Photos dark every other shot (using Speedlight)

[WideAperture]

Good evening shooters! I have a Nikon D850 and I'm using an SB-700 Speedlight. When I'm shooting, every other shot is dark as if the flash isn't even working yet I see the flash go off. Sometimes it's dark 2 out of every 3 shoots. This is very frustrating. Please help! Thanks.

 

[480sparky]

Do you have exposure bracketing turned on?

 

[ac12]

More data.
Are these shots spaced out, as in at least 5 seconds apart?
Or are these shots quick sequential shots?

Your statement leads me to think that you are shooting before the flash has recharged enough. So you may see a flash, but it is not bright enough to expose the image.

 

[mrca]

I'n not sure the 700 can fire with the capacitor partialy filled. Check to be sure the light indicating it is ready to fire is on. What you may be seeing is why I call my speed lights my "toys" since my Einsteins will pop 8 times a second including on the large vagabond battery. A speed light takes longer to recharge if you are shooting it at full power.

 

[WideAperture]

More data.
Are these shots spaced out, as in at least 5 seconds apart?
Or are these shots quick sequential shots?

Your statement leads me to think that you are shooting before the flash has recharged enough. So you may see a flash, but it is not bright enough to expose the image.

That may be the problem. I'm shooting like back to back to back. Maybe 1 second or so between shots. I thought this particular flash could hand shooting that fast. It's an Nikon SB-700. If that's the problem, can you recommend a better flash?

 

[WideAperture]

I'n not sure the 700 can fire with the capacitor partialy filled. Check to be sure the light indicating it is ready to fire is on. What you may be seeing is why I call my speed lights my "toys" since my Einsteins will pop 8 times a second including on the large vagabond battery. A speed light takes longer to recharge if you are shooting it at full power.

Yes I think that may be the problem. Is there a speedlight that can fire faster?

 

[480sparky]

As a general rule, the faster a speed light can fire, the less power it has to fire with and therefore less light it can produce.

 

[ac12]

That may be the problem. I'm shooting like back to back to back. Maybe 1 second or so between shots. I thought this particular flash could hand shooting that fast. It's an Nikon SB-700. If that's the problem, can you recommend a better flash?

Yes, 1 second is not enough time for a FULL power recycle.

Details?
- What are you shooting?
- What is the flash setting; distance to subject and power setting?
- How many back to back flashes do you shoot?
- Are there any limitations; size, weight, power, etc.?

@mrca uses the Einsteins, but there are other options, depending on your requirement.

 

[ronlane]

Lack of power is the main issue with speedlights. To fire faster with flash, you'll need a monolight. But as mentioned, there is still only so fast lights can fire and still recycle.

What are you shooting that you need multiple shots that quickly?

 

[mrca]

When the speedlight capacitor is full and ready to fire, there is probably a light that illuminates on the back of the flash. Check the manual. Prior to my Einsteins, I had Alien Bee lights that didn't have the ability to fire with a partially filled capacitor. If you watch older videos of studio shooting in those days you would hear beeps going off confirming the lights were ready... totally annoying. But usually the most power was set on the main or key light that was near the camera so if that beeped, the others should be ready. Sorry, I don't follow what has been happening with lights like godox or others but perhaps someone here can comment on their recycle times. Be aware there were some issues with continuous shooting causing some Nikons flashes to overheat and shut down. Had my 900 do that at a reception.

 

[mrca]

Lack of power is the main issue with speedlights. To fire faster with flash, you'll need a monolight. But as mentioned, there is still only so fast lights can fire and still recycle.

What are you shooting that you need multiple shots that quickly?

At half power, the $500 Einsteins will pop 6 times a second with dead flat white balance and identical exposure. At lowest power, 9 or 10 times a second. But eventually the capacitor isn't full enough for it to fire. I never needed more than 4 or 5 pops so don't know the limit. If I pause, a few seconds and there is a different expression morphing, that's why this ability is so important for me, it is ready to go again.

 

[ronlane]

At half power, the $500 Einsteins will pop 6 times a second with dead flat white balance and identical exposure. At lowest power, 9 or 10 times a second. But eventually the capacitor isn't full enough for it to fire. I never needed more than 4 or 5 pops so don't know the limit. If I pause, a few seconds and there is a different expression morphing, that's why this ability is so important for me, it is ready to go again.

Yes, the Einsteins will do that but they aren't speed lights, that is a studio strobe and if I'm not mistaken, they are wired into power or to a battery pack and not on a on-board battery.

You are leading the OP to the right direction if the need is to shoot 4-6 pops in quick bursts.

 

[mrca]

Or if he doesn't want to wait for a light to recharge. They cost $500, nearly the same as a manufacturers like Nikons speedlight. Not as small, they weigh 5 lbs and require a stand and in the field a battery pack. I have one battery pack that weighs a few lbs that clamps to a light stand and makes for a pretty portable unit with a 3' octa or an umbrella. Horses for courses, light weight, can be used to bounce from on camera, a speedlight. But they are only 80 watt seconds the Einstein is 640, enough to be easily usable outdoors. No high speed sync that the speed light has but enough power to work easily with a nd filter on camera. Like I said, i call my speedlights toys in comparison. But for a run and gun event, a speedlight is the horse of choice.