high speed shutter/flash?

[Arlon Motsch]

I was looking at another post HERE (http://www.birdphotographers.net/forums/showthread.php?t=49845) and a Sony shooter mentions shooting 1/8000s shutter speed with manual flash at 1/1.How do you get flash to sync at 1/8000 sec? Is that just a Sony thing?

I know my old Nikon D50 has an electronic shutter and will flash sync fine out to 1/4000s with a manual flash like the sunpak 383 (as long as the camera doesn't know the flash is there). None of my other cameras will flash sync faster than 1/250 sec. I could use FP mode but then the flash intensity is so low it's useless beyond about 3 ft.. Maybe 10ft with a beamer.

Seems some fill flash would be great for BIF shots but on most of my nikons (d70/90/200) I can't shoot with a flash attached at more than 1/200-250/sec. FP mode is useless for much more than macro. Currently I never use the beamer for fill because of the slow shutter issue (only shoot the 500mm off hand). I guess I need to break the D50 out of the closet just for a proof of concept attempt. One thing a D50 and an old sunpak flash can do that a D90 and an SB-800 can't.. )-;}

[c.w. moynihan]

I can't shoot with a flash attached at more than 1/200-250/sec.

When you go above the camera's flash sync value of 1/200th or 1/250th depending on the camera, the flash output reduces the faster the shutter speed is. At 1/8000th, the flash power would be extremely low. I use Flash high speed sync all the time with my better beamer. Just keep your shutter speed lower to get more flash distance.

[Jackie Schuknecht]

Hello Arlon, I am no expert but using higher shutter speeds you need to set it to high speed sync (Canon), and from what I have learned from this site, you don't get much flash over 1/1000s shutter speed. Also do you know about the Better Beamer. Pretty cheap and has a fresnel lens which concentrates the light from your flash and attaches with a velcro strip to your external flash (580, Sunpak etc.) Artie sells it on his site. I know a lot of people on this site use it.

[Arlon Motsch]

Hello Arlon, I am no expert but using higher shutter speeds you need to set it to high speed sync (Canon), and from what I have learned from this site, you don't get much flash over 1/1000s shutter speed. Also do you know about the Better Beamer. Pretty cheap and has a fresnel lens which concentrates the light from your flash and attaches with a velcro strip to your external flash (580, Sunpak etc.) Artie sells it on his site. I know a lot of people on this site use it.


Yes, that's beamer I mentioned.
High speed flash with the nikon is doable in "FP" mode but as mentioned, the flash strength diminishes dramatically even with a beamer. Why I was curious about the Sony.

The Nikon D50 is the only camera I know of that can take full power flashes at it's fastest shutter speed (as long as you aren't using a Nikon flash)...

I hand hold all of my shots and 1/200s is a little slow for a handheld 500mm which is why I don't ever use fill flash. Light's good but it's too hard to hold the camera steady enough for a really crisp shot at 1/200. I prefer to be at 1/500+. I just wish I could get full flash power at higher shutter sppeds with something other than the D50) (not enough pixels).. I want a D90 with the D50's shutter.. (-:}

[Chris Hansen]

Arlon,

Have you checked out Art's tutorial in the Educational Resources?

http://www.birdphotographers.net/forums/showthread.php?t=14466

It explains it pretty well.

God bless,

chris

[Arlon Motsch]

Arlon,

Have you checked out Art's tutorial in the Educational Resources?

http://www.birdphotographers.net/forums/showthread.php?t=14466

It explains it pretty well.

God bless,

chris

Thanks Chris. Good stuff up there. I know I can gain about a stop with FP (nikons high speed flash sync) at 100ft with the beamer. I'm assuming that's what the Sony shooter I mentioned in the OP was doing. The D50 with it's electronic shutter can gain about 5 stops in the same situation. I guess at that point it fails to be fill and becomes a pure flash shot (and looks it). Great for shooting in heavy shadows though.
I'll be experimenting with both this weekend..