5/12    I have a Nikon D80 and I'm looking for a good flashlight
        system that'll go with it. I'd like to use the diffuser to
        bounce the ceiling for softer lighting. What's a good
        flashlight system for a D80? ok thx
        \_ By the way when I set my D80 to flash rear-sync + slow (flash
           at the END of the shutter not the beginning, with slow
           exposure to capture background ambience colour better),
           it always flashes twice-- once in the beginning and once at
           the end. But I thought rear-sync only flashes once at
           the end. Why does it flash twice? I don't have silly red-eye
           reduction if you're wondering already                -op
           \_ Almost all (actually likely all) TTL (through-the-lens)
              flash system uses 2-step metering.  It does a low-power
              preflash to measure the scene, calculates the final
              flash power, and goes into actual exposure.  The first
              step happens without the shutter ever opening, of
              course.  With normal flash, they happen close enough to
              each other that most people don't notice there were
              actually two flashes.  With rear-sync, it becomes
              completely obvious.
              \_ That's EXACTLY what it was... low power flash followed
                 by a high power flash. I just tried it again without
                 rear-sync and it happens so fast you don't see it. I
                 don't use rear-sync anymore to reduce this problem, but
                 it's not easy to tell your subject to stand still for 1/2
                 second in extreme low light situations since they have a
                 tendency to move right after the flash. Anyways,
                 YOU ARE CAMERA GOD, thank you. -op/pp
              \_ I thought TTL metering is by measuring the light reflected
                 off the film's surface, which has to happen when the shutter
                 is open.  No?  -- !OP
                 off the film's surface, which occurs only when the shutter is
                 open.  No?  -- !OP
                 \_ Actually, that's correct.  However, as far as I'm aware of,
                    no digital camera uses that technique.  I guess I should've
                    said E-TTL or something.  They're all just terms anyway.
                    dSLRs measure light before the shutter, and using a
                    separate preflash.  On old film cameras with "classic" TTL,
                    there was only one flash, which gets shut off in a hurry
                    when enough light has reached the sensor looking at the
                    film.  Whew!
           \_ Are you using the built-in flash?  I can try it out on mine
              tonight and see what happens.
              \_ Yeah I mean the built in flash.                -pp, op
                 \_ Can you give me more details of your setting?  E.g. are you
                    using P mode or M mode?  If M, what shttter speed?  Any
                    menu settings that you changed from the default values?
                    \_ I'm at work but let me see if I can remember. I used
                       the A mode, I almost open up the aperature to the
                       widest so that the shutter would be faster (1/30,
                       1/2, etc) at night time, hand held.
        \_ Depends on what you want to do (e.g. being portable vs. in a studio
           setting).  I use my D80 with an SB-28 and a Sigma EF 430 Super
           (neither of which are really compatible with D80) bouncing off two
           Photogenic Eclipse 45" umbrellas for soft lighting.  This way I
           have fleshlights for portability, and very soft lighting when I
                   \_ Amazing. Is it junior high in here?
           have flashlights for portability, and very soft lighting when I
           have flashes for portability, and very soft lighting when I
           don't need to move around.  Of course if I have the $$, I'd rather
           get some real strobes for the studio setting.