amfoto1 Loc: San Jose, Calif. USA

Yes, I've noticed it... as has anyone who is using their focal plane shutter camera with studio strobes.

The strobes put out a lot more light than portable flash do, but they also are slower firing, take longer to reach peak output. So a slower sync speed is typically necessary with studio strobes, regardless of the camera model.

7D and other Canon that sync at 1/250 with portable flash will usually need to be reduced to 1/180 ir 1/160 with studio strobes.

5D-series, Rebel series that sync at 1/200 with portable flash likely will need to be slowed to 1/125 with studio strobes, sometimes 1/160 will work.

Old flash bulbs are even slower, often requiring 1/60, 1/30 or even 1/15 in some cases.

Some studio strobes are able to sync at higher speeds, but those are typically a lot more expensive (example, Profoto B1 500 watt second strobes which are available Canon ETTL compatible, can be used at the protrable flash sync speed - 1/250 on 7D - and are even able to do High Speed Sync up to 1/8000.... but cost $2100 apiece).

Leaf shutters that few camera today use allow for more flexibility syncing with flash and strobes, but are not able to shoot at the very high shutter speeds that focal plane cameras can use. Most DSLRs I'm aware of use focal plane shutters. Most medium format digital are FP too, but a there may be some leaf shutter lenses in some of those systems. Typical leaf shutter's top speed is 1/500, a few may be able to shoot 1/1000.

Electronic shutters are another matter. I'm really not sure how they sync with flash, but would guess that they have more flexibility. A few DSLRs are being offered with them now (often in conjunction with an electronic viewfinder).

Continuous light sources should be usable at almost any shutter speed. In the past these were referred to as "hot lights" for obvious reasons.... but now there are some interesting LED-based and fluorescent "cool lights" that might offer an alternative.

GoofyNewfie Loc: Kansas City

At $600, the Dynalite Bajas are expensive for a hobby (unless you're loaded), cheap for a pro.
Have a friend who has started using them. Really nice and will work with my Bowens reflectors and speedrings.
I work at a university, so things have to be approved and justified.
Currently, our purchases are really tight, so I doubt if I can get some any time soon.

jimmya Loc: Phoenix

I'm a Canon shooter and I've not found a Canon dslr that runs over 1/200 for sync. Anything below will also sync fine but if you're using on board flash the camera won't go over 200... that is in my experience.

jim quist Loc: Missouri

Paul C Buff has one, they call it the Einstein,

http://paulcbuff.com/e640.php

jim quist Loc: Missouri

I use the 1d bodies (mk 3, mk 4, and 1ds mk3) and they sync at 1/250th

GoofyNewfie Loc: Kansas City

Not seeing where it does High Speed Sync on their INFO PAGE.
If it does, they should highlight that feature more!

Ahh! Hyper Sync...
A new (to me) thing to learn about.
http://wiki.pocketwizard.com/?title=Understanding_HyperSync_and_High_Speed_Sync#HyperSync

High Speed Sync (HSS or Auto-FP sync) begins pulsing the flash before the first curtain opens and continues to pulse it until after the second curtain closes. From the camera’s perspective this pulsed light appears as continuous light during the exposure. HSS uses a lot of energy, however, which means there is less light available for the image, and is usually only available in lower powered Speedlites/Speedlights. Syncing up to 1/8000 is possible, but the flash must be very close to the subject.


HyperSync uses a normal flash of light, which has much more energy in it compared to pulsed HSS. HyperSync also uses precision timing to align the flash’s duration and output curve with the moving shutter curtains. This allows more light in the image than HSS can provide, and works with higher powered flashes like studio flash packs and monolights. Different flash and camera combinations yield different shutter speed and light output performance, but most combinations will get worthwhile benefits using HyperSync.

GENorkus Loc: Washington Twp, Michigan

...and they laugh when I tell them my Pentax has a Sync of 1/180.

Cockney Loc: London

Thanks again everyone - I know now my 7d is not faulty C

amfoto1 Loc: San Jose, Calif. USA

If you need a Canon with faster than 1/200 sync, just look a little harder. There are lots of Canon models with faster flash sync.

Yes, Canon Rebel-series and full frame 5D-series flash sync is 1/200. The full frame 6D's is 1/180.

But Canon 70D, 60D, 50D (etc.) and 7D-series all have 1/250 sync.

Many Canon 1D-series have 1/300 sync. The original 1D even had 1/500. None of the 1D-series have less than 1/250 sync.

All these are with portable accessory flashes and on-board/built-in flash (with those camera models that have it)... and NOT with most studio strobes, which typically require a slightly slower sync speed (1/250 w/flash > 1/180 or 1/160 w/strobes... 1/200 > 1/160 or 1/125) .

And, this doesn't taking into account HSS or "High Speed Sync", which most Canon-dedicated portable flash offer (not sure about built-in flash, simply because I never use them, but I'd assume most also can do HSS). This allows sync with up to 1/8000 (some models top shutter speed is 1/4000)... but using HSS seriously reduces the flash's reach.



That's incorrect. In fact, the higher-powered Canon Speedlites most certainly do have HSS (I don't know if the same is true of Nikon Speedlights). Plus, the higher-powered units are better able to handle HSS, since they have a lot more reach to begin with.

Most studio strobes cannot do HSS at all. A couple exceptions are Profoto B1... Dynalite Baja monolights (requires a special controller unit). These strobes and a few others also produce a higher energy, shorter duration light output, more similar to what portable flash do, and so are also usable with the camera's native flash sync speed.