[steve1307]

AFAIK, you cannot use HHS and wireless flash with the built-in (aka pop-up) flash. You need *two* external flashes for this to work: 1 as "master" on the camera (in HSS mode), and another as P-TTL slave (also in HSS mode, I guess).

Yes I found out that i could only use HSS with K-7 and AF540 with mounted on the hotshoe. It wouldn't work on wireless!! (seemed to contradict the AF540FGZ manual)?
I wonder uf you could use HSS with the flash tethered on the sync cable? assume so, can it do HSS above 1/180?

I'm not looking to use the pop up flash at all. Off camera flash only.

I'd rather dig my eyes out with a dull plastic spoon than use the on-board flash

c[_]

BTW you can set the onboard flash to only control fire, meaning it doesnt show up in the actual exposure. (its set C-31 to "2" in menu on your K-7)

Or as RBellavance says have 2 "proper flashes" with HSS. Mounted one on "master"(if you want it in exposure) or as "control" (if you dont want it to be in the exposure) and remote flash you want to expose as "slave".

In "master" & remote "slave" both will fire in the exposure
In "control" & remote "slave" only the remote will be in the exposure (I think thats what you originally wanted?

err I think thats right...

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Last edited by steve1307; 05-25-2010 at 12:24 AM. Reason: clarification

[alohadave]

Yes I found out that i could only use HSS with K-7 and AF540 with mounted on the hotshoe. It wouldn't work on wireless!! (seemed to contradict the AF540FGZ manual)?
I wonder uf you could use HSS with the flash tethered on the sync cable? assume so, can it do HSS above 1/180?

You'd need a TTL cord to use HSS off-camera. A sync cable only tells the flash to fire, but doesn't have any other communications capabilities.

[Entropy]

You'd need a TTL cord to use HSS off-camera. A sync cable only tells the flash to fire, but doesn't have any other communications capabilities.

I believe wireless P-TTL supports HSS IF you are using an HSS flash as the master, but this means you need an HSS-capable flash on the camera in addition to any HSS slaves.

To my knowledge the onboard flash is not HSS-capable, as a result it can't control HSS slaves in HSS mode.

If you want to do things off-camera, an ND filter is probably a better option.

[alohadave]

I believe wireless P-TTL supports HSS IF you are using an HSS flash as the master, but this means you need an HSS-capable flash on the camera in addition to any HSS slaves.

To my knowledge the onboard flash is not HSS-capable, as a result it can't control HSS slaves in HSS mode.

If you want to do things off-camera, an ND filter is probably a better option.

steve1307 was asking about using a PC/Sync cable for off-camera HSS because he only has one 540 flash.

What does an ND filter have to do with off-camera flash?

[noahpurdy]

What does an ND filter have to do with off-camera flash?

An ND filter has everything to do with off-camera flash. It entirely depends on your situation and what you want.

In the OP's case, he wants to use a shutter speed above the sync speed of his camera. In that case he would want to use HSS.

If say he where shooting in daylight and wanted to use off camera flash but shooting at 1/180th of a second was giving him a proper exposure at f/5.6 but he wanted the bokeh of an f/2.8 shot. He could use a 2-stop ND filter to lower his ambient exposure allowing him to use an aperture of f/2.8. You can also use this technique to underexpose your background and use your off-camera flash to properly exposure your subject, really making a picture pop.

[ll_coffee_lP]

An ND filter has everything to do with off-camera flash. It entirely depends on your situation and what you want.

In the OP's case, he wants to use a shutter speed above the sync speed of his camera. In that case he would want to use HSS.

If say he where shooting in daylight and wanted to use off camera flash but shooting at 1/180th of a second was giving him a proper exposure at f/5.6 but he wanted the bokeh of an f/2.8 shot. He could use a 2-stop ND filter to lower his ambient exposure allowing him to use an aperture of f/2.8. You can also use this technique to underexpose your background and use your off-camera flash to properly exposure your subject, really making a picture pop.

That is exactly what I'm looking to do. Use off camera flash for creative lighting (and fill flash) and combine it with my typical shooting style of wide open to f4. In bright daylight I'm needing to use approx f11 (i.e. no thank you) to be able to do what I want with the creative light/fill, but am loosing the bokeh that I want.

I'm going to try the ND filter first because it is obviously much less expensive than buying a second external flash and farting around with HSS. CPL does what I want, but doesn't darken the image enough...I'm probably looking for a 4 stop ND.

I appreciate everyone's help on this!

c[_]

[steve1307]

That is exactly what I'm looking to do. Use off camera flash for creative lighting (and fill flash) and combine it with my typical shooting style of wide open to f4. In bright daylight I'm needing to use approx f11 (i.e. no thank you) to be able to do what I want with the creative light/fill, but am loosing the bokeh that I want.

I'm going to try the ND filter first because it is obviously much less expensive than buying a second external flash and farting around with HSS. CPL does what I want, but doesn't darken the image enough...I'm probably looking for a 4 stop ND.

I appreciate everyone's help on this!

c[_]

Yes the ND filters seem to be the cheapest and simplest as long as you dont need to have the shutter speed faster than 1/180 for other apsects of your shoot.
4 stops gets you from bright sunlight down to f2.8-f4 at under 1/180.
I think only Tiffen does a 4 stop, but all mfrs. have a 3stop.
I have a B+W ND8 (3stop) and CPL (about 1 extra stop) so will try this out to see how it works.


Buying a second wireless HSS capable flash for say $220+ to then NOT use in the shot seems a bit silly unless you might need 2 strobes for other purposes.


I did also look into the TTL cable (allowing HSS) and the Pentax 5pin ones are $120 for the cable and both hotshoe adaptors, which gets the flash 10ft away maximum.
With a Pentax flash the 5pin cable can connect directly into the flash body so only the shoe adapter on the camera is required making it "only" $85.

[pinholecam]

Does anyone know how does the camera communicate with the flash? Are these through high speed digital communication interface or a simple analog implementation? If its the latter, there might be a way to trick the camera to still fire off above 1/180. The flash will have to be in M mode of course since its not actually getting the control signals for HSS.

[ll_coffee_lP]

Yes the ND filters seem to be the cheapest and simplest as long as you dont need to have the shutter speed faster than 1/180 for other apsects of your shoot.
4 stops gets you from bright sunlight down to f2.8-f4 at under 1/180.
I think only Tiffen does a 4 stop, but all mfrs. have a 3stop.
I have a B+W ND8 (3stop) and CPL (about 1 extra stop) so will try this out to see how it works.

No...I'm not needing the shutter speed. I shoot people and as long as the shutter is better than 1/50 I'm pretty much good.

c[_]

[Dark_Mist]

have you set the flash to HS mode on the camera body?

I don't have my gear with me just now but I do what you are describing quite often, taking portraits at the beach for example.

You can set the flash to HS on the body when using AV mode and use -EC and +FEC and it all balances quite well.

I find it's actually easier to use M mode on the camera and set the exposure to ensure a bit of -EC and use +FEC.

I'm using the flash off camera with a cable so I don't have the trigger issues though.

[panoguy]

I'm going to try the ND filter first because it is obviously much less expensive than buying a second external flash and farting around with HSS. CPL does what I want, but doesn't darken the image enough...I'm probably looking for a 4 stop ND.

I appreciate everyone's help on this!

c[_]

Hey coffeecup,

Where in Ontario are you? Here in Toronto, I have a variable-ND filter (2-8 stop) in 67mm thread size (for the 50-135?) and you can borrow it to try out what you intend to do. It was graciously provided by Light Craft Workshop for exactly this purpose.

PM me if you are nearby and interested.