[SB600] How to disable Wide-Area AF-assist illuminator

[commonjunks]

Hi,

Recently i bought SB600 and i like it a lot (at-least for pictures taken at home).
I realized whenever i take picture i see my son closing his eyes like some light making him close his eyes (although i was bouncing flash from roof). Later i checked and found red light illuminating on front of lens. After checking manual i understood it called wide-area AF-assist illuminator, now i want to disable it but i didn't see any option in manual on how to disable/enable it.
Anyone knows how i can disable this illuminator?

 

[happyranchu]

see pg 53 and 54 of manual

 

[rain5533]

Hi,

Recently i bought SB600 and i like it a lot (at-least for pictures taken at home).
I realized whenever i take picture i see my son closing his eyes like some light making him close his eyes (although i was bouncing flash from roof). Later i checked and found red light illuminating on front of lens. After checking manual i understood it called wide-area AF-assist illuminator, now i want to disable it but i didn't see any option in manual on how to disable/enable it.
Anyone knows how i can disable this illuminator?

can u see it just go to setting autofocus a3. and turn off that so.

a3 Built-in AF-assist-illuminator • On ¹ • Off

http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/NikonD90/page12.asp

 

[commonjunks]

can u see it just go to setting autofocus a3. and turn off that so.

a3 Built-in AF-assist-illuminator • On ¹ • Off

http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/NikonD90/page12.asp

Thanks rain5533 for your quick response.
Your mentioned setting only disable setting on Camera illuminator but not red illumunator on Flash. Anyway looking at manual and browsing around website i found there is a setting call AF-ILL which is enable by-default. By disabling this setting RED illumunator stop working (at least it will server my purpose) this option can be disable be pressing Zoom and - sign together for 2 seconds and then change AF-ILL to NO and then press mode again. There ya go.
Thank you again for your comment.

 

[ijnek]

u might hv problem focusin in low-light situation....jus my opinion...

 

[reflecx]

Hi,

I realized whenever i take picture i see my son closing his eyes like some light making him close his eyes (although i was bouncing flash from roof). Later i checked and found red light illuminating on front of lens. After checking manual i understood it called wide-area AF-assist illuminator, now i want to disable it but i didn't see any option in manual on how to disable/enable it.
Anyone knows how i can disable this illuminator?

I doubt that it is the AF-assist illuminator that is making him close his eyes. It is more likely due to the flash itself, and more specifically the pre-flashes used for i-TTL metering. You can try using FV lock (on the camera) or manual flash (on the flash).

 

[commonjunks]

u might hv problem focusin in low-light situation....jus my opinion...

I doubt that it is the AF-assist illuminator that is making him close his eyes. It is more likely due to the flash itself, and more specifically the pre-flashes used for i-TTL metering. You can try using FV lock (on the camera) or manual flash (on the flash).

@ijnek so far there is no problem in quality. I took a few picture at night and result was good.
@reflecx, I am not sure if u have SB600 but if you try to press camera button half way and look into red light then you will know what i mean (it almost blinded me for a few seconds). For flash i am bouncing from roof.

 

[lsisaxon]

@ijnek so far there is no problem in quality. I took a few picture at night and result was good.
@reflecx, I am not sure if u have SB600 but if you try to press camera button half way and look into red light then you will know what i mean (it almost blinded me for a few seconds). For flash i am bouncing from roof.

Some people are sensitive to a sudden burst of light whether it's direct or not and will blink. I thought it might be the preflash too but I guess you should know better because you're there to observe. I agree that the red light from the AF illuminator on the flash can be quite bright if someone looks directly into it.

 

[ZerocoolAstra]

the SB600's AF assist lamp is WAYYYY less irritating than the one on the camera body.

 

[ijnek]

i used to hv a sb600 and now sb900...
both hv this red light, it's for auto-focus purpose...

anyway, make sure u dun hv red-eye reduction on, cos the pre-flash might jus make ur kid shut his/her eyes too

 

[ungku]

another trick is to enable burst mode so that you snap when your kid reopens his eyes

 

[commonjunks]

another trick is to enable burst mode so that you snap when your kid reopens his eyes

Thanks but i don't want him to be feel uncomfortable while i am taking his snaps :nono:.
So far good since this morning i took a few pictures and he didn't close his eyes (can see his happiness below).
Although i am using SB600 built-in Diffuser but i am thinking to buy external Diffuser.