Digital Photography 1 on 1: Episode 17: Sync Speed and Flash Duration

In this episode Mark talks about sync speed and how to use a studio strobe to freeze action.

Category:

Education

Tags:

• Mark Wallace
• snapfactory
• Profoto
• motion
• flash duration
• sync speed
• studio
• strobe
• digital photography
• lighting

[juiceman72x]

Great video Mark, thanks!

A couple of things worth noting - not all studio strobes have their fastest flash duration at the lowest power setting. Alienbees, for instance, are just the opposite.

Also, speedlights get their name from the fact that they are extremely fast. A Nikon SB-900 has a flash duration of 1/38500 at it's lowest power setting. You'd be limited to a small guide number, so it's perfect for capturing crystal clear pictures of small things in motion, like water splashes.

[snapfactory]

@juiceman72x Thanks for the comment! I did not know that about Alien Bees, but I looked it up and you are absolutely right. We are working on a separate video for speedlights because they have some special abilities (fp sync/high speed sync) and are different enough to warrant a special video. :)

[zygotepeyote]

Mark. Is this all based on the fact that the camera must be motionless? If the camera moved during the dancing pics would it still freeze the action? Thanks for the great video and your expertise!

[snapfactory]

@zygotepeyote No, the camera could have some movement. We had it on a tripod so I could pre-focus and then shoot in the dark. But it would have work just as well if it was hand held. Try it out yourself and let us know how it works! :) I'd love to see some of your shots.

[JD95]

Mark. Thank you for the video. I was going to send you an email regarding some additional questions regarding this studio setup like the one but since we're on the same topic, I decided to do so here.

1. How do you focus when you're in a pitch dark situation?

2. Could you show us how to set flash duration on a studio lighting? (I've only used a speedlight and I am really interested in the basic controls of studio lights)

[snapfactory]

@JD95 For this demo I put my lens on manual focus and focused while we had the lights on. Changing the power settings on your flash will change your flash duration. With a speedlight you'd need to use the manual setting and then adjust the power up or down (check your user manual for more info). But when you are in manual you also need to meter manually. Check episode 2 for more info on that.

[geoffdoor]

yeah its really good but what was the aperture setting on the camera it was 1/ 1/2 of a second so what was the aperture i use a multiblitz 200 watt heads really good but i need a light meter because bruce jones stole it ...the fucking piss head knob head

[PHOT0GUY]

@aoratosaspida it's the flash duration that freezes the action not the slow camera shutter speed.

[PHOT0GUY]

Not all cameras use a narrow slit at high speeds so they don't need to use power wasting multiple flash fp modes or special flashguns, so they can be used at all speeds with studio strobes too e.g. Nikon D40, D50

[MrOhrensausen]

The Video is great. Thank you.

Does this mean, that the first curtain always needs about 1/200'th of a second to fully open? And the shutter speed only tells the second curtain how long to wait to follow the first curtain? This would mean, that every picture needs at 1/200'th of a second in total.

Thanks Chris

[csohasri]

u realy helping me on photography...

[aoratosaspida]

beautiful!!!...quick question. you showed when you shot in the dark with 1/2 second shutter speed, you resulted freezing the movement. my understanding is that will never happen, especially when she is dancing like that. did i understand wrong? i tried but still blurry (handheld)

[oevt]

Sad to see like a repetition before you were on Adorama. You alredy had given this class""........

[toshiroo]

fast question : I dont know well what a strobe does, but

if I use a cobra flash ( as 430 ex II) and active high speed sync, it will work same? whatever i am in a studio or outdoor

[lucasgaroto]

i'm seeing all the videos that you made. they are all great. but this one is the best, so far =)

thanks!

[lamyeechiu]

you have 114 likes and 0 dislike. impressive.