High Speed Flash sync (Page 3): I am using a Pentax K-70 with the 60-250 f/4, and a Yongnuo 560 IV flash. The flash only fires at 1/160 sec or slower. This stinks for wildlife

The Woodpecker

CHG_CANON wrote:

What camera? What flash?

I am using a Pentax K-70 with the 60-250 f/4, and a Yongnuo 560 IV flash.
The flash only fires at 1/160 sec or slower. This stinks for wildlife - I do most shooting during the first two hours of daylight. I understand the focal plane shutter mechanics, but it seems to me that NOW, when both the camera and the flash are microprocessor controlled, I should be able to get at least 1/500 sec.

frankraney Loc: Clovis, Ca.

The Woodpecker wrote:

I am using a Pentax K-70 with the 60-250 f/4, and a Yongnuo 560 IV flash.
The flash only fires at 1/160 sec or slower. This stinks for wildlife - I do most shooting during the first two hours of daylight. I understand the focal plane shutter mechanics, but it seems to me that NOW, when both the camera and the flash are microprocessor controlled, I should be able to get at least 1/500 sec.

Are you getting close enough to use flash. I don't think so. Try raising your iso.

CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

The Woodpecker wrote:

I am using a Pentax K-70 with the 60-250 f/4, and a Yongnuo 560 IV flash.
The flash only fires at 1/160 sec or slower. This stinks for wildlife - I do most shooting during the first two hours of daylight. I understand the focal plane shutter mechanics, but it seems to me that NOW, when both the camera and the flash are microprocessor controlled, I should be able to get at least 1/500 sec.

The specs from the website say 1/180sec for the onboard flash but the camera supports high speed sync.

http://www.ricoh-imaging.co.jp/english/products/k-70/spec/index.html

For Canon, my experience is you have to manually set the speedlight to HSS 'mode' before you can get the camera to sync at a higher speed. It doesn't just happen automatically. I'd look at the flash manual for your model and how to enable the HSS setting.

jdubu Loc: San Jose, CA

The Woodpecker wrote:

I am using a Pentax K-70 with the 60-250 f/4, and a Yongnuo 560 IV flash.
The flash only fires at 1/160 sec or slower. This stinks for wildlife - I do most shooting during the first two hours of daylight. I understand the focal plane shutter mechanics, but it seems to me that NOW, when both the camera and the flash are microprocessor controlled, I should be able to get at least 1/500 sec.

You can... in high speed sync. You can shoot even faster, 1/8000 sec in high speed sync with Canon. Whatever your top speed is on Pentax, if the Yongnuo does HSS. HSS IS the current flash solution to the physical limitation of a focal plane shutter.

Just like exposure triangle, you have to balance out one thing to push one of the others. Increase ISO at a fast shutter speed and no flash or HSS with multiple flashes to increase light output. A non HSS capable flash won't help and you are limited to the physical shutter's sync speed.

There is also hyper-sync. Wherein you use a moonlight at full power. The idea is that at full power, the flash output lasts long enough for the slit of the shutter to travel across and expose the sensor before the light dissipates. Of course, the light will be brighter at the beginning of the exposure so output gradates across the sensor.

CO

I was reading about the Yongnuo 560 IV flash. There's no description high speed sync capability. You'll need to get a flash that has that capabilty

PHRubin Loc: Nashville TN USA

The Woodpecker wrote:

I am using a Pentax K-70 with the 60-250 f/4, and a Yongnuo 560 IV flash.
The flash only fires at 1/160 sec or slower. This stinks for wildlife - I do most shooting during the first two hours of daylight. I understand the focal plane shutter mechanics, but it seems to me that NOW, when both the camera and the flash are microprocessor controlled, I should be able to get at least 1/500 sec.

The 1/180 sec sync speed is a function of the camera model. If it won't trigger the Yongnuo at shutter speeds faster than 1/160, it is the camera that is the limiting factor.

IF you had a camera and flash that both have High Speed Sync (HSS), you would still have the problem that a flash takes a finite time to recharge after a flash. For HSS at 1/500 sec, 3 flashes minimum are needed in 1/500 sec. That limits each flash to only 1/3 power.

BebuLamar

The Woodpecker wrote:

I am using a Pentax K-70 with the 60-250 f/4, and a Yongnuo 560 IV flash.
The flash only fires at 1/160 sec or slower. This stinks for wildlife - I do most shooting during the first two hours of daylight. I understand the focal plane shutter mechanics, but it seems to me that NOW, when both the camera and the flash are microprocessor controlled, I should be able to get at least 1/500 sec.

Without using the high speed sync technique which is multiple flashes per shot then the max. sync speed is related to how fast the shutter curtain can travel. Microprocessor stuff has nothing to do with it.

cschonwalder

Thank you all for this discussion of my question. Hyper-sync comes closest to what I was asking about. It uses the "trick" of full power on the strobe to cause the burn to last longer than the shutter is open. To get this, one needs to fire the strobe at full power, which is good because that way the background can be underexposed. And to get the strobe "off the camera axis", set the remote up as a slave and fire your camera strobe in the direction of the slave, also on full power so that the slave sees the flash. Light moves SO fast, doesn't it?

And Pocket Wizards have a hyper sync setting which sends a signal out ahead of normal, but I have not tried this to see if it works. Anyone using PWs this way?

jdubu Loc: San Jose, CA

cschonwalder wrote:

Thank you all for this discussion of my question. ... (show quote)

Yes I have with Alien Bees and it works. I employ this when I have a large set up on location, sometimes augmented with speedlights. Otherwise, I go fast and small with HSS and two to six HSS multiple flashes. The more flashes you employ, the faster the recycle time.

Notorious T.O.D. Loc: Harrisburg, North Carolina

The one thing I will say about multiple Speedlites in one location is that you can get some odd shadows. I have used several Speedlites in a softbox or a large umbrella which diffuses the light and eliminates the multiple shadows if they are an issue.

jdubu Loc: San Jose, CA

Notorious T.O.D. wrote:

The one thing I will say about multiple Speedlites in one location is that you can get some odd shadows. I have used several Speedlites in a softbox or a large umbrella which diffuses the light and eliminates the multiple shadows if they are an issue.

Correctly said. I use circular flash holders and minimal diffusion in those instances. Minimal diffusion because you lose light power shooting through umbrellas and softboxes. You are building up your light power, why waste it in the modifier. I will shoot light into a solid umbrella to reflect light out or use the inner or outer baffle of a softbox, but not both at the same time. Sometimes with the speedlights arrayed I can get away without diffusion. It all depends on the setup.

CO

cschonwalder wrote:

Thank you all for this discussion of my question. ... (show quote)

I have a PocketWizard Flex-TT5 and Mini-TT1. I've used high speed sync with them but not hyper sync. I will have to start working with that.