Sync Speed

[DogHeadGod]

My SB600 has a sync speed of 250 when it is on the camera or in Commander mode, I cannot set a shutterspeed above this value on the camera. So any ideas how I am able to go all the way up to 1/1000 sec with the ebay triggers and still get a properly exposed photograph?

[DogHeadGod]

nevemind, I found my answer...

"Nikon has done the world a great favor in the D1, D1X, D1H and D70 cameras by adding an electronic shutter to take care of the faster speeds. By doing this the sync speed becomes unlimited. The only reason the D1, D1X and D1H (and for all I know the D70) limit the speed to 1/500 is because of the loss of efficiency above that speed for shoe mounted flash."

[CaptainNH]

If you're keen to explore high-speed sync with off camera strobes, keep an eye out for the Nikon version of the PW flex.

The canon version claims to sync right through to the max SS of 1/8000s

I haven't had mine up that high yet, but have happily synced to 1/500. I'll have to dream up an experiment that needs 1/8000.

Anyway, no Nikon version yet. But keep an eye out

[wobertc]

I might add my 2-bits worth if I may-
Consider these points-
1) Most flashguns (strobes) fire a light that is 1/500th or faster (as short as 1/60000th sec)
2) Most SLR cameras with a 'Focal Plane" shutter will only have both shutter curtains fully open at shutter speeds slower than 1/250th sec. (the maximum 'Sync' speed)
3) if you set your camera faster than the sync speed in the camera specifications- you will get an image that is partly unexposed by the flash because one of the shutter curtains covers part of the sensor when the flash fires.
4) Some newer flashguns have electronics that allow the flash 'spark' to actually burn for a period of time- this allows for very fast camera shutter speeds where the two shutter curtains traverse across the sensor very near to one another. (Like a paint brush laying paint across a surface)
Conclusion- It is only with these 'fast-sync' flashguns that you will be able to use shutter speeds faster then the usual 1/200-1/250th sec. My Nikon SB-800 describes it as "Auto FP High-speed sync for working with higher shutter speeds offering greater depth of field control."
If this is as clear as mud- do some research on focal-plane shutters to help the understanding. Focal-plane shutter - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Regards

[joedelbecq]

Originally Posted by wobertc

3) if you set your camera faster than the sync speed in the camera specifications- you will get an image that is partly unexposed by the flash because one of the shutter curtains covers part of the sensor when the flash fires.

Wow... thank you for that info. We are new to indoor lighting and using a strobe for the first time. We thought something was wrong with our Canon 30D, there was a mysterious dark edge in our images (shooting at 1/320). We were freaking out!!! Then thanks to your post our problem is solved. So much to learn... So little time! We'll keep learning! ;o)

[inkista]

Originally Posted by DogHeadGod

My SB600 has a sync speed of 250 when it is on the camera or in Commander mode,

Wait. You have it on camera and you can't put it into high speed sync (FP) mode?! I think this is something you may want to recheck.

Be aware, though, that there is a price to pay for using higher shutter speeds with FP mode: you'll have a lot less power to work with. Ain't no such thing as a free lunch.

....any ideas how I am able to go all the way up to 1/1000 sec with the ebay triggers and still get a properly exposed photograph?

Unless your camera has an electronic trigger, no. eBay triggers are manual only, they don't do iTTL. If you use CLS, however, you should have high-speed sync capability. The only radio-based trigger systems that can do this are RadioPopper PX units (not JrXs), and the ttl-capable Flex and Mini from PocketWizard.

High-speed sync is one of the Holy Grails for Strobist shooters (the other one is remote power control), which is why there's been so much excitement over a new breed of eBay trigger, the Pixel TR-331 (~$100/set). It looks like it's basically a TTL-sync cable over radio. No commanding capabilities (so, remote power setting is unlikely unless you can do it from the camera back), but high-speed sync is a definite possibility.

[candleman]

inkista... those look good...

so, if i'm not mistaken.. i can use these to replace the optical triggering of the D80.. and still retain the functionality of setting the power levels fromt the back of the camera??

OMG. thats would be insanely awesome...

[inkista]

Originally Posted by candleman

inkista... those look good...

so, if i'm not mistaken.. i can use these to replace the optical triggering of the D80.. and still retain the functionality of setting the power levels from the back of the camera??

Actually, no. That's exactly what I'm saying it probably can't do. It can let you do whatever an iTTL synch cable would let you do. But it likely can't do what the SB-800/SB-900/SU-800/pop-up flash do as a commander unit. It's just doing pin-to-pin signals from camera hotshoe to flash hotshoe over radio. It can't add any additional logic. Think of it this way: you're basically fooling the camera into thinking the flash is on the hotshoe; whatever the camera can tell the on-shoe flash to do, that's what you can get.

I'm guessing if you had an SB-800 on the receiver, you could make it be in Commander mode and use it as remote commander, as it were, but you'd then be limited to CLS's light-based shortcomings (range, line-of-sight, requiring CLS-capable units).

I could be wrong, though, so I'd keep an eye on the Strobist reviews. But my guess is this isn't a sub for RadioPopper PXs (not to mention being hotshoe-specific). However, you will get iTTL and HSS without needing line of sight, and with radio reliability and range.

[candleman]

Ah, ok


Hmmm...
I’ll keep my ears open.. don’t read too much of the strobist Blog as such.. the lessons are great tho’

Not too fussed with the TTL.. almost never use it myself..
If i can get the ability to adjust my flash power remotely from the camera back and still use manual flashes (like the Sb24 and whatnot), using radio triggering/syncing.... i’ll be one happy little monkey.

0.5 seconds to adjust rather than 3 seconds and a sprint.
*gurgle*


but i'm probably dreaming..

[inkista]

For that, as long as you're using TTL-capable flashes, you may want to look at the RadioPopper PXs and the RPCube thingie that's not released yet. Some Nikon shooters have already DIYed themselves some RPCubes, but I'm a Canon shooter, so I haven't followed that stuff closely.

Really. You should be reading the Strobist blog. All this stuff gets announced there.