Is there a way to break the sync speed?

hamlet · Jul 28, 2014

Now i've acquired the following items:

YN-622N-TX
YN-568EX
YN-622N

Can you break the sync speed with these things alone on the d3200? Or is there a other way that you have found to do it? The speedlight in question has hss, so i'm wondering that if it shoots at the same time as the camera takes the picture, it should work? However I don't know if it will work, i'm going on pure conjecture right now.

snerd · Jul 29, 2014

hamlet said:
............ i'm going on pure conjecture right now.

At this particular juncture, I'd say you set it on the flash unit. Or camera too maybe, but I don't know Nikon.

Overread · Jul 29, 2014

Sync speed on most cameras is enabled automatically whenever the camera controls the shutter speed. So if you're in aperture priority mode with the flash attached and active/popup flash up the camera won't set a shutter speed faster than the cameras sync speed (though it will set a slower than sync speed shutter speed if the light allows).

When you have control over the shutter speed you can select whatever shutter speed you want, even if its faster than the sync speed. Note that on some cameras you can enable a menu function to auto cap your shutter speed to the sync speed (ergo you can set the shutter speed, but the camera won't let you set it faster than the sync speed with a flash enabled).

To enable highspeed shutter mode you typically have to press a button on the flash unit itself to enable this mode.

This setup allows you to let a flash fire even when the shutter speed will cause part of the sensor to be hidden by the shutter blades when the flash fires. There are some creative situations where photographers want to use this effect.

Braineack · Jul 29, 2014

Why even the need?

I have read about hacks where if you must put a manual flash on your camera, then using an optical trigger to your remote sender unit. Then you have to overpower the remote light that you're sending to, so the duration lasts longer than the shutter but will light throughout the time period both curtains are open.

you could probably use the PC terminal port on your SB800 to send to your YN622TX instead of an optical slave. Like this: Ian Brooks Photography - Blog: High Speed Sync Hack

astroNikon · Jul 29, 2014

Does the D3200 even support Auto-FP ?

KmH · Jul 29, 2014

No, the D3200 does not have Auto-FP flash sync.

To do Auto-FP (HSS) the flash unit has to fire several times during the exposure because the shutter is never fully open and is a moving slit.
A cameras x-sync speed is the shortest shutter speed that has the shutter fully open for an exposure.

Braineack · Jul 29, 2014

astroNikon said:
Does the D3200 even support Auto-FP ?

the idea is: when you trigger the remote flash, early, at full power it has a very long duration compared to the shutter and can "sync" even at 1/4000sec.

So in Hammy's case, he puts his SB800 on the hotshoe in manual mode. This should allow his D3200 to use any shutter speed he wants (if not, SOL). Then he'd trigger his YN568EX through his YN622TX via the PC cord on his SB800, set at full power. At 1/1 his flash fires at 1/250sec. So he'll fire a long bright burst that should light up the faster shutter speed completely.

The trick is getting the flash to fire before the first curtain and throughout the 2nd curtain, bumping up the power is essential and important because not only does it increase the duration, but since it's firing through the curtains and a faster shutter the amount of light actually captured will be reduced, so a little guess and check with the correct power/duration combos will probably need to be made.

or just try using a non-ttl hot shoe cable.

My D600 has Auto-FP, but I don't have TTL triggers, I could probably do something similar to get my remote flahes to fully expose during a fast shutter.

but keep in mind, the shutter speed is also going to reduce the flash output as well: https://www.flickr.com/photos/pa-d/810823064/in/photostream/

or Hammy could do things like using a LOW power flash and get a "shutter" speed of 1/41,600 with his D3200 and SB800.

hamlet · Jul 29, 2014

I suppose i'll have to upgrade now. I mean i'm perfectly satisfied with my d3200 with almost everything excepts sports shots, but these workarounds are much more expensive than just getting a d7100.

Braineack · Jul 29, 2014

how are any of those workarounds more expensive than a $1000 camera body? Why not see what you can manage with your current body, then decide if it's really worth the upgrade for Auto-FP.

I'm the only one who suggested any workarounds, and it might cost you a few bucks in a short PC cord.

hamlet · Jul 29, 2014

KmH said:
No, the D3200 does not have Auto-FP flash sync.

To do Auto-FP (HSS) the flash unit has to fire several times during the exposure because the shutter is never fully open and is a moving slit.
A cameras x-sync speed is the shortest shutter speed that has the shutter fully open for an exposure.

And that flash will be too weak in some situations, that's why i opted for those cheap yungnuo flashes so i can just gun it and get my shots with 2 to 7 flashes firing all at once depending on my needs.

Braineack · Jul 29, 2014

If you're going to use that many flashes then why need HSS at all?

Your flash output in Auto-FP is pretty much cut in half when you go from 1/250 (your sync speed) to 1/1000, and then again going to 1/4000. So you need 4 flashes in auto-fp mode at 1/4000 just to equal one at 1/250. You could do the same thing with 4 flashes at 1/250 at 1/4 power and technically be shooting at 1/2700sec or so depending on the flash duration (disclaimer: not good at on-top-of-head math).

You seem to always be shopping for something new to solve a problem you haven't yet even encountered. Why not experiment with what you have and see if Auto-FP is actually the solution to "shooting modeling and sports"...

hamlet · Jul 29, 2014

That is a good point and one i've considered at length. I need to be able to shoot at 1/2000, 1/4000, 1/8000 in any lighting condition with flash. If you've got a affordable workaround, then i'm all ears, otherwise just buying a camera that can shoot at those speeds with flash is a wise investment.