Using my SB700 with Nikon D300 and motion blur problems

[Braineack]

Okay, will do. 1/250 is sufficient to stop motion blur always, correct?

A wedding photographer told me 1/125 is the slowest speed he uses to stop motion blur under normal circumstances.

This was 1/60sec:

I could have gone slower shutter and still froze my cat in midair. But you do have to worry about double exposures at this point. 1/125 is probably a good rule of thumb.

 

[qleak]

I searched youtube for 'focal plane shutter' and there are indeed many. Is there something more specific you might suggest?

I've found this video particularly informative.

 

[KmH]

From page 290 of your D300 User Manual:

e2: Flash Shutter Speed
This option determines the slowest shutter speed available when using front- or rear-curtain sync or red-eye reduction in programmed auto or aperture-priority auto exposure modes (regardless of the setting chosen, shutter speeds can be as slow as 30 s in shutter-priority auto and manual exposure modes or at flash settings of slow sync, slow rear-curtain sync, or red-eye reduction with slow sync). Options range from 1/60 s ([1/60 s], the default setting) to 30 s ([30 s]).

e2: Flash Shutter Speed
This option determines the slowest shutter speed available when
using front- or rear-curtain sync or red-eye reduction in
programmed auto or aperture-priority auto exposure modes
(regardless of the setting chosen, shutter speeds can be as slow as
30 s in shutter-priority auto and manual exposure modes or at
flash settings of slow sync, slow rear-curtain sync, or red-eye
reduction with slow sync). Options range from 1/60 s ([1/60 s], the
default setting) to 30 s ([30 s]).

 

[WayneF]

From page 290 of your D300 User Manual:
e2: Flash Shutter Speed
This option determines the slowest shutter speed available when using front- or rear-curtain sync or red-eye reduction in programmed auto or aperture-priority auto exposure modes (regardless of the setting chosen, shutter speeds can be as slow as 30 s in shutter-priority auto and manual exposure modes or at flash settings of slow sync, slow rear-curtain sync, or red-eye reduction with slow sync). Options range from 1/60 s ([1/60 s], the default setting) to 30 s ([30 s]).

Don't mess it up. E2 and Minimum has absolutely nothing to do with sync speed. What was that about?

The manual does say those words, but it is just Nikon-speak. Saying "controls slowest speed" merely means it sets a MINIMUM shutter speed with flash in A and P modes. A Minimum is in fact the"slowest available". The only control is that we can set a new slower Minimum. If the light happens to meter more than Minimum, the Minimum has no effect (i.e., no control).

These words are NOT even true of Rear Curtain sync (on Nikons). Because I am unaware of any NIkon models where Rear is not also Slow Rear (we can have Slow only, or Slow Rear, but not Rear Only). I think Canon separates them. Nikon does not, no doubt because Rear Sync has no application unless shutter is slow to produce blur, to be placed at the trailing edge of motion. Anyway, Slow sync means there is no Minimum observed, not even with flash - the shutter speed remains at what is actually metered, no matter how slow. And this is true of Slow Rear in Nikons too... no minimum, no control.

Models like the D3100 and D5300 have no E2 menu, but they still honor 1/60 second Minimum shutter speed with flash in A and P modes (and Auto).