What range should I expect from Nikon D800/SB-910 wireless i-TTL, and is it radio based?
Asked 9/21/2012
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I'm using a Nikon D800 with an SB-910 in Nikon's Advanced Wireless Lighting/i-TTL mode and only getting reliable triggering to around 4 meters. I had assumed the built-in system was radio based, but I'm not finding clear information on how it actually works or what range is realistic. Is Nikon's built-in wireless i-TTL on the D800 radio or optical/flash-triggered, and what affects its usable range?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
13y ago
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Nikon's wireless system is not radio based; it is flash-triggered. That's really the only downfall to the system, but it's a big one. Flashes basically need to have line-of-sight to each other. Bright conditions (such as outside) can be difficult, particularly when the sun is shining directly into the IR sensor on the flash. That said, under the right conditions and being sure to aim the IR sensor at the firing flash, I've triggered it at about 150 feet (about 50 meters?) away.
Originally by user8473. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user8473
13y ago
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Nikon’s built-in Advanced Wireless Lighting on the D800 is not radio based. It uses optical/flash-triggered communication, so reliability depends heavily on line of sight between the commander signal and the SB-910’s sensor.
Because of that, range can vary a lot. Indoors or in favorable conditions, it can work at much longer distances; one user reported triggering at roughly 150 ft / 50 m. But outdoors, especially in bright light or when sunlight hits the flash’s sensor, the effective range can drop sharply.
If you’re only getting about 4 m, the likely issue is not a fixed Nikon limit but the optical nature of the system. Make sure the SB-910’s sensor is aimed toward the camera/commander and avoid direct bright light on the sensor. If you need dependable long-range or no-line-of-sight triggering, a separate radio trigger system is the better option.
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