Tuesday, November 24, 2009

How to put the SB-600 into remote mode

How to put the SB-600 into remote mode

For Advanced Wireless Lighting, you need to activate the wireless remote flash mode on the SB-600.

  1. Switch on the SB-600 flash.
    Turn on the SB-600
  2. Go into the custom settings menu (CSM) by pressing the – (MINUS) and ZOOM buttons simultaneously and holding them down for two seconds. I prefer to press and hold the MINUS button first before I press and hold the ZOOM button. Once you're in the CSM menu, press the – (MINUS) or + (PLUS) button to cycle through the available options until you see the wiggly arrow icon. This icon represents the remote mode, and has two values, OFF or ON.
    Going into the SB-600 custom menu
  3. Use either the ZOOM or MODE buttons to toggle the wireless remote flash mode option between OFF and ON. Press once on the ON / OFF power button to save the setting value and exit the CSM menu.
    Changing and saving option values in the SB-600's CSM menu
  4. Once you've exited from the CSM, you'll need to set the CH and GROUP values. CH represents the communication channel your camera, SB-800 or SU-800 will use to communicate with the SB-600, so choose any number between 1 and 4. But if you're using the built-in flash on the D70 / D70s to communicate with the SB-600, you're restricted to using only Channel 3. If there's another photographer in the vicinity who's also using Nikon's CLS (creative lighting system), make sure the both of you use different channels. If the SB-600 will be your primary remote flash, it's usual to put it in Group A. For this example, a remote SB-800 was my primary flash and already assigned to Group A, so I put the SB-600 in Group B. With each speedlight assigned to a different group, I can control the flash output levels of my SB-800 and SB-600 independently of each other.
    Setting CH and GROUP values on the SB-600

Now, set up the camera so that it can communicate wirelessly with the SB-600. For the following example, I'm using the built-in popup flash on my Nikon D300 to communicate and trigger the SB-600.

  1. Press the menu button on the D300 and navigate to the Custom Setting Menu.
    Activate Custom Setting Menu on the Nikon D300
  2. Next, select Flash cntrl for built-in flash. The default value for this option is TTL, but we're going to change that in the next step.
    Select Flash cntrl for built-in flash on the Nikon D300
  3. Select the Commander Mode option. Now you will be able to wirelessly control one or more remote SB-600 / SB-800 flash units using the D300's popup flash.
    Selecting Commander Mode for the Nikon D300's built-in flash
  4. Set flash exposure modes and compensation plus communication channel options here. If you recall, I had my SB-800 assigned to Group A while the SB-600 was assigned to Group B. In this example, I don't want the built-in flash to contribute any illumination to the scene, hence the double dashes (–). Group A (aka the SB-800) is on Manual exposure at 1/8. Group B (aka the SB-600) is on TTL with flash compensation of +1.0 EV. All this is achieved just by dialling in the necessary values here – I don't have to go to each flash to adjust its output level or exposure mode. Finally, the Channel is set to 3 so that my camera's popup flash can communicate with the other remote speedlights, which were also configured to Channel 3.
    Setting the flash exposure mode and compensation on the remote flash units, and the communication channel

Thursday, November 12, 2009

Process of cancelling Singapore PR

source: http://deliciouslifes.blogspot.com/2008/06/process-of-cancelling-singapore-pr.html

This is an email from a friend of mine who surrendered his PR in case I need to do it too. I think its exactly what you need:

Cancelling PR
Go down to SiR/ICA (or whatever they call themselves at this moment) and inform the information counter that you want to cancel your PR. Be sure to take your passport, IC and the entry permit. They will take you into an interview room. Don't worry, no one will interview you. A pleasant officer will let you ask you if you had any dependant PRs (no). She will inform that once PR is cancelled, a social visit visa will be issued for a month and that will help you finish off all work and leave Singapore. She will take back your IC and entry permit and cancel the re-entry permt. Then she will stamp a 1 month social visit from that day and give you one half of the disembarkation form/card. She will also give you a letter stating that ICA has accepted your PR cancellation request and that you have returned the IC as well as the entry permit. Keep this letter safely.

To the CPF board
Take the letter you got from ICA and go down to the CPF board. They will use this letter to close your CPF account. For quicker processing, pass them a bank account number in Singapore to remit your CPF amount. If I am not mistaken, they can also provide demand drafts (issued in your name only) etc. and send it to your permanent address overseas, if you cant wait in Singapore for the money to arrive in the bank. Bring along some document showing that you indeed have that account. One of the month's statement of account will do. Else you will be asked to sign an indemption form. They will need about 10 working days (i.e excluding Sunday and public holidays) to get the money into your account. I got the amount in my DBS account on the 9th day. If your employer has to pay any more CPF money to you, they will give you a letter instructing your company that you have closed your CPF account and that any amount (employer or employee contribution) still due to you should be paid to you directly. Take this letter and pass it to your company. They should then be able to give you the money directly. They will have to fill up the reverse section of that letter and send it back to CPF board.

The IRAS
Go down to IRAS and get an IR21 form. This form is to be filled when someone is permanently leaving Singapore and the taxes have to be settled. Get the company to fill it for you and return it to IRAS. Companies that use e-filing can fill the IR21 form online. Ask your employer if this can be done, so that you don't have to run to IRAS twice. IRAS will then compute the tax that you should be paying. Pay it. Note that the CPF board will ask IRAS for an "OK" with respect to your taxes before they credit the CPF money to you. If you have not filled in the IR21 form and not filed your taxes, IRAS will not give the green light to CPF board. If you are rushing (as I was), do let the IRAS officer know your emergency. They may help you by expediting the process. Ofcourse for this, e-filing will not work. Person-to-person contact works wonders in these cases. They took about 5 working days in my case.

That should cover everything that you will need to do in a normal case when dealing with ICA, IRAS and CPF board.

My notes:
1. has to settle all outstanding taxes before giving up the PR status.
2. view the procedure details here