Flash help

Wedge · 7 Nov 2009 at 17:04

Hi

I sometimes get a black shadow across the bottom of my piccys when using my flash gun mounted on the camera, see below for example, and i have no idea why, or how to correct it whilst shooting

Phate · 7 Nov 2009 at 17:17

Shutter speed too high

Max shutter speed when using a flash is 1/250

MarkLP · 7 Nov 2009 at 17:18

Think its because you have to high a shutter speed. Try bring it down more.

Wedge · 7 Nov 2009 at 17:34

Of coarse it is, doh, thanks guys

ScarySquirrel · 7 Nov 2009 at 17:54

Phate said:
Shutter speed too high

Max shutter speed when using a flash is 1/250

My max sync is only 1/200

Phate · 7 Nov 2009 at 23:22

ScarySquirrel said:
My max sync is only 1/200

I'll double check, I'm sure its 1/250

Namistai · 7 Nov 2009 at 23:35

1/200th on my 450D

Phate · 8 Nov 2009 at 00:02

Well when I have a flash attached or the ST-E2 it won't let me take the shutter speed to higher than 1/250 and I've never had any problems

Dunks · 8 Nov 2009 at 00:20

It varies depending on the camera. Going by the EXIF, the OP has a D90, the max sync speed on a D90 is 1/200.

Wedge · 8 Nov 2009 at 10:13

Just tested my D90 1/250, it is

... shoots perfect at that speed, any faster the shadow is back.

Thx again.

Johnny|lucidcomposure · 8 Nov 2009 at 10:35

Better cameras can have flash speeds upto 250/300th.
Lower end cameras are more likely to be 200th.
It used to be 125th when I was on film.

greedy123 · 8 Nov 2009 at 10:36

Phate said:
Well when I have a flash attached or the ST-E2 it won't let me take the shutter speed to higher than 1/250 and I've never had any problems

It will if you turn on high-speed sync (h/lightning button)

DunK1 said:
It varies depending on the camera. Going by the EXIF, the OP has a D90, the max sync speed on a D90 is 1/200.

Yup, it varies for different cameras. My 5dmkII can go up to 1/8000 no problem.

A.N.Other · 8 Nov 2009 at 13:27

greedy123 said:
Yup, it varies for different cameras. My 5dmkII can go up to 1/8000 no problem.

The flash sync speed of the 5DII is 1/200. It can go faster than that, but I very much doubt it will go anywhere near 1/8000 with a speedlite, which is what the OP is talking about. That is, after all, the maximum shutter speed possible. Using other set ups with some pocketwizards and something that will give you a longer flash will allow it to go higher.

greedy123 · 8 Nov 2009 at 14:35

There you go. With just a speedlite and st-e2.

So was this one:

Gnomey · 8 Nov 2009 at 15:34

At slower shutter speeds the whole frame is exposed at the same time, at faster speeds the first and second shutter curtains travel at the same time so that only a small slit travels across the frame.

At the normal max sync speed the flash fires one pulse of light which won't be long enough to light the entire frame at higher than max sync speeds.

Some flash models have a mode called high speed sync which allows the use of higher shutter speeds than the camera's max sync speed. During this mode the flash fires several pulses of light for the entire duration of the exposure. This means that the entire frame is exposed to the light from the flash, rather than part of it.

A.N.Other · 8 Nov 2009 at 17:42

greedy123 said:
There you go. With just a speedlite and st-e2.

I stand corrected