What to do when you max out your flash sync speed?

[Barrie Davis]

"My conculsion: High Speed Sync mode did not work well with my off
camera light (Dyna-Lite). They did not sync."

Well, what a surprise (not!)

I did point out that you need a camera and flash combination that is capable of delivering the special FP mode of repeated stutter flashing.

http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/read.asp?forum=1025&message=27226970

That was 4 days ago!
--
Regards,
Baz

 

[David314]

So I wanted to take a group photo with a shallow depth of field
(f/2.8), with off camera flash, in full sunlight.

first off with full sunlight you are looking at f16 or f13 (as per your picture) with ISO 200 1/200 sunny sixteen

so to get to F2.8 you are going to need 5 stops

so shutter speed 1/6400

here is a wonderful graph that shows what happens to flash at higher speeds



http://www.nikonians.org/forums/dcboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=154&topic_id=15769

if you had a D70 (D40,D50) you might be able to pull it off as the flash is about 1/16 power but any camera with FP flash - like the D300 is going to be a problem

so you need to go the other way

and one thing you can do right off the bat with a D300 is shoot lower than iso200 - all the way to ISO100 then you can add in 4 stops of ND filter and you got to F2.8

will the flash still get through, yes, you should have enough power with your current flashes

you can also gang them up too

here was a nice thread - notice toward the end you see a picture of the setup

http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/read.asp?forum=1034&message=26232501

however, as many have already stated, i would not shoot f2.8 for a group shot, i would think f4

good luck!

David

 

[Rdefen]

Even if it knew it couldn't pulse anyway.

 

[RJSPhotography]

good thread!!

 

[Drew Conway]

Put in a pre-order for those Radio Poppers and hope they live up the hype

Have you thought about finding an alternate background that can complement your photo that would work well when it is in focus? Check out http://flickr.com/photos/stateofthenation for great cross-lit photos shot in the sun, shot with some depth of field.

 

[Irakly Shanidze]

aside the high-speed flash sync that only few cameras offer, there are following relatively low-budget options at your disposal:

a polarizing filter
an ND filer (they come in different strengths),
a combination of the two above options
using a reflector instead of a fill-flash (this is not as hard as it seems)

or there is a beautiful killer option: get a rolleiflex 6000 series camera with a PQS lens that will sync at any speed up to 1/1000 of a second.

--
Irakly Shanidze
http://www.shanidze.com/en

 

[Barrie Davis]

aside the high-speed flash sync that only few cameras offer, there
are following relatively low-budget options at your disposal:

a polarizing filter

No. Not useful..(using optical light attenuating methods already shown for a fallacy further up thread.)

an ND filer (they come in different strengths),

Similarly no use at all (see up-thread)

a combination of the two above options

Sorry. Still no use! ;-)

using a reflector instead of a fill-flash (this is not as hard as it
seems)

Aha! That's more like it. Reflectors are great as long as they do not blind the subject.

or there is a beautiful killer option: get a rolleiflex 6000 series
camera with a PQS lens that will sync at any speed up to 1/1000 of a
second.

Alternatively, a high grade NON-dSLR would be a lot cheaper and likely produce perfectly satisfactory results at all normal print sizes.

[My largest print run ever (a 48 sheet hoarding poster) came from Konica Minolta A2 camera with 2/3" sensor. It can synchronise to the top of the dial, fast enough, even, to clip the end of the flash pulse from my Bowens studio units.]
--
Regards,
Baz

 

[D Knisely]

Excuse me for shouting, but I dispair at this site sometimes. Jim
gives the answer and is ignored among a host of needless workarounds.
High Speed sync is not rocket science, and it lets you use and
shutter speed you like.

Yes it does not have as much range, but as you are likely to be using
it wide open it will probably have enough. (about five metres at f2.8
and ISO 200 with a 580EX).

If you set the flash to high speed each time you change the
batteries, it will stay that way, and automatically give full power
at normal snyc speeds, and high speed strobe above normal sync. You
don't even need to to think about it.

...

I use high speed flash for almost every shot that includes people
outside in bright daylight. You can barely notice that the flash was
used, but every one of those shots is the better for using it.

Trevor -- what flash compensation are you using? Those photos look very like they have excellent balance between flash and ambient. I wouldn't have guessed they were flashed at all!

Doug

 

[Karld70]

Alternatively, a high grade NON-dSLR would be a lot cheaper and
likely produce perfectly satisfactory results at all normal print
sizes.

or a D70, and they are cheap. I keep one just for outside bright light fill flash shots. You can get a good size print from that camera. I think the D40 & D50 are the same, but don't know that for sure.

 

[Baume Foto]

they are...they have electronic shutters.

I sold my D70...but quickly regretted it due to wanting to do higher-speed synch/over power the sun type shots. I might pick up a used D40 just for that purpose.

Alternatively, a high grade NON-dSLR would be a lot cheaper and
likely produce perfectly satisfactory results at all normal print
sizes.

or a D70, and they are cheap. I keep one just for outside bright
light fill flash shots. You can get a good size print from that
camera. I think the D40 & D50 are the same, but don't know that for
sure.

--

Baume Foto [email protected]