OMG! You just solved a major headache with my Nikon Z6ii. I've been trying to get my Godox xpro(n) trigger to speak to my new camera. I thought it was a firmware issue. But 1 minute into your video, I realized that the flash mode was turned off. You just made my day! Thank you.
That's amazing, my friend! My SB-700 just worked perfectly with my Nikon Z7II. My SB-700 was totally unusable until I got your content explaining how to activate the flash mode and booom! Now my set is very perfect! Thank you so much! 🎉
Since upgrading to the Nikon Z6II I have been racking my brain as to why my flash units would not trigger. You just saved me so much headache with this video, thank you!!
Thank you..... within 1 minute of your video you answered the question of how to use the remote trigger. I spent a considerable amount of time looking for answers. The Nikon help site sucked in finding the answer..
THANK YOU! I just bought the Nikon Z6 II and I was having a difficult time trying to figure this issue out. I was having to turn off my trigger each time to set my exposure for the OCF. Having a dedicated button for it makes a world of difference. Thanks again!
OMG thank you so much! My trigger and AD200's work flawlessly on my D850 but were dead on my new Z7ii. Turning on my fill flash option worked. Thanks you again.
Good video!! I had this setting set to my nikon d750 to the same button. So in aperture priotity with flash I could shoot at iso 400, then press button and camera will change to my original ISO (for example 1600). So I could have to good exposure photos wih and with out flash. This is a good trick, I have set it to secondary button, as in a wedding party I just hit that button couple of times. Some other people say to disable "apply settings to live view" but this is wrong, as you will loose the ability to see and choose the ambient light you want. So this tip is perfect. I learned thing from my d750 after 8 years, I think with ne z6II this is going to be the same..There are so many little settings you learn over the years.. (780 pages cant be read in two days hehe)
Starting to learn flash photography by myself and your tip on assigning a "spare" button to toggling off the flash mode (because the EVF doesn't display the ambient exposure) was super smart! Up to this point I was just flipping the power button on my flash trigger :)
Hey thanks! I actually do that same thing from time to time especially if I need more time to adjust other settings in the camera or I'm just not ready to shoot. Cheers!
Awesome!! Been meaning to learn some of these workarounds & modes for my Z6 and flash but in the meantime just stuck with my DSLR cameras for occasional studio flash. This all made sense to me, even though it’s pretty technical, especially the need for instant preview of ambient exposure during flash mode. Thanks man 👊. First time I tried studio flash (years ago) with my z6 was super frustrating - had to keep changing exposure to compose the shot and use a tripod. Was product photography and had modeling lights so I got away with it. But with battery powered flash and/or shooting handheld that’s not an option. 🙏
This doesn't take care of viewing and sizing up the model in the viewfinder in a dark ambient lighting! You have to go to "D8 apply settings to live view" to actually see the model through the evf!
Really well explained Phillip - thank you! Working with artificial light is the next frontier for me… Until now I have been shooting mainly with natural light. Partly because I like the look. And partly because I’m lazy! 😂
Thanks a ton bro. Couldn't work out what the hell was going on with my camera or was this the right way to photograph subjects in almost pitch black. The photos were coming out ok but just couldn't see much through the viewfinder. I can laugh about it now. Thanks again and keep up the good work.
I like the way you magically rubbed the speed light and the camera together in the beginning to make them work together. "Rolled up paper snoot"....like isn't "snoot" the coolest sounding word ever? Good to see you still enjoying the new goodies!
LOL oh you know I never get tired of this stuff! "Snoot" is one of the best. Easily. Got some interesting news... I'll dm you later. Thanks Randy, your support is unparalleled. Cheers
If anyone has any issues accessing the flash mode menu as shown in the video (because the menu is greyed out) - check if you have the silent shutter activated. That prevented me from accessing this menu because you apparently can't fire the flash when having "silent photography" enabled. For what ever reason. This was driving me nuts over the last couple of days because I couldn't find a reason for it and I had a big shooting coming up. I hope this is helpful to you guys.
@@DavidTothill You're welcome! I literally spent hours in the camera's menu and on the internet for nothing, trying to find a solution until it finally came to my mind. Always happy to help out!
Hi Phillip - I have a z7, and it doesn't communicate with the SB910 (Nikon site says it is compatible). I don't have it set on silent photography and the SB works fine on my D800. Any suggestions?
@@halfphild Thank you for your quick response. I figured it out. The older speedlights (like my SB910) cannot be controlled through the z7 camera setting, but rather on the speedlight menu setting itself. I pressed 'menu' on the flash, then 'A', the chose the first option. I felt like I was in a dark room (not a darkroom!).
Excellent, thank you so much. Also ran into the "silent photography" problem immediately when I first got my camera...keep up the good work, looking forward to your next video.
Excellent video. Solved a big problem for me. I've seen other ways to deal with this feature but this seems the simplest to me. Great pacing and just the right amount of information. Very helpful. Thanks.
I just got a Z5 and noticed it was unusable in the studio for flash photography with its default settings. With the exposure adjusted for the flashes the display screen and evf are of course dark, and it will not focus. I figured it just needed some settings for flash. Thank you!
Can you help me please, how do you do it, i got a z5 recently and i use a ringflash for dental photography and when I configure for my photos the viewfinder looks dark I don't know how to make the camera adjust to flash mode
@@cesarsolar7694 I don't have the Z5, but I think you'll find that when you power up a flash or remote trigger attached to the hot shoe, the camera automatically goes into the mode you need. In fact, this video is actually describing a fix for the opposite problem. I guess it's possible that the Z6 and Z5 function differently, but this is the default behaviour for the latter ie. the display ceases to be WISIWYG when a flash is connected and powered on. You might find it's different if you're using the Nikon WR-R10 wireless remote controller though, because that doesn't connect to the hot shoe.
This was a really good video. It helped a lot by demonstrating a solution. This has come up a couple times on FB with sketchy solutions but this really helped Phillip. Thanks for sharing it. Honestly I do not do to much with flash but I have a desire to do so and this helped. That little demo gave me some ideas for my knives. Yes I subscribed and clicked the bell, AND set up FN2 on my Z6
Daniel thanks so much for taking the time to watch, comment, & sub!! I'm very excited to hear you're giving flash photography a try. It was a game changer for me and now it's all I do LOL. The knives idea sounds AWESOME. Thanks so much again. Cheers
Hi Juswinn, thanks so much for that! I'm glad to help. Check out the external flash control video I just made as well to get more transceiver details in case it helps. Cheers!
@@halfphild Thank you! I'm using a Yongnuo flash and trigger that your video helped me finally start getting comfortable with. I'm very grateful! I will check out the video also.
THIS VIDEO SAVED THE DAY, BUT! I am still having trouble with my (Older Pocket Wizards) and the what you see is what you get feature of the Z6ii. My best bet is they are simply not supported. When I put a speed light on the hot shoe everything is hunky-dory. Nikon will not comment on off-camera flashes SO, I would like to know if anyone else has had an issue?
You’re my hero!!!! Lol. I should have thought about all of these tricks myself, but it was much easier to watch your video. Thank you for this. It really helps.
Coming from the D850? I have taken it for granted using a Power Wizard trying to figure out as to why Z7ii is not triggering my flash. Phillip, Thanks for the review! Cheers!
Russell thanks so much for that feedback and for watching and commenting! I'm so glad it's a help. You have no idea what that means to me. Don't hesitate to ask if you have any questions. I'll try to keep them coming. Thanks again and cheers!
At first I thought this was the answer to my problem of switching flash mode on and off but you have to HOLD your function button while you press the shutter for the flash enable/disable to work. So this is useless if you are using a tripod to avoid camera shake. The only solution I've found is to program that function button to "Flash mode/compensation", then quickly switch between modes by holding the function button and flicking the rear control dial. Then I can fire the shutter from remote or on a 2 second delay or timer. All feels a bit of a palaver. The function button should work as a toggle, not having to hold it down. Or am i missing something!!?? (Z6ii)
Hey Michael thanks for watching and taking the time to comment with a fix that works well for you. Yeah if the stability is an issue, the hold move could ruin the exposure. I'm that case, for my setup, I would simply switch off the transmitter for the ambient shot (which I've done btw for settings like real estate images) and then just switch it back on when I'm ready for the speedlight to fire on the next exposure. Still a small hassle but gets it done relatively quick. Thanks again!
@@michaelcurry5028 agreed! It's 2022. We should be able to voice command these cameras by now lol But really look at the nice user interface of our phones... Why is it too much to ask on a $2000 camera?
@@halfphild That's a great point. It never occurred to me, but now you mention it, it is ridiculous not to have it! "Flash off"..."Flash on"....how hard can it be!?
Hey! I have a quick question. Every time I go to use my Godox flash with my Nikon Z6 it will only sync with auto mode. I tried going in to change the flash mode and the flash options are inaccessible. It says “Options are not available base on cameras current state or settings.” I’m not exactly sure what that means. I would love to use my hss flash but if I can’t use it in manual mode I’m not sure I will be able to use the camera. Thank you for your help!
Hi Laura, thanks so much for reaching out. I don't know ALL the reasons why access gets limited but I DO know that if you're in silent shooting mode OR high extended burst, it'll restrict those options. Double check none of them are on. 99% of the time I shoot in Manual as well so I understand your hurt here. Let me know if you figure it out please! Cheers!
I used to have the same issue. Mainly due to Yongnuo firmware version. I downgraded from 1.09 (not quite sure where I found it) to 1.08. Nikon Z6 firmware 3.20 (latest and greatest), fill flash selected on the camera menu, youngnuo receivers reseted (pressing group and chanel you will notice a whole cicle of lights flashing thru channels and groups) and that's it. Works flawlessly.
Hi Ben! In this video I was using the Yongnuo YN622 triggers but I've since switched over to Godox. Basically the same setup minus the need for receivers because they are built in to the godox speed lights. Updated video coming soon!
@@halfphild Thanks for the response! I've just purchased my first speedlight, the SB-500. I'm subbed now, so i'll be sure to catch your new video when it drops. Thanks again :)
Just came across this video. I just got a Nikon Z6. I noticed it does not have a pop up flash. I wanted to use my speed light in remote mode as a slave and the pop up flash as the commander. How do I do this with my new camera. I have to get a radio transmitter for the speed light I guess??
Hi Marian, yeah you'll need a transmitter and receiver for your remote flashes to work. I've recently switched to an old godox setup and I love it. It's much better than dealing with line of sight setups like you're talking about and this is one of many setups where you're only required to have a transmitter as the receivers are built into the flashes already! In case you're interested in looking it up, I use the godox X1TN and two Godox TT685N flashes. They work great! Thanks for watching and commenting. I hope this helps.
It works great!! I use a very INEXPENSIVE flashpoint receiver and transmitter. Completed a commercial photo shoot with my beloved Nikon Z 6 . Thnakyou @@halfphild
Wouldn’t you want the ambient a little brighter so the flash doesn’t have to work so hard? I also noticed your shutter speed was at 500, isn’t that above the camera sync speed?
Nope, I want the flash to work hard for me and in this case, I'm shooting highspeed sync which allows me to sync faster than the standard 1/250th! All the way to 1/8000th I believe. I like a nice dark ambient shot with my subject soaking up most of the flash. I could've slowed my shutter to the 1/250th you're referring to and then lowered my iso to 100 and achieved a similar image but it's not a big deal to shoot a little faster (in a lot of cases). Cheers, Phillip
I do go through a lot of batteries. At least it feels that way. Haha. I really like the low ambient, bright subject look. Been shooting that way for over 15 years. It's worth it, knowing that I get to choose SO many more exposure settings vs. being tied down to 1/250th. :)
Hello, when I take every step you explained, I dont see the flash Icon on my screen and in the display I dont see "what you see is what you get". Its a very dark screen and not at all the picture i will get with flash. And because of that, my camera has problems to focus on the thing I want to photograph (because it is to dark). Do you know what could be the problem? 😬
Hi lies! I'm sorry this can be really frustrating. Stick with it. You'll figure out out eventually. A could things I wanted to tell you to make sure of is, 1. Turn off silent photography mode (if it's on it won't allow flash enabled) and 2. Make sure you're in single shot (not low or high or high+) This old video needs an update from me I think. I'll see what I can do. Cheers!
Hi SR, please watch both of my flash videos. My latest one about a couple months ago explains exactly the hardware I use to connect my flashes to my camera wirelessly. You need a radio system. Something like pocket wizard or yongnuo... There are many brands.
@@halfphild Hi, I have Z6 and SB700 with Godox pro trigger and X1Rn for Nikon. Works no problem except for the love of god I cannot control the flash power output from the on camera trigger. It was working on a D600 Nikon but then stopped. I have been through the menu 50 times, tried every setting. The zoom function works remotely but not power output. So I shoot everything on full power and just move the light back and forth. I really did want to punch someone in the face because it is enfuriating but I controlled myself. Just joking.
@@gregwaugh8069 that's NOT ok. I would go insane! Or just stop using my flash all together. I had VERY inconsistent results with my triggers back in the day. I changed my flash setup so that my flash was set to TTL, and my triggers were in manual and I finally got the consistent wireless manual adjustments I had been looking for. I can't honestly help anymore than that though because I've never used your particular triggers. I've heard great things about them though so I would keep digging! I'll look online and see if I can't find more info. It's gonna be ok. Hang on there LOL Cheers!
I am also working on improving my colour grading for video. From complete imbecile to “I actually vaguely know what I am doing”! I’d love if you’re interested to see in a video how you edit your videos, starting with importing the 8-bit Flat picture profile footage 😃
I've actually been having terrible lately with ttl and hss. If I go into manual on the flash then I have no problems. If I'm shooting ttl on the flash, and I try to shoot in a high power 1/1 or so, the flash doesn't shoot that powerful. It reports back to me that it can't shoot that strong. I'm using sb-600's so I think it's a flash power issue but I'm not sure yet. Again, when I set the flash to manual instead of ttl and set it to fill power, it fires with no problems in hss. Make sure you're not in silent shooting mode as well.
@@halfphild same here. doesn't seem to work well on ttl. manual mode is also a bit finicky, 622 doesn't communicate well with yn685. used to work with d7100, and setup was a breeze compared to this. lol
Thank you. z6ii godox TT685n my camera will only fire the flash when its on M or RPT mode. It will not fire in TTL mode (on the hotshoe). I guess TTL does not work with mirrorless cameras?
I have a z7 and have bought the TT685 flash. I don’t seem to be able to get the flash to ignite, no matter what setting I do on the camera or flash. I have the flash set the TTL I want to First learn to use it on the camera
Hi! You'll need a transceiver for each speed light. I bought this as a set, (one transmitter and transceiver) as well as a second transceiver for my second SB-600 speed light. I got mixed results as far as consistency but when it all worked, it was a beautiful day lol. Thanks for watching and commenting man. Keep it up out there! Cheers
@@halfphild thanks for the reply! I ordered the control and two transceivers. I used the on camera flash with my D7200 to trigger the SB’s, but the Z6 not having the on board flash had me doing things differently. Had a old “dumb” remote trigger that just wasn’t going to cut it. Hope this unit works a little better with my two SB’s.
I'm sure it will. I started with some 'dumb' controls (cowboy studio) that got the job done but they were VERY cheap and fell apart constantly. These were a wonderful upgrade for me back then. I have since upgraded to a godox setup and I'll make a video about it soon. This video gets a lot of attention and I feel like it's time for an update.
I was out last night using the Z6ii and the SB910 and it suddenly stopped working saying low light and then didn’t focus at all. I read after that mirrorless can’t use the infrared focus on the SB910. This is essential in nightclubs.. anyone had this problem? Lucky I had my D750 for back up.. Never had any issues with that and thought this was going to be an upgrade 😮
I read this now after 2 years. I shoot also in night clubs. The red focus on flashes light doesn't work on the Z System! (I emailed Nikon and they told me that!) Actually, it seems to be a problem with all mirrorless cameras, also Sony and Canon. There's acually a solution - I don't know how practical it really is: Search here on TH-cam for "adapting camera af assist light extender" - I tried the Nikon ZF in a night club, and the AF worked quite well even in low light, much better than my D800. But there's another problem - I use the YN-622N triggers on my D800 to trigger an on camera SB910 and two SB910 in the nightclub. This doesn't work with the Z6iii.
one more tip, with any other flash (than the SB-5000) attached, this "dumb" point&shoot style choice menu is ALL that you see, the sb-5000 activates the Group menu, and all the optical AWL controls( the wr-r11a/b activates the radio AWL half of the system); the TTL is activated, however ALL control is via the FLASH CL-S master settings!! Also if any other flash is on the camera, even with the sb-5000 in the rig (slave) no menu appears, SET the MASTER, Groups up FIRST, take the sb-5000 off, and all should work as configured.{the orange light on the flash should go GREEN, telling you everything is linked up}- try another channel if this is NOT the case!! ( or try another remote mode {you are on cls-optical, or SU-4 dumb light sensing triggering mode!!}) BUT best rigging of the system is sb-5000 ON CAMERA, second is SB-800, etc. on camera, with SB-5000 on radio AWL (wr-r11a/b connected to Z6 with the radio AWL enabled in camera)- the z6 will automatically configure BOTH CLS TTL master flash, and Radio AWL via the radio transmitter to use simultaneously!
Hi maybe I'm late but I've been having a problem making the Godox X pro N work with my Nikon Z6. I have a Godox SK400 light that connects to it good but Every time I try to sync everything it doesn't work. The light connects with the flash trigger but not with the camera. any help?
Hi , i bought a nikon Z5 and i have 2 nikon sb600 flashes. I have one on my camera but i want the second one to go off as well , what settings do i need for that to happen?
Hi Phillip, thanks so much. I've found it really hard to find much info on the Z6 working with flash units. Am I right in thinking that the Yongnuo YN622N will trigger the Nikon speed lights? I've a SB-900 I need to trigger with the Z6. Any help would be much appreciated. Thanks.
Hi Ralph! Thanks for watching and commenting. You're right there isn't much out there on the topic. I've switched in the last year to a godox system but I can say that I use to use the 622N and although not consistent, it worked well with my two super old SB-600s. I honestly would be surprised if it didn't work with a 900.
Of course! I should make a quick video as well but I moved to the godox tt685 speedlight with the xt1. (I know there are updated versions but I liked this one at the price point for now). It's been more consistent, although not perfect. I shoot manual. I'll get a video thrown together asap on this. Thanks again so much for watching.
@@halfphild i tried both way single and burst and nothing it only works when I put the camera in auto & the lens to TTL & no Thank YOU ! For trying to help out I really appreciate it , it’s hard to troubleshoot these kind of question because I’m not too sure where the issue is coming from , so the fact that I’m getting help is amazing 🙏
Hey no worries! I've gotta get to bed I'm beat but I'll keep looking into it. It's usually another setting disabling flash mode. Can you tell me what flash are you using and or trigger? Also it shouldn't have anything to do with your lens. What lens are you using by the way? Don't let this get you down. You'll figure it out. Cheers!
@@halfphild any of the yn622?? Like how about the yn622c??? Sorry dnt have any knowledge of it and gladly u made a video of it..helped me alot with my planning on buying z6
Hi sorry Nico, I believe I've only used the 622Nii & the 622N-i-ttl so I can't say for sure on the c version. But I do like the ones I use and they work on all my Nikon cameras. Z6, D500, D750 Also check out my other flash video I made more recently. Cheers!
Hi Phillip, Z6 II. iTTL doesnt work , i try up 3 flash guns. Any idea of why could hapend? They do work in the Z6 iTTL ( also i changed lenses). Thanks for any tips
Did you ever figure this out? I'm trying to get the Z7ii to see the hotshoe flash/trigger so it turns OFF live view settings but it doesn't seem it ever recognized the flash. The hack shown here of turning flash on and off has no effect on my Z7ii. -P
Great channel Phillip great to watch.. to the point and so informative and i like how you just say how it is .. I watched your video saying you felt more comfortable reaching for the D750 because you trusted it more at the time. How are you feeling about the Z6 now. Has the D750 been put on the shelf.
Hi bendero! Sorry for the late reply. Better late than never I guess! I have felt SO much better about grabbing the Z6 over the D750 at this point. Took me a while to get there and the D750 is still used a lot BUT - it's a bit more shelved now. eek New follow up video to this one coming in the next couple days! Cheers!
Hi , I found a problem , so if you can tell me if you have same , when you have Yongnuo transmiter on the camera and a flash mounted on transmitter up , it works well , after the camera enter in standby mode , and you started again it seems that transmitter and flash does-not fire ..You may have a solution ? Thank you !
Hi Sandy, I honestly have only ever depended on (and never been let down by) my SB600 speedlights! There are more powerful lights and different types but I've never used them. So everything I've ever shot has been with these little guys. Depending on the length of the event and where you're allowed to place them, a speedlight should do the job just fine. This I learned from McNally nearly 10 years ago. I never looked back. :) Either bounce or use a softbox of some type and I imagine you'll be just fine. Being extra batteries :) I sincerely hope this helps! Thanks so much for watching and commenting! Cheers!
OMG! You just solved a major headache with my Nikon Z6ii. I've been trying to get my Godox xpro(n) trigger to speak to my new camera. I thought it was a firmware issue. But 1 minute into your video, I realized that the flash mode was turned off. You just made my day! Thank you.
as I found out at a recent wedding I was covering, silent mode disables the flash as well.
Finally got to understand the mystery on how a flash system works with Z6 II mirrorless camera
That's amazing, my friend! My SB-700 just worked perfectly with my Nikon Z7II. My SB-700 was totally unusable until I got your content explaining how to activate the flash mode and booom! Now my set is very perfect! Thank you so much! 🎉
Since upgrading to the Nikon Z6II I have been racking my brain as to why my flash units would not trigger. You just saved me so much headache with this video, thank you!!
Thanks so much, Jane!
I'm so glad it helped!
Have fun.
Thank you..... within 1 minute of your video you answered the question of how to use the remote trigger. I spent a considerable amount of time looking for answers. The Nikon help site sucked in finding the answer..
THANK YOU! I just bought the Nikon Z6 II and I was having a difficult time trying to figure this issue out. I was having to turn off my trigger each time to set my exposure for the OCF. Having a dedicated button for it makes a world of difference. Thanks again!
That F1 flash enable/disable is a game changer and really smart. Big thanks.
So incredibly helpful! I'll end up watching this several times before I get it right but so helpful.
Thank you for this. Learned something new about my z5 and how the preview behaves with an onboard flash.
OMG thank you so much! My trigger and AD200's work flawlessly on my D850 but were dead on my new Z7ii. Turning on my fill flash option worked. Thanks you again.
Dude, You're welcome. ;)
Cheers!
I kissed my phone screen! 16 bullshit videos and you fixed my problem in 25 seconds!
Please do another video showing setting up flash/trigger/camera. Thank you!!!
Thank you for sharing, just switched to Nikon mirror less system and this tutorial helped a lot 🙏🙏
Thank you so much for watching and got commenting! I really appreciate knowing this helps people.
Good video!! I had this setting set to my nikon d750 to the same button. So in aperture priotity with flash I could shoot at iso 400, then press button and camera will change to my original ISO (for example 1600). So I could have to good exposure photos wih and with out flash. This is a good trick, I have set it to secondary button, as in a wedding party I just hit that button couple of times. Some other people say to disable "apply settings to live view" but this is wrong, as you will loose the ability to see and choose the ambient light you want. So this tip is perfect. I learned thing from my d750 after 8 years, I think with ne z6II this is going to be the same..There are so many little settings you learn over the years.. (780 pages cant be read in two days hehe)
Starting to learn flash photography by myself and your tip on assigning a "spare" button to toggling off the flash mode (because the EVF doesn't display the ambient exposure) was super smart! Up to this point I was just flipping the power button on my flash trigger :)
Hey thanks! I actually do that same thing from time to time especially if I need more time to adjust other settings in the camera or I'm just not ready to shoot.
Cheers!
Me too! Flash on/off button is a faff.
You, sir, are one of the reasons the Internet is a great place to learn. Much appreciated, Phillip!
Haha, well I can't thank you enough for your kind words. Welcome to the club and I'll try to keep these videos coming!
Cheers!
AMEN to that!
Thank you so much for sharing this!!!! My fellow photographer and I have been trying our best to figure this out for a while!
Sure thing! Thanks for being so kind!
Check out my follow up to this video. I posted it about a month ago I think. More flash setup details.
Cheers!
Will do!
Awesome!! Been meaning to learn some of these workarounds & modes for my Z6 and flash but in the meantime just stuck with my DSLR cameras for occasional studio flash. This all made sense to me, even though it’s pretty technical, especially the need for instant preview of ambient exposure during flash mode. Thanks man 👊.
First time I tried studio flash (years ago) with my z6 was super frustrating - had to keep changing exposure to compose the shot and use a tripod. Was product photography and had modeling lights so I got away with it. But with battery powered flash and/or shooting handheld that’s not an option. 🙏
This doesn't take care of viewing and sizing up the model in the viewfinder in a dark ambient lighting! You have to go to "D8 apply settings to live view" to actually see the model through the evf!
Really well explained Phillip - thank you! Working with artificial light is the next frontier for me… Until now I have been shooting mainly with natural light. Partly because I like the look. And partly because I’m lazy! 😂
Thanks a ton bro. Couldn't work out what the hell was going on with my camera or was this the right way to photograph subjects in almost pitch black. The photos were coming out ok but just couldn't see much through the viewfinder. I can laugh about it now. Thanks again and keep up the good work.
I like the way you magically rubbed the speed light and the camera together in the beginning to make them work together. "Rolled up paper snoot"....like isn't "snoot" the coolest sounding word ever? Good to see you still enjoying the new goodies!
LOL oh you know I never get tired of this stuff! "Snoot" is one of the best. Easily. Got some interesting news... I'll dm you later. Thanks Randy, your support is unparalleled. Cheers
If anyone has any issues accessing the flash mode menu as shown in the video (because the menu is greyed out) - check if you have the silent shutter activated. That prevented me from accessing this menu because you apparently can't fire the flash when having "silent photography" enabled. For what ever reason.
This was driving me nuts over the last couple of days because I couldn't find a reason for it and I had a big shooting coming up.
I hope this is helpful to you guys.
Thank you so much for posting this. I would NEVER have worked this out on my own.
@@DavidTothill You're welcome! I literally spent hours in the camera's menu and on the internet for nothing, trying to find a solution until it finally came to my mind. Always happy to help out!
Hi Phillip - I have a z7, and it doesn't communicate with the SB910 (Nikon site says it is compatible). I don't have it set on silent photography and the SB works fine on my D800. Any suggestions?
Hey Terry! Besides the silent shooting, double check you're shooting single shots (not burst). That's another weird restriction.
@@halfphild Thank you for your quick response. I figured it out. The older speedlights (like my SB910) cannot be controlled through the z7 camera setting, but rather on the speedlight menu setting itself. I pressed 'menu' on the flash, then 'A', the chose the first option. I felt like I was in a dark room (not a darkroom!).
Excellent, thank you so much. Also ran into the "silent photography" problem immediately when I first got my camera...keep up the good work, looking forward to your next video.
Excellent video. Solved a big problem for me. I've seen other ways to deal with this feature but this seems the simplest to me. Great pacing and just the right amount of information. Very helpful. Thanks.
Thanks so much for the kindness! I'm so glad it helped!
Excellent. Bummed out when I couldn't figure it out until I saw this video
There’s also the option (same menu) to chose “preview” and that will give you same results.
Hey Thanks Heber, I'll check that out!
I just got a Z5 and noticed it was unusable in the studio for flash photography with its default settings. With the exposure adjusted for the flashes the display screen and evf are of course dark, and it will not focus. I figured it just needed some settings for flash. Thank you!
Can you help me please, how do you do it, i got a z5 recently and i use a ringflash for dental photography and when I configure for my photos the viewfinder looks dark I don't know how to make the camera adjust to flash mode
@@cesarsolar7694 I don't have the Z5, but I think you'll find that when you power up a flash or remote trigger attached to the hot shoe, the camera automatically goes into the mode you need. In fact, this video is actually describing a fix for the opposite problem. I guess it's possible that the Z6 and Z5 function differently, but this is the default behaviour for the latter ie. the display ceases to be WISIWYG when a flash is connected and powered on.
You might find it's different if you're using the Nikon WR-R10 wireless remote controller though, because that doesn't connect to the hot shoe.
Thank you so much. Fixed my problem in one.
This was a really good video. It helped a lot by demonstrating a solution. This has come up a couple times on FB with sketchy solutions but this really helped Phillip. Thanks for sharing it. Honestly I do not do to much with flash but I have a desire to do so and this helped. That little demo gave me some ideas for my knives. Yes I subscribed and clicked the bell, AND set up FN2 on my Z6
Daniel thanks so much for taking the time to watch, comment, & sub!! I'm very excited to hear you're giving flash photography a try. It was a game changer for me and now it's all I do LOL. The knives idea sounds AWESOME. Thanks so much again. Cheers
Great video, beast of a camera, couldn't be happier.
Great video! I know you were just taking a quick shot to demo the flash mode, but I like that overhead spotlight effect with the homemade snoot.
Haha thanks! Yeah ya gotta work with what ya got. Sometimes simple is best. Thanks so much for the comment and for watching! Cheers
I am also working with the yn622. My solution is simply turn the 622 on and of.
Very nice!! I'm much less frustrated now because of you. Thanks!
Hi Juswinn, thanks so much for that! I'm glad to help. Check out the external flash control video I just made as well to get more transceiver details in case it helps. Cheers!
@@halfphild Thank you! I'm using a Yongnuo flash and trigger that your video helped me finally start getting comfortable with. I'm very grateful! I will check out the video also.
go to menu e Modeling flash off,
and a make custom control for Preview
THIS VIDEO SAVED THE DAY, BUT! I am still having trouble with my (Older Pocket Wizards) and the what you see is what you get feature of the Z6ii. My best bet is they are simply not supported. When I put a speed light on the hot shoe everything is hunky-dory. Nikon will not comment on off-camera flashes SO, I would like to know if anyone else has had an issue?
I was shooting hss when i noticed this. Anyway thanks a ton for putting this up!
You’re my hero!!!! Lol. I should have thought about all of these tricks myself, but it was much easier to watch your video. Thank you for this. It really helps.
LOL thanks Ryan!
Thanks Phillip -- that quickly and easily solved the problem that I was having. Really appreciate it.
Coming from the D850? I have taken it for granted using a Power Wizard trying to figure out as to why Z7ii is not triggering my flash. Phillip, Thanks for the review!
Cheers!
I love your videos. You have helped me understand how to work with this camera. Thank you!
Russell thanks so much for that feedback and for watching and commenting! I'm so glad it's a help. You have no idea what that means to me. Don't hesitate to ask if you have any questions. I'll try to keep them coming. Thanks again and cheers!
At first I thought this was the answer to my problem of switching flash mode on and off but you have to HOLD your function button while you press the shutter for the flash enable/disable to work. So this is useless if you are using a tripod to avoid camera shake. The only solution I've found is to program that function button to "Flash mode/compensation", then quickly switch between modes by holding the function button and flicking the rear control dial. Then I can fire the shutter from remote or on a 2 second delay or timer.
All feels a bit of a palaver. The function button should work as a toggle, not having to hold it down. Or am i missing something!!?? (Z6ii)
Hey Michael thanks for watching and taking the time to comment with a fix that works well for you.
Yeah if the stability is an issue, the hold move could ruin the exposure. I'm that case, for my setup, I would simply switch off the transmitter for the ambient shot (which I've done btw for settings like real estate images) and then just switch it back on when I'm ready for the speedlight to fire on the next exposure.
Still a small hassle but gets it done relatively quick.
Thanks again!
@@halfphild Thanks Phillip - I sometimes do that, but it seems a tragically low-tech fix, given all this super expensive technology! :-D
@@michaelcurry5028 agreed!
It's 2022. We should be able to voice command these cameras by now lol
But really look at the nice user interface of our phones... Why is it too much to ask on a $2000 camera?
@@halfphild That's a great point.
It never occurred to me, but now you mention it, it is ridiculous not to have it!
"Flash off"..."Flash on"....how hard can it be!?
Great video, thanks for putting this together. I really wish I saw this before going out to shoot 🤣
Hey! I have a quick question. Every time I go to use my Godox flash with my Nikon Z6 it will only sync with auto mode. I tried going in to change the flash mode and the flash options are inaccessible. It says “Options are not available base on cameras current state or settings.” I’m not exactly sure what that means. I would love to use my hss flash but if I can’t use it in manual mode I’m not sure I will be able to use the camera. Thank you for your help!
Hi Laura, thanks so much for reaching out. I don't know ALL the reasons why access gets limited but I DO know that if you're in silent shooting mode OR high extended burst, it'll restrict those options. Double check none of them are on. 99% of the time I shoot in Manual as well so I understand your hurt here. Let me know if you figure it out please!
Cheers!
@@halfphild I had the same question! Thanks so much!
I used to have the same issue. Mainly due to Yongnuo firmware version. I downgraded from 1.09 (not quite sure where I found it) to 1.08. Nikon Z6 firmware 3.20 (latest and greatest), fill flash selected on the camera menu, youngnuo receivers reseted (pressing group and chanel you will notice a whole cicle of lights flashing thru channels and groups) and that's it. Works flawlessly.
Awesome thanks
OMG is save my life！
Very good video please make some more how to you flash on the Z with multiple flash divice
Thanks so much! I'll give it a go! Cheers
Crispy video with the perfect amount of insight and teaching! keep it up, Phillip!
Thank you so much for the kind review! I'll try lol YT is a lot tougher than I imagined
Dude, thx so much! Subscribed
Thanks! Just what I need!
Excellent.. thank you... pity about that dreadful noise in the background
Thank you so much for posting this video, I was racking my brains, trying to figure out what I was doing wrong. 😂
Hi thanks for the vid! What do you use to trigger the off camera flash? Maybe you mentioned it but I missed that info. Thanks again!
Hi Ben! In this video I was using the Yongnuo YN622 triggers but I've since switched over to Godox. Basically the same setup minus the need for receivers because they are built in to the godox speed lights. Updated video coming soon!
@@halfphild Thanks for the response! I've just purchased my first speedlight, the SB-500. I'm subbed now, so i'll be sure to catch your new video when it drops. Thanks again :)
Thank you for explaining with normal language
You're welcome!
Thanks for watching and commenting!
Just came across this video. I just got a Nikon Z6. I noticed it does not have a pop up flash. I wanted to use my speed light in remote mode as a slave and the pop up flash as the commander. How do I do this with my new camera. I have to get a radio transmitter for the speed light I guess??
Hi Marian, yeah you'll need a transmitter and receiver for your remote flashes to work. I've recently switched to an old godox setup and I love it. It's much better than dealing with line of sight setups like you're talking about and this is one of many setups where you're only required to have a transmitter as the receivers are built into the flashes already! In case you're interested in looking it up, I use the godox X1TN and two Godox TT685N flashes. They work great!
Thanks for watching and commenting. I hope this helps.
It works great!! I use a very INEXPENSIVE flashpoint receiver and transmitter. Completed a commercial photo shoot with my beloved Nikon Z 6 . Thnakyou
@@halfphild
appreciate ..very useful video
Wouldn’t you want the ambient a little brighter so the flash doesn’t have to work so hard? I also noticed your shutter speed was at 500, isn’t that above the camera sync speed?
Nope, I want the flash to work hard for me and in this case, I'm shooting highspeed sync which allows me to sync faster than the standard 1/250th! All the way to 1/8000th I believe. I like a nice dark ambient shot with my subject soaking up most of the flash. I could've slowed my shutter to the 1/250th you're referring to and then lowered my iso to 100 and achieved a similar image but it's not a big deal to shoot a little faster (in a lot of cases).
Cheers,
Phillip
@@halfphild that’s opposite of most, you must go through a lot of batteries.
I do go through a lot of batteries. At least it feels that way. Haha. I really like the low ambient, bright subject look. Been shooting that way for over 15 years. It's worth it, knowing that I get to choose SO many more exposure settings vs. being tied down to 1/250th. :)
Hello, when I take every step you explained, I dont see the flash Icon on my screen and in the display I dont see "what you see is what you get". Its a very dark screen and not at all the picture i will get with flash. And because of that, my camera has problems to focus on the thing I want to photograph (because it is to dark). Do you know what could be the problem? 😬
Hi lies! I'm sorry this can be really frustrating. Stick with it. You'll figure out out eventually.
A could things I wanted to tell you to make sure of is, 1. Turn off silent photography mode (if it's on it won't allow flash enabled) and 2. Make sure you're in single shot (not low or high or high+)
This old video needs an update from me I think. I'll see what I can do.
Cheers!
Brilliant. Love this. Just what I was looking for.
menu function d8 has live view option
I have a yongnuo 685 and with the Z6 the autofocus laser light it is not working, with the old D5300 it use to have a red light to help autofocus 😢
you should try Custom settings Mode D8 - Apply Settings to Live View - It will blow your mind
Mine is the same way when I shoot with my d780 in live view with my sb700
interesting, I have the same controller and speed light
I have a SB700 and Nikon Z6. What do I need to use SB700 of camera?
Hi SR, please watch both of my flash videos. My latest one about a couple months ago explains exactly the hardware I use to connect my flashes to my camera wirelessly.
You need a radio system. Something like pocket wizard or yongnuo... There are many brands.
@@halfphild Hi, I have Z6 and SB700 with Godox pro trigger and X1Rn for Nikon. Works no problem except for the love of god I cannot control the flash power output from the on camera trigger. It was working on a D600 Nikon but then stopped. I have been through the menu 50 times, tried every setting. The zoom function works remotely but not power output. So I shoot everything on full power and just move the light back and forth. I really did want to punch someone in the face because it is enfuriating but I controlled myself. Just joking.
@@gregwaugh8069 that's NOT ok. I would go insane! Or just stop using my flash all together.
I had VERY inconsistent results with my triggers back in the day. I changed my flash setup so that my flash was set to TTL, and my triggers were in manual and I finally got the consistent wireless manual adjustments I had been looking for.
I can't honestly help anymore than that though because I've never used your particular triggers. I've heard great things about them though so I would keep digging!
I'll look online and see if I can't find more info.
It's gonna be ok. Hang on there LOL
Cheers!
thanks I m waiting for my z5 in the mail 23 59mm I have a profoto a1 see what you could do,,,lol
I am also working on improving my colour grading for video. From complete imbecile to “I actually vaguely know what I am doing”! I’d love if you’re interested to see in a video how you edit your videos, starting with importing the 8-bit Flat picture profile footage 😃
How do i make hss work on the z6 with yn622? Setting to auto fp didn't do anything.
I've actually been having terrible lately with ttl and hss. If I go into manual on the flash then I have no problems. If I'm shooting ttl on the flash, and I try to shoot in a high power 1/1 or so, the flash doesn't shoot that powerful. It reports back to me that it can't shoot that strong. I'm using sb-600's so I think it's a flash power issue but I'm not sure yet.
Again, when I set the flash to manual instead of ttl and set it to fill power, it fires with no problems in hss.
Make sure you're not in silent shooting mode as well.
@@halfphild same here. doesn't seem to work well on ttl. manual mode is also a bit finicky, 622 doesn't communicate well with yn685. used to work with d7100, and setup was a breeze compared to this. lol
Well done. Thanks.
thank u so much, it was very helpful ❤️
You're welcome 😊
Thanks, Arnab!
Thank you. z6ii godox TT685n my camera will only fire the flash when its on M or RPT mode. It will not fire in TTL mode (on the hotshoe). I guess TTL does not work with mirrorless cameras?
This is very interesting.
I still have a lot to learn about this so I'll look into it all and make a full video on my experience.
I have a z7 and have bought the TT685 flash. I don’t seem to be able to get the flash to ignite, no matter what setting I do on the camera or flash. I have the flash set the TTL
I want to First learn to use it on the camera
Great! Problem solved.
Thanks a lot
Will that trigger control two speed lights, or would you need a second transceiver (one for each speed light)?
Hi! You'll need a transceiver for each speed light. I bought this as a set, (one transmitter and transceiver) as well as a second transceiver for my second SB-600 speed light. I got mixed results as far as consistency but when it all worked, it was a beautiful day lol. Thanks for watching and commenting man. Keep it up out there! Cheers
@@halfphild thanks for the reply! I ordered the control and two transceivers. I used the on camera flash with my D7200 to trigger the SB’s, but the Z6 not having the on board flash had me doing things differently. Had a old “dumb” remote trigger that just wasn’t going to cut it. Hope this unit works a little better with my two SB’s.
I'm sure it will.
I started with some 'dumb' controls (cowboy studio) that got the job done but they were VERY cheap and fell apart constantly. These were a wonderful upgrade for me back then. I have since upgraded to a godox setup and I'll make a video about it soon. This video gets a lot of attention and I feel like it's time for an update.
at Z5, there is no problem 🙂
set the exposure to the background with flash mode.
Panasonic G9 also has this problem.
can you help me please, i dont know how to do it, i use a ring flash and i cant get the bright image because of my configuration
I was out last night using the Z6ii and the SB910 and it suddenly stopped working saying low light and then didn’t focus at all. I read after that mirrorless can’t use the infrared focus on the SB910. This is essential in nightclubs.. anyone had this problem? Lucky I had my D750 for back up.. Never had any issues with that and thought this was going to be an upgrade 😮
I read this now after 2 years. I shoot also in night clubs. The red focus on flashes light doesn't work on the Z System! (I emailed Nikon and they told me that!) Actually, it seems to be a problem with all mirrorless cameras, also Sony and Canon. There's acually a solution - I don't know how practical it really is: Search here on TH-cam for "adapting camera af assist light extender" - I tried the Nikon ZF in a night club, and the AF worked quite well even in low light, much better than my D800. But there's another problem - I use the YN-622N triggers on my D800 to trigger an on camera SB910 and two SB910 in the nightclub. This doesn't work with the Z6iii.
Only works when the camera senses a flash.. Fill flash does not work with Flash Q. Maybe there is a work around it?
one more tip, with any other flash (than the SB-5000) attached, this "dumb" point&shoot style choice menu is ALL that you see, the sb-5000 activates the Group menu, and all the optical AWL controls( the wr-r11a/b activates the radio AWL half of the system); the TTL is activated, however ALL control is via the FLASH CL-S master settings!! Also if any other flash is on the camera, even with the sb-5000 in the rig (slave) no menu appears, SET the MASTER, Groups up FIRST, take the sb-5000 off, and all should work as configured.{the orange light on the flash should go GREEN, telling you everything is linked up}- try another channel if this is NOT the case!! ( or try another remote mode {you are on cls-optical, or SU-4 dumb light sensing triggering mode!!})
BUT best rigging of the system is sb-5000 ON CAMERA, second is SB-800, etc. on camera, with SB-5000 on radio AWL (wr-r11a/b connected to Z6 with the radio AWL enabled in camera)- the z6 will automatically configure BOTH CLS TTL master flash, and Radio AWL via the radio transmitter to use simultaneously!
Great video Philip.
Thanks so much Cesare! It's a bit picky but it's important to me and I know other photogs are gonna care. ;)
This is a great point
How you setting the flash in slave mode with 622 control in hight speed? So you have a video for that set?
Hi Jose, switch your flash sync speed setting to 1/200 auto FP inside the Bracket/Flash e1 menu setting.
And the flash in Manual or ITTL or Multi?
I follow you right now in your Instagram, chek my profile @fissillo👊
I set the flash to TTL, the 622's to manual. 👍
The next video is all about this question! Check back soon!
Hi maybe I'm late but I've been having a problem making the Godox X pro N work with my Nikon Z6. I have a Godox SK400 light that connects to it good but Every time I try to sync everything it doesn't work. The light connects with the flash trigger but not with the camera. any help?
Hi , i bought a nikon Z5 and i have 2 nikon sb600 flashes. I have one on my camera but i want the second one to go off as well , what settings do i need for that to happen?
Hi Phillip, thanks so much. I've found it really hard to find much info on the Z6 working with flash units. Am I right in thinking that the Yongnuo YN622N will trigger the Nikon speed lights? I've a SB-900 I need to trigger with the Z6. Any help would be much appreciated. Thanks.
Hi Ralph! Thanks for watching and commenting. You're right there isn't much out there on the topic. I've switched in the last year to a godox system but I can say that I use to use the 622N and although not consistent, it worked well with my two super old SB-600s. I honestly would be surprised if it didn't work with a 900.
@@halfphild thanks heaps. Can you tell me what system you use now- speed lights and transceivers?
Of course! I should make a quick video as well but I moved to the godox tt685 speedlight with the xt1. (I know there are updated versions but I liked this one at the price point for now).
It's been more consistent, although not perfect.
I shoot manual.
I'll get a video thrown together asap on this.
Thanks again so much for watching.
Thank you
I wonder if the AF laser light on Youngnuo can be working on z6 ii and how to make it happen. Did you manage to make it work?
The camera doesn’t let put flash mode enable when in manual mode for whatever reason , any idea why?
Are you in silent shooting mode?
@@halfphild nope
Are you in burst shooting mode?
Thanks for asking btw.
I'll try to help you figure it out.
;)
@@halfphild i tried both way single and burst and nothing it only works when I put the camera in auto & the lens to TTL & no Thank YOU ! For trying to help out I really appreciate it , it’s hard to troubleshoot these kind of question because I’m not too sure where the issue is coming from , so the fact that I’m getting help is amazing 🙏
Hey no worries!
I've gotta get to bed I'm beat but I'll keep looking into it. It's usually another setting disabling flash mode.
Can you tell me what flash are you using and or trigger?
Also it shouldn't have anything to do with your lens.
What lens are you using by the way?
Don't let this get you down. You'll figure it out. Cheers!
Does fill flash work with Nikon flashes? Such as the SB-910?
Thanks!!! Helped a lot! Also solved a flash disabled issue I was having with z6 firmware 3.0
Helos sir.. the sb600 compatible with the yongnou reciever?? Thanks for the answer..
Yup. I use two with the yn622's.
Thanks for watching!
Cheers
@@halfphild any of the yn622?? Like how about the yn622c??? Sorry dnt have any knowledge of it and gladly u made a video of it..helped me alot with my planning on buying z6
Hi sorry Nico, I believe I've only used the 622Nii & the 622N-i-ttl so I can't say for sure on the c version.
But I do like the ones I use and they work on all my Nikon cameras. Z6, D500, D750
Also check out my other flash video I made more recently.
Cheers!
Thank you so much. you really do a good job on making tutorials.
Hey thanks so much Amir!
Hi Phillip, Z6 II. iTTL doesnt work , i try up 3 flash guns. Any idea of why could hapend? They do work in the Z6 iTTL ( also i changed lenses). Thanks for any tips
I just set ambient before turning the trigger on. Simples.
This was so incredibly helpful! I'd love to know if this same issue/solution exists with the Z6ii/Z7ii?
Did you ever figure this out? I'm trying to get the Z7ii to see the hotshoe flash/trigger so it turns OFF live view settings but it doesn't seem it ever recognized the flash. The hack shown here of turning flash on and off has no effect on my Z7ii. -P
Great channel Phillip great to watch.. to the point and so informative and i like how you just say how it is ..
I watched your video saying you felt more comfortable reaching for the D750 because you trusted it more at the time. How are you feeling about the Z6 now. Has the D750 been put on the shelf.
Hi bendero! Sorry for the late reply. Better late than never I guess!
I have felt SO much better about grabbing the Z6 over the D750 at this point.
Took me a while to get there and the D750 is still used a lot BUT - it's a bit more shelved now. eek
New follow up video to this one coming in the next couple days!
Cheers!
Well, i would like to know how i can work with ttl with the Z6ii
Hi , I found a problem , so if you can tell me if you have same , when you have Yongnuo transmiter on the camera and a flash mounted on transmitter up , it works well , after the camera enter in standby mode , and you started again it seems that transmitter and flash does-not fire ..You may have a solution ? Thank you !
Amazing and helpfull video! Thanks....I see you use the Yungnuo trigger. How do you set it to HSS?
Please share what type of flash you suggest for crisp indoor portrait (pageant) photos with this camera. Thanks!
Hi Sandy, I honestly have only ever depended on (and never been let down by) my SB600 speedlights! There are more powerful lights and different types but I've never used them. So everything I've ever shot has been with these little guys. Depending on the length of the event and where you're allowed to place them, a speedlight should do the job just fine. This I learned from McNally nearly 10 years ago. I never looked back. :)
Either bounce or use a softbox of some type and I imagine you'll be just fine. Being extra batteries :)
I sincerely hope this helps!
Thanks so much for watching and commenting!
Cheers!