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■ GN: Distance priority manual. You enter a distance value, and the SB-900 adjusts
light output based on distance, ISO, and aperture to produce the right exposure in
either Aperture-priority or Manual exposure modes. Press the Mode button on the
flash and rotate the selector dial until the GN indicator appears (the GN option
appears only when the flash is pointed directly ahead, or is in the downward bounce
position). Then press the OK button to confirm your choice. After that, you can
specify a shooting distance by pressing Function Button 2, and then rotating the
selector dial until the distance you want is indicated on the LCD. Press the OK but-
ton to confirm. The SB-900 will indicate a recommended aperture, which you then
set on the lens mounted on the D7000 in Manual exposure mode.
■ M: Manual flash. The flash fires at a fixed output level. Press the Mode button and
rotate the selector dial until M appears on the SB-900’s LCD panel. Press the OK
button to confirm your choice. Press the Function Button 1 and rotate the selector
dial to dial in the power output level you want. Calculate the correct f/stop to use,
either by taking a few test photos, with a flash meter, or by the seat of your pants.
Then, set the D7000 to Aperture-priority or Manual exposure and choose the f/stop
you’ve decided on. (You can also use manual flash with the D7000’s built-in unit
by choosing a flash level in CSM #e3, as described in Chapter 9, and calculating
the appropriate aperture.) (Good luck. I use test shots to calculate the f/stop,
myself.)
■ RPT: Repeating flash. The flash fires repeatedly to produce a multiple flash strob-
ing effect. To use this mode, set the D7000’s exposure mode to Manual. Then set
up the number of repeating flashes per frame, frequency, and flash output level, as
described in Chapter 9. When using the D7000’s built-in flash, use CSM #e3; with
the SB-900, press the Mode button and rotate the selector dial to display RPT. Set
the flash output level with Function Button 1 and the selector dial, and choose the
number of flashes with the Function Button 2 and the selector dial. Finally, press
Function Button 3 and rotate the selector dial to choose the frequency. If you don’t
have a flash meter, the best way to decide what aperture to use on the camera in
repeating mode is to take a few test shots.
David Busch’s Nikon D7000 Guide to Digital SLR Photography426
BURN OUT
When using repeating flash with the built-in flash or the SB-900 or SB-700, or any large
number of consecutive flashes in any mode (more than about 15 shots at full power),
allow the flash to cool off (Nikon recommends a 10-minute time out) to avoid overheat-
ing the flash. The SB-900 and SB-700 will signal you with a warning chime that rings
when it’s time for a cooling-off period. The flash will actually disable itself, if necessary, to
prevent damage.