Help with flash syncing

[eric-holmes]

I was doing some test shots with my v4 triggers I just got today and I noticed some weird things when I upped the shutter speed. How am I supposed to shoot greater than 200 when I am outside and I am using my flash? It seems like it would be a necessity.

Camera Maker: NIKON CORPORATION
Camera Model: NIKON D90
Image Date: 2010:06:24 17:25:18
Focal Length: 62mm (35mm equivalent: 93mm)
Aperture: f/8.0
Exposure Time: 0.0050 s (1/200)
ISO equiv: 200
Exposure Bias: none
Metering Mode: Center Weight
Exposure: Manual
Exposure Mode: Manual
White Balance: Auto
Flash Fired: No

Camera Maker: NIKON CORPORATION
Camera Model: NIKON D90
Image Date: 2010:06:24 17:25:23
Focal Length: 62mm (35mm equivalent: 93mm)
Aperture: f/8.0
Exposure Time: 0.0040 s (1/250)
ISO equiv: 200
Exposure Bias: none
Metering Mode: Center Weight
Exposure: Manual
Exposure Mode: Manual
White Balance: Auto
Flash Fired: No

Camera Maker: NIKON CORPORATION
Camera Model: NIKON D90
Image Date: 2010:06:24 17:25:34
Focal Length: 62mm (35mm equivalent: 93mm)
Aperture: f/8.0
Exposure Time: 0.0031 s (1/320)
ISO equiv: 200
Exposure Bias: none
Metering Mode: Center Weight
Exposure: Manual
Exposure Mode: Manual
White Balance: Auto
Flash Fired: No

 

[Josh66]

High speed sync.

Not sure what flash you have, but it should be an option.

The reason the max sync speed is what it is, is because that is the fastest shutter speed where both curtains are open at the same time.

High speed sync works by firing a series of pulses, like a strobe.

On Canon flashes, the button has a lightning bolt looking thing with an H next to it. Not sure what it is on Nikon flashes.

 

[camz]

Yeah that tends to be an issue with triggers with no High Speed sync with your flash. When I used my pocket wizards Plus II where I couldn't go any faster then 1/250th, I was shooting narrow at maybe f/12 and up outside at harsh lighting. That's just the name of the game with triggers like these.

I ended up getting the Pocket Wizards Flex TT5 last year and since it has high speed sync with my flashes I can pretty much shoot wide open.

 

[camz]

josh beat me too it =)

 

[eric-holmes]

Sorry, I have an sb-600

 

[sovietdoc]

A question not entirely relevant to this post; I almost never use flash but just to see if I am doing things right when I am:

On the camera I got, there are 2 settings for built-in flash. First curtain and second curtain. I assume its when the flash fires, how significant is it and what do you do with that. Also, when using flash, everything is always too white. The only way to help that is to get an external flash where you can tell it how much power to use ?

 

[Josh66]

OK - did a little googling. The SB-600 does have FP high speed sync. The manual should tell you how to turn it on.

 

[Josh66]

A question not entirely relevant to this post; I almost never use flash but just to see if I am doing things right when I am:

On the camera I got, there are 2 settings for built-in flash. First curtain and second curtain. I assume its when the flash fires, how significant is it and what do you do with that. Also, when using flash, everything is always too white. The only way to help that is to get an external flash where you can tell it how much power to use ?

This gives a pretty good explanation of 2nd curtain sync:
An Explanation of 2nd Curtain Sync Flash (or Slow Sync Flash)

As far as the pop-up flash - you can use Flash Exposure Compensation to help a little, but that's about all you can do...

 

[eric-holmes]

Ok, the manual says it has to be turned on via the camera??? I have done this but I guess the cactus v4s do not communicate this information.

 

[Josh66]

I guess the cactus v4s do not communicate this information.

That must be the case...

 

[Moe]

Not sure about the D90, but the D40 has a max sync speed (according to the manual) of 1/500. However, with my Cactus V4's I was consistently able to push this to 1/640 and most of the time 1/800. Since the D700, though, its max sync speed is 1/250. This cannot be pushed, at least in my experience. Even at 1/250 there is a hint of darkening at the bottom of the frame. This doesn't change using with CLS or Cactus V4's. You can use FP sync for CLS to push it to 1/320, I believe (read the manual or use "the google").

On a side note, I just recently learned you can select FP sync with the SB-600 on camera and choose your max shutter speed. I shot a pic the other day (an experimental pic, nothing special) in broad daylight at f 3.5 and shutter speed of 1/8000. Yes one/eight thousandth! Obviously, this isn't off cam flash, but can be a cool effect. Not sure if you can do this with the D90.

An off-camera flash with high speed sync would be very cool. Just another thing on my ever-growing list. I believe most photos you see overpowering the sun is an effect of flash power, not shutter speed. Their strobes (studio, not hotshoe flashes) have such power that they are able to choose a small aperture to overpower the sun while still using a shutter speed of 1/200 or so.

 

[Josh66]

Not sure if you can do this with the D90.

You should be able to, with the flash on camera.
(OP, try it - then you'll know for sure.)

 

[myfotoguy]

You can use high speed sync with wireless CLS (I did it recently with wireless CLS high speed sync @ 1/4000) but not with all radio triggers. Pocket Wizard has a system for Canon, Nikon on the way. I thought I read Radio Poppers have a version for Nikon.

Of course, those types will cost you lots of money. So your choices are wireless CLS with the on camera commander and the SB-600 in wireless mode. For now if you need the radio signal, and are in bright light you could try an ND filter.

 

[Moe]

Well, son of a b. Thanks, myfotoguy!

*goes outside to play* (it's still sunny here)

 

[eric-holmes]

Not sure about the D90, but the D40 has a max sync speed (according to the manual) of 1/500. However, with my Cactus V4's I was consistently able to push this to 1/640 and most of the time 1/800. Since the D700, though, its max sync speed is 1/250. This cannot be pushed, at least in my experience. Even at 1/250 there is a hint of darkening at the bottom of the frame. This doesn't change using with CLS or Cactus V4's. You can use FP sync for CLS to push it to 1/320, I believe (read the manual or use "the google").

On a side note, I just recently learned you can select FP sync with the SB-600 on camera and choose your max shutter speed. I shot a pic the other day (an experimental pic, nothing special) in broad daylight at f 3.5 and shutter speed of 1/8000. Yes one/eight thousandth! Obviously, this isn't off cam flash, but can be a cool effect. Not sure if you can do this with the D90.

An off-camera flash with high speed sync would be very cool. Just another thing on my ever-growing list. I believe most photos you see overpowering the sun is an effect of flash power, not shutter speed. Their strobes (studio, not hotshoe flashes) have such power that they are able to choose a small aperture to overpower the sun while still using a shutter speed of 1/200 or so.

Yes, I was able to mount my flash to the camera and use my max shutter speed of 1/4000.