Trying to understand Shutter Sync/Flash

[phiya]

Okay, so as I understand it most cameras sync shutter speed to flash in order to get an even flash exposure at 1/200 or 1/250. The reason they do this as I understand it is because this is the fastest speed that will allow the entire shutter (both curtains) to be open for the duration of the flash pulse. Now based on my limited knowledge - I feel like there are ways to get your shutter speed higher when using a flash and not completely ruining your exposure. I've read a little about HSS, but am not really sure I understand it or how it works.

Can someone please explain to me what is involved in being able to use a faster shutter speed with a flash? I'm a little overwhelmed in my research and would like to see if someone here can enlighten me.

 

[o hey tyler]

If I understand correctly, the HSS turns the flash from a single pulse to a strobe during the duration of the shutter... But I could be wrong.

 

[phiya]

So this is the strobist stuff I've been reading about? I was trying to read up on it, but it never clearly said that it makes the flash fire multiple pulses during an exposure. Can this be accomplished with normal flash units, say an SB-600?

 

[Scatterbrained]

Here ya go.....
http://neilvn.com/tangents/2008/12/13/max-it-out/

 

[MohaimenK]

Yes it's exactly what you read with strobists. You'll notice when your camera is in ETTL mode, you won't go passed 1/200 (depending on camera, mosts are at that) but soon as you turn on the HSS, as Tyler said CORRECTLY (yes I said it) that its pulse of flash, like a strobe light, so when your first curtain opens, there's still light for the 2nd curtain. But also notice when you turn your HSS on, you will be able to go passed 1/200 shutter speed in your camera. Well at least it does for one of my camera. It'll block me from going over 1/200 but soon as I turn on HSS it lets me go beyond that. I have to check if it's the same with the T1i

 

[o hey tyler]

It's the same with the t1i.

 

[sam_justice]

HSS = magic fun times

 

[Big Mike]

Okay, so as I understand it most cameras sync shutter speed to flash in order to get an even flash exposure at 1/200 or 1/250. The reason they do this as I understand it is because this is the fastest speed that will allow the entire shutter (both curtains) to be open for the duration of the flash pulse. Now based on my limited knowledge - I feel like there are ways to get your shutter speed higher when using a flash and not completely ruining your exposure. I've read a little about HSS, but am not really sure I understand it or how it works.

Yes, that's how it works.

Yes, with Canon's HSS (high speed sync), it pulses the light several times rather than firing it in one burst...allowing you to use shutter speeds up to 1/8000.
Nikon has the same feature, but it's called Auto FP.

When Auto FP High Speed Sync is selected, the flash will fire for the duration of the shutter curtain's travel, thus syncing with the camera's shutter speed when that speed is set higher than the camera's normal sync speed.

Auto FP High-speed Sync from Nikon

So this is the strobist stuff I've been reading about?

'The Strobist' (made up word for someone who uses a strobe) is a blog by Photographer David Hobby. The Blog has an enormous (almost cult like) following.
One of the main themes of the blog, is the use of off camera flash, more specifically, the use of 'hot shoe' flashes in an off-camera capacity.
Probably the most viewed section of that site/blog is 'Lighting 101', which is a basic guide to setting up and using off-camera flash.

 

[MohaimenK]

It's the same with the t1i.

Thanks, I will give it a try today. I haven't had to use it much before with that camera but I'll need to use both cameras for an outdoor wedding Sunday :thumbup:

 

[Village Idiot]

'The Strobist' (made up word for someone who uses a strobe) is a blog by Photographer David Hobby. The Blog has an enormous (almost cult like) following.
One of the main themes of the blog, is the use of off camera flash, more specifically, the use of 'hot shoe' flashes in an off-camera capacity.
Probably the most viewed section of that site/blog is 'Lighting 101', which is a basic guide to setting up and using off-camera flash.

We are not a cult Mike. We are the future. Join us Mike.

My name is Strobist: for we are many.

Ahem...what was that?

OP - There are other options, like the expensive Pocket Wizards that allow for a timing change between the firing of the camera and a firing of the strobe to speed up the x sync of certain cameras. There's also cameras with a mechanical/electronic shutter hybrid which can completely ignore the x sync and have a good flash exposure at their maximum shutter speed. There's also tricks, like shooting faster than your x sync and either cropping out the black bar or framing it with the ambient so that it doesn't matter.

 

[Derrel]

Okay, so as I understand it most cameras sync shutter speed to flash in order to get an even flash exposure at 1/200 or 1/250. The reason they do this as I understand it is because this is the fastest speed that will allow the entire shutter (both curtains) to be open for the duration of the flash pulse. Now based on my limited knowledge - I feel like there are ways to get your shutter speed higher when using a flash and not completely ruining your exposure. I've read a little about HSS, but am not really sure I understand it or how it works.

Can someone please explain to me what is involved in being able to use a faster shutter speed with a flash? I'm a little overwhelmed in my research and would like to see if someone here can enlighten me.

Pick up a used Nikon D40. It uses a CCD imaging sensor, and the old-school shutter type that can synchronize off-camera electronic flash at up to 1/8000 second if the flash is NOT in the hot-shoe of the camera, without resorting to FP synch. The older Nikon D1x and D1h cameras also have CCD sensors and the right type of shutter to synch flash with very fast daylight exposures, and as such, are still in use by some very dedicated professional sports shooters who shoot things like motocross, skateboarding, snow boarding,etc, etc, and want to use flash in bright daylight as fill.

The D40x will NOT synch single-burst flash at these ridiculously high speeds, but the 6MP D40 will.

 

[molsen]

You can always shoot normally and over the max sync speed and just crop out the black bar

 

[kajiki]

Okay, so as I understand it most cameras sync shutter speed to flash in order to get an even flash exposure at 1/200 or 1/250. The reason they do this as I understand it is because this is the fastest speed that will allow the entire shutter (both curtains) to be open for the duration of the flash pulse. Now based on my limited knowledge - I feel like there are ways to get your shutter speed higher when using a flash and not completely ruining your exposure. I've read a little about HSS, but am not really sure I understand it or how it works.

Can someone please explain to me what is involved in being able to use a faster shutter speed with a flash? I'm a little overwhelmed in my research and would like to see if someone here can enlighten me.

Pick up a used Nikon D40. It uses a CCD imaging sensor, and the old-school shutter type that can synchronize off-camera electronic flash at up to 1/8000 second if the flash is NOT in the hot-shoe of the camera, without resorting to FP synch. The older Nikon D1x and D1h cameras also have CCD sensors and the right type of shutter to synch flash with very fast daylight exposures, and as such, are still in use by some very dedicated professional sports shooters who shoot things like motocross, skateboarding, snow boarding,etc, etc, and want to use flash in bright daylight as fill.

The D40x will NOT synch single-burst flash at these ridiculously high speeds, but the 6MP D40 will.

method behind the madness - I have a couple of D70s bodies, and more recently a D1x, acquired specificly for the high speed sync.

Question: which radio trigger is offering to operate at the highest shutter speeds? Since I am using non-dedicated flash, not the Nikon Auto FP mode, I think Pocket Wizards are largely wasted. Anything else that gets close to 1/4000th - which is generally the top speed I would shoot?

 

[mwcfarms]

So this is the strobist stuff I've been reading about? I was trying to read up on it, but it never clearly said that it makes the flash fire multiple pulses during an exposure. Can this be accomplished with normal flash units, say an SB-600?

I dont believe the 600 is capable but the 800 and 900 are. Someone else might be able to confirm this.

 

[phiya]

So this is the strobist stuff I've been reading about? I was trying to read up on it, but it never clearly said that it makes the flash fire multiple pulses during an exposure. Can this be accomplished with normal flash units, say an SB-600?

I dont believe the 600 is capable but the 800 and 900 are. Someone else might be able to confirm this.

I've purchased the 600 and used AutoFP (HSS) since then. It does work, but if you want to use HSS with an off camera flash, triggered remotely you either have to have some expensive remote triggers, or trigger your SB-600,800,900 with another SB-800,900 which is on camera. I'm sure there are probably other ways around this (radio poppers, pocket wizards) but this is the one way I know it should work.