SB800 as master flash on Coolpix 8800 problem

[Joew]

I bought a pair of speedlights, the SB-800 and SB-600, for my Coolpix 8800 camera. The SB-800, attached to the camera hotshoe, should act as a master to the SB-600, sitting off camera. If the SB-800 is not connected to the hotshoe, I can select the menu that sets the 800 as master, and when it flashes, the slave 600 flashes. But as soon as I attach the SB-800 to the 8800 hotshoe, the menu choice to set it as master vanishes. I can't discover any flash or camera mode that enables me to set the SB-800 as master once it is in the hotshoe. Bummer. Otherwise the SB-800 operates fully automatically as it should. Any suggestions about how I can use the pair of speedlights as master and slave?

 

[mattins]

> I dont think the cp8800 supports the CLS lighting system...one of a couple of shortsighted design flaws with this other wise superb camera

 

[Joew]

Thanks Phillip;

I'll be astonished if the 8800 doesnt' support CLS. It seems the SB-800 works alone, hotshoed, as an automatically controlled unit and works great, but simply can't be set as a master flash unit. I'll be sitting with the salesman at Gasser's Photo in SF this afternoon to see if he can dig up some help on this problem.