Comments on: An Explanation of 2nd Curtain Sync Flash (or Slow Sync Flash)

By: Jeff Kontur

Jeff Kontur — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 10:52:56 +0000

Actually the reason (and I guess I should have made this clear above) is that with “ordinary” flash, the camera assumes that the flash is the primary light source. Therefore, it has total control over the light in the picture. With slow and second curtain synch, the camera assumes that the flash is supplemental to some other light source. Therefore, it has to measure the other light source and also measure the flash against it to determine the best output to use.

By: wageslave

wageslave — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 03:54:21 +0000

Can anyone explain why the Second Curtain Synch needs a pre-flash at the beginning (supposedly to adjust intensity), but not the First Curtain Synch (i.e, the normal sequence)? Isn’t the exposure (shutter speed, aperture and ISO) already determined before *any* flash is fired?

By: Jeremy

Jeremy — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 08:12:37 +0000

I remember you posted a guide about this a year or so ago, illustrated with some really beautiful pictures. The samples here really don’t interest me that much, but these ones were really cool. Slow sync flash seems to allow you to really experiment and get arty.

By: Lou

Lou — Sat, 28 Feb 2009 20:42:13 +0000

Don’t worry about “calling me out”. I want things to be accurate, not “according to Lou”. I did associate dragging the shutter with slow sync, not 2nd curtain. I thought slow sync was just using a slower shutter speed, different from actual 2nd curtain sync. I did enjoy this article and all the comments. I use flash quite often. I don’t really use the 2nd curtain function much but should experiment more with it. This is the first time I’ve looked into this web site and I did join and post some in the forums. Thanks for your work here.

By: Eric Rossicci

Eric Rossicci — Sat, 28 Feb 2009 20:33:14 +0000

Hello,
I am new on this School of Photography and am not too sure if this is the correct spot to ask a question.
I own a Canon 40D and the 580 ll Canon Flash. I noticed that if I use the Auto setting on the camera and try to take flash pictures of say; dancers, the pictures are blurred. Obviously because of the slow shutter synchronization. What would be the correct setting for fast action photography with this flash? I also have the Better beamer to extend the range of the flash.
Sorry if I posted this in the wrong place, you have to forgive me, I am still using baby steps here ..
Eric

By: Jeffrey Kontur

Jeffrey Kontur — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 13:17:25 +0000

Because I don’t shoot Nikon, I can only venture an educated guess. I think the article covers regular flash and rear flash. I believe that slow flash is what Lou mentioned above. It is also called “dragging the shutter”. (Sorry to call you out Lou but dragging the shutter is actually something slightly different from second curtain synch.)

With dragging the shutter, the camera combines a long shutter speed (to capture ambient light) with flash. Naturally the next question is whether the flash fires at the beginning or end of the exposure. With your Nikon’s slow flash setting, I don’t know.

For the record, regular and rear flash can be used with any shutter speed, up to your camera’s maximum synch speed. (That’s why it’s not the same as dragging the shutter.) So you can drag the shutter with any flash mode simply by putting the camera in shutter priority and slowing the shutter speed.

Can any experienced Nikon shooters confirm exactly how slow flash works?

By: deck2

deck2 — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 07:52:28 +0000

very nice tutorials, happy to get weekly newletter. slow sync flash is very usefull taking pics at parties, gives movement to photos

By: ben

ben — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 00:29:05 +0000

I’m confused. My Nikon has regular flash, Slow flash, and Rear flash. This article only discussed two of those. Which one did it leave out?

By: Jeffrey Kontur

Jeffrey Kontur — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 15:28:48 +0000

It’s exciting to me to see people opened up to new possibilities with their shooting. To all those who confessed to be “afraid” of flash, don’t be. The worst that can happen is that you take a picture and it comes out poorly. Using the flash will not break anything on your camera. Limit your experimenting to situations where you are not faced with once-in-a-lifetime shots. Soon, you will develop new skills and knowledge that can be gradually be applied to more important subject matter.

To lils, yes you can use a built-in flash. You may be more limited in the results you can produce but it’s certainly the easiest way to start.

To Bob, I genuinely appreciate that you feel comfortable enough to dislike my photos. I mean that quite sincerely. I teach a lot of workshops and have written two books. So many people look at me as “the (exalted) expert” and do not feel comfortable forming their own opinions about what they see in my work. I dislike many of my own shots too. The ones posted here were not selected for their beauty but rather for their ability to demonstrate the concept.

To Don, great question! As with many things in photography, the answer is most likely nothing more than tradition. Why is the particular size and aspect ratio of the 35mm film frame the de facto standard against which all cameras are measured? It’s certainly not the only size or ratio ever used. It’s arguably not even the best one. Front curtain synch became the default because it was first to market. back in the days when the technology didn’t exist to make second curtain synch affordable, first curtain synch was the only option that existed. Thus, it became the “standard” against which alternatives are now compared.

By: 73Rocks

73Rocks — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 04:12:01 +0000

Here is a couple of examples of how I like to utilize the 2nd curtain sync function on my Canon 430EX with my Rebel XTi when photographing high school sports:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/73rocks/3307616281/

and

http://www.flickr.com/photos/73rocks/3307615859/