Once again stymied by settings menu -- HELP (enable flash)

[ssheipel]

I've spent the better part of the morning trying to enable flash on my Z9. Have changed nothing in that regard since the last time I shot flash, fyi. Been there done that in the very beginning so have 'flash' in my i menu, but that is greyed out this morning (and in the menus) and the little lightning bolt with a slash through it appears in the viewfinder. I've turned off many things (thanks for nothing internet) from silent mode to multiple frames per second, etc and nada. But the flash menu gives that wildly useless 'in current mode this isn't available' message so I've got somthing anti flash in play I've even switched out the on camera speedlight (profoto) for both of my flash triggers just in case for some bizare reason the camera menu was affected by what was in the hot shoe. I recall it was a simple toggle on and off menu item (why I put the item in my i menu in the first place) but I've given up and am now heading out to find some insects to shoot in the blazing hot sun vs sweeter first light.... LOL

If you happen to know, let me know. Cheers!

 

[joe43]

If "flash" is greyed out, that means you are using a flash model not that does not have unified control: The easiest way to use flash on a Z9 is to use a Nikon flash that has unified control: That would be: SB-300, SB-400, SB-500, and SB-5000. The SB-5000 has the most features.

Nikon Flash for Z Cameras | Thom Hogan

Flash choices for the Nikon Z System cameras

www.zsystemuser.com

The Nikon Creative Lighting System (CLS)

onlinemanual.nikonimglib.com

You can still use a non compatible flash on the Z9. You will likely have to make settings on the flash unit.

One reason why I buy Thom Hogans guide for Nikon camera bodies, like the Z9, is that he has a whole section on flash written for that particular camera model. In his Z9 guide the flash section is about 60 pages long.

What flash unit are you using?

One general rule with flash on a Z9 : Turn off Auto ISO.

 

[DRwyoming]

If you happen to know, let me know. Cheers!

There are a lot of things that can disable flash access but it sounds like you've ticked a few of the boxes like turning off silent mode and since it previously worked I assume you're using a compatible flash unit. Is your shutter speed set at or below your flash synch speed if you don't have high speed synch enabled?

 

[ssheipel]

If "flash" is greyed out, that means you are using a flash model not that does not have unified control: The easiest way to use flash on a Z9 is to use a Nikon flash that has unified control: That would be: SB-300, SB-400, SB-500, and SB-5000. The SB-5000 has the most features.

Nikon Flash for Z Cameras | Thom Hogan

Flash choices for the Nikon Z System cameras

www.zsystemuser.com

The Nikon Creative Lighting System (CLS)

onlinemanual.nikonimglib.com

You can still use a non compatible flash on the Z9. You will likely have to make settings on the flash unit.

One reason why I buy Thom Hogans guide for Nikon camera bodies, like the Z9, is that he has a whole section on flash written for that particular camera model. In his Z9 guide the flash section is about 60 pages long.

What flash unit are you using?

One general rule with flash on a Z9 : Turn off Auto ISO.

Thanks, but it's not a compatibility issue (least wise not one that has existed for me in the past) -- I've shot both on camera and via radio triggers (profoto) speedlight and (profoto) strobes with my Z9, and a couple of times on and off camera with the gang of Nikon Speedlights I have hanging around.

The issue this morning is I can't change whatever setting it is that results in the little flash off (lightning bolt with slash across it) icon telling me the flash will not work; and the menu item I believe is where the on/off toggle to do so is greyed out by (so the camera is telling me without any specifics) that another setting is producing that greying out

Thanks for the Auto ISO suggestion -- just checked and it has NOT been on this morning. And I must say I'm pretty certain that when shooting macro in the past auto ISO will have been on and the flash firing -- almost every test shot (flash or not) when I'm outside the Auto ISO is engaged initially, given, as well test shots for macro using flash also begin with TTL auto. But once I can get a flash to fire again, I'll check the Auto ISO and flash prohibition, specifically.

Cheers!

 

[ssheipel]

There are a lot of things that can disable flash access but it sounds like you've ticked a few of the boxes like turning off silent mode and since it previously worked I assume you're using a compatible flash unit. Is your shutter speed set at or below your flash synch speed if you don't have high speed synch enabled?

Thanks. Yup, worried about sync speed and it wasn't that either.

 

[ssheipel]

Thanks, but it's not a compatibility issue (least wise not one that has existed for me in the past) -- I've shot both on camera and via radio triggers (profoto) speedlight and (profoto) strobes with my Z9, and a couple of times on and off camera with the gang of Nikon Speedlights I have hanging around.

The issue this morning is I can't change whatever setting it is that results in the little flash off (lightning bolt with slash across it) icon telling me the flash will not work; and the menu item I believe is where the on/off toggle to do so is greyed out by (so the camera is telling me without any specifics) that another setting is producing that greying out

Thanks for the Auto ISO suggestion -- just checked and it has NOT been on this morning. And I must say I'm pretty certain that when shooting macro in the past auto ISO will have been on and the flash firing -- almost every test shot (flash or not) when I'm outside the Auto ISO is engaged initially, given, as well test shots for macro using flash also begin with TTL auto. But once I can get a flash to fire again, I'll check the Auto ISO and flash prohibition, specifically.

Cheers!

There are a lot of things that can disable flash access but it sounds like you've ticked a few of the boxes like turning off silent mode and since it previously worked I assume you're using a compatible flash unit. Is your shutter speed set at or below your flash synch speed if you don't have high speed synch enabled?

Here's the solution. I went into controls to simply remove and re add "flash mode" from the i menu (turn it on and off solution mode of thinking ) and found that "flash info" was there instead of 'flash mode.' I simply haven't thought about i menu and flash since I worried about flash and the Z9 in the beginning, certainly not since I last used flash -- about a month ago -- so same high tech gremlin that renders my i menu button or play button useless randomly must have changed that? FWIW no idea what flash info is for -- surely for when a Nikon speedlight is in play?

Also Joe, my Z9 DOES fire the flash with Auto ISO on -- just checked. At least today it does, will find out if that's the case tomorrow

All in all, a learning day tho -- had no idea the flash was disabled by silent mode. That's quite a stupid decision by Nikon, really.

Thanks to both of you.

 

[Cameron T]

Flash being disabled by silent mode has been the case for... I don't even know. At least 10 years. It makes perfect sense to me. Bites a lot of people who don't check the manual though

 

[ssheipel]

Flash being disabled by silent mode has been the case for... I don't even know. At least 10 years. It makes perfect sense to me. Bites a lot of people who don't check the manual though

Not what got me this a.m., however. I did run to see if I had silent mode engaged (and did not) after learning that. On a good day I remain disappointed that my Z9 is not as 'loud' as my D6 (really!) LOL

 

[Cameron T]

I love my z9 being completely quiet. I get to enjoy nature in peace. I wouldn't give it up

 

[joe43]

About Auto ISO and flash, you are right that the flash can go off if auto ISO is enabled. The issue is that there may be conflicting settings in your Photo Shooting menu for Auto ISO and your flash settings. The safest approach the experts recommend to get the right exposure with flash is to turn of Auto ISO. I learned this lesson with my D850 and that lesson also applies to my Z9.

 

[ssheipel]

About Auto ISO and flash, you are right that the flash can go off if auto ISO is enabled. The issue is that there may be conflicting settings in your Photo Shooting menu for Auto ISO and your flash settings. The safest approach the experts recommend to get the right exposure with flash is to turn of Auto ISO. I learned this lesson with my D850 and that lesson also applies to my Z9.

With your comment I went into the camera menus and note there's something called Auto flash ISO sensitivity control (e3 in the Z9) with two options 'subject and background,' or 'subject only' -- so there will be decisions made by the camera re the flash if Auto ISO is on? Anyway, surely what the 'experts' were talking about. I don't think I've purposefully considered ISO in the exposure decisions for flash photography tho, but good to know to keep the Auto ISO off!. I see in the Z9 one can also have the camera control what in the scene the exposure comp for flash cares about -- "entire frame" or "background only". I do wonder if such translates through a radio trigger or a non Nikon flash, although I never use exposure comp for flash, tho in the days of Nikon speed light controls I'm sure that was much easier than flash menus? Cheers!