Avi Jacob 
, Jul 20, 2008; 03:10 p.m.
I have all the above. I got the SC-29 after doing a search (not only here ) and concluding I would be able to
utilize the AF-assist of the SC-29 on the D40 with the SB400 attached. (my goal is to use the SB400 on a
bracket, with my old SB26 as off-to-the-side flash with it's slave function.)
I do not seem to be able to.
If it's dark and the camera needs AF assist, the D40 lights up the bright little white light and not the red
lines thing. If I turn off 'AF-assist' in options, the red AF-assist of the SC-29 does not turn on either.
In the manual it does say that the D40 is compatible with the SC29. In the SB400 it only mentions the SC17/28.
Should I keep it for an eventual SB600/800? unfortunately, I don't think I can use the SB400 remotely in any way
off camera.
Frank Skomial 
, Jul 20, 2008; 08:28 p.m.
Your set of D40 + SC-29 + SB400 - I bet you use it in the iTTL mode ? while the SB26 is not compatible with it,
so it fires too early during preflash communications.
You are trying to use 2 incompatible flashes, SB26 even if it fires, does not contibute light to the picture, while
SB400 has perhaps too little power when used off-camera.
Use much higher ISO and open lens much wider to see if SB400 alone will provide good light. If you insist on using
SB26, then you must use all in manual mode. I am not sure if SB400 works in Manual mode and has a varying
power ratio settings... read the manual - if not - instead use the camera built-in flash in Manual mode to trigger
SB26, but you will be responsible for proper exposure settings of the aperture and ISO.
Avi Jacob , Jul 20, 2008; 09:23 p.m.
ah. It did not even occur to me that the SB26 wont contribute light, but now that you mention it, it seems obvious it will be triggered by the (darn stupid I hate it) preflashes. (My daughter ALWAYS blinks at that and I can't get a photo of her with eyes open).
The SB400 has no manual mode. I am getting plenty of light from the SB400 - thats not the problem, and I even made Ken's 1 cent diffuser and it works great. Off camera in this case is on a bracket, thats all.
I wanted the SB26 so I can get some nice side light effect etc. Back to the drawing board.
My orig question was about the SC29, I see I should have gotten the SC28 and maybr THAT way synced to the SB26.
Richard Driscoll , Jul 21, 2008; 04:14 a.m.
Avi,
You can get manual flash on the D400 with setting 14 in the Custom Settings menu it's page 78 in my English D40
manual.
I'm sure that this will work with an SC-17 cable and probably with your cable too.
In manual you won't get the preflashes but of course you'll have determine lens aperture by calculation.
If you need help in doing that just ask us.
Without the preflashes the SC26 may well trigger properly but I can't be sure because I'm not familiar with it.
Richard Driscoll , Jul 21, 2008; 04:21 a.m.
Sorry ...... SB26 may well trigger ......
If the SB26 does trigger OK and you can set it for non-TTL auto then you can set it to suit an ISO 2-4 times
higher than the camera ISO so it just fills the shadows. Then you can use an off-camera SB400 in manual as the
main light. Might work though a little messy.
Avi Jacob , Jul 21, 2008; 07:24 a.m.
Oh right. Forgot I can do it from the camera itself. Still that would be messy as you say, I would need a flash meter or just empirical tries to set that up right. Still at least it's possible.
Richard Driscoll , Jul 21, 2008; 09:15 a.m.
Well the guide number system is rather better than just empirical tries - people used it for decades on film
cameras without the instant feedback you get with digital.
By the way I think the SC29 is intended for the cameras without a built-in flash. These cameras probably don't
have the on-camera AF assist light and so need to use one on the external flash. When the flash is on a cable the
light is
no longer on top of the camera and so the SC 29 provides this function. Having got it you'll probably find it no
worse than an SC-17 or SC-28; just rather more than you need.
