SCA 3902 adapter has worked very well for me.  It is used without a sync cord and seems to be very accurate on TTL, but I have used it on auto and that works very well too.  If you have specific questions, I will try to give you all I know about the system.

GK 

[alexkent]

in my personal experience SB800's don't fry anything, i've used 'em on the hotshoe of Canon 5D, 5Dmk2, 40D, Hasselblad H1D, H2D, etc.
but, i understand your concern and i don't want to liable for any of your gear getting broke!

if you connect the SB800 with a sync cable instead of on the hotshoe then there is significantly less chance of damaging the host camera's electronics. Recent Nikon flashes (last 15 years at least) have very low sync voltage <10V and won't do any harm. So use a sync cable and you're fine. If you really want to have the flash on top of the camera you could use something like this:
http://www.calumetphoto.com/item/KT0900/
to physically attach the flash to the top of the H camera, yet have the sync connection via the pc socket.

Sadly using this method won't get you TTL. The only way to get TTL on a H camera is with the Metz setup that Greg mentions.

[Alex Maxim]

Nikon speedlights work, but you'll have to tape all but the central contact on the camera. And you'll end up with a manual mode only.
To trigger other off-camera flashes you might need to get cheap hot-shoe slave triggers from ebay.
I am not sure if SB-800 will work as a commander with only one contact. Give it a try.

[pflower]

Many thanks for the offer.  I am finding it very difficult to find information on this subject. (also difficult to find anyone selling these things in the UK).

My understanding is that the SCA 3902 effectively sits on the H3D hotshoe and acts as an adapter to translate the hasselblad hotshoe electrics to the Metz gun - i.e. it sits in between the two and makes sure they work together.  Is that right?  If so will the SCA 3902 work only with the 54 Mz-4i or with any Metz hotshoe mountable gun (i.e. not the hammerheads)?  The Metz UK site I have looked at don't even mention the existence of the 3902.  

Any further information would be most welcome.

[Miller]

I am a new member, just bought a H3DII 39. This week I have tested my trusted Metz 50MZ-5, with the controller on the hotshoe. Didn't fry the electronics, so that's nice. It all worked as expected (not in TTL-mode, flash is not suited for digital cameras).
I also have two SB800s, my dealer told me that he uses those without problems. Again, no TTL-mode. The SB800 can be used off camera in SU-4 mode. Haven't tried that yet, flash is not a prority at the moment.
Hope this helps.

Frans Rutten

[Dustbak]

I have tried my SB800 on my H2F/CF39 and it works but it will do funky stuff when the contacts are not taped. I have not tried again other than using the onboard flash to trigger the SB800 in SU4 mode. So yes this works.

I currently use SB800's outside with Elinchrom skyports and external batterypacks. Much more convenient.

If I would try to mount the SB800 again I would tape everything but the main contact and see how that goes.

[holeinthemiddle]

Hi,

Not tested with a Hasselblad as mine has not arrived yet, but you could use Elinchrom Sky-port (Universal) receiver & Elinchrom Sky-port trigger.

This will fire it all OK but on Manual (what other way is there?) - works fine if I add a SB800 to my Ranger lights.

Or the Pocket Wizard solution, which is slightly more expensive, but might have other uses for you.

Hope that helps.

Nigel

[HLArt]

The skyport- or the pocketwizardsolution works with manualsettings 100%. I have a Canon Ex 580 and it works with pocketwizard and manualsettings also perfect. My another solution is a Metz mecablitz 76 MZ-5 digital together with a SCA-Adapter the SCA 3902 in automodus, this works perfekt with the H3DII-39, and the best therefore ist, you can change the SCA-adapter to a another one for Canon, or for Nikon also, and so the Metz works together with all this cameras in TTL-mode, only with the Hassi it works only in automatic- or manual, but not TTL. But it works anyhow perfect, and the results speaks about himself. T O P !  
Hope it help. Kr f Hörbi