[cyclone3d]

The problem is not getting a flash that can do 1/4000. Pretty much all flashes can do that.

The problem is that Pentax DSLRs (and the K-01) will not trigger the flash to begin with at speeds faster than 1/180, unless the camera senses a P-TTL flash that supports HSS.

Gotcha. That is unfortunate.

[joe.penn]

To touch on the "blocking/overpowering ambient light" mentioned a few replies back, this can be accomplished to an extent using an an HSS pttl compatible flash and adjusting both flash and exposure compensation. Underexposing the frame while adding flash compensation (+) should help in this regard. As for wireless, optical triggering (as also mentioned) may be of some help.

[JimJohnson]

Hello, just trying to work out what options there are for a flash that fires faster than the "limit" of 1/180.
I thought that the Yongnuo radio triggers would help me out even with a "dumb" flash but it seems I'm still capped at 1/180. So far I've worked out: the genuine Pentax flashes of course (AF540, AF360), the Sigma supers... which are hard to find and a bit expensive considering they don't get good reviews. are those my only options?!

What is your subject, what are the ambient lighting conditions, and what are you trying to achieve with your image?

There are primarily two types of mechanical camera shutters - focal plane and leaf shutters. SLRs with interchangeable lenses, with rare exceptions, use focal plane shutters. Focal plane shutters are the size of the sensor and therefore have much more mass than leaf shutters which are typically mounted inside the lens itself.

Focal plane shutters also have two shutters (leading and trailing) each of which move at a constant speed no matter what the shutter speed is for the exposure. Variable shutter speed is achieved by changing the timing between the two shutters. For shutter speeds higher than the fixed curtain speed, exposure is achieved via a moving slit. Since the Pentax shutter takes 1/180th of a second to cross the sensor, that is the highest speed at which the entire sensor is exposed to light at the same instant.

High speed sync (HSS) flash strobes the flash at shutter speeds higher than 1/180th second as the slit moves across the sensor - but because the actual duration of the total exposure is always 1/180th second, HSS is typically a poor choice for capturing motion. Usually it is better at balancing flash lighting with very bright ambient lighting.

To do high speed motion photography, like catching a drop of water hitting the surface, the best technique is to use very dim ambient light so that the exposure is mostly controlled by the duration of the flash rather than the camera's shutter speed.

[TimKierath]

Thanks everyone.

its for balacing flash light with outdoor light, I have acquired a Sigma that supports HSS and am pretty happy with the results even though the rest of the flash is a horror (build quality, usability)

[Clavius]

Thanks everyone.

its for balacing flash light with outdoor light, I have acquired a Sigma that supports HSS and am pretty happy with the results even though the rest of the flash is a horror (build quality, usability)

Can you please show us some examples of how you use HSS and what you're able to achieve with it?

[Adinfinitum]

Can you please show us some examples of how you use HSS and what you're able to achieve with it?

Seconded - I too would love to see your results. HSS is not that commonly exhibited in the Pentax world.

[TimKierath]

I've recently gone through this. In order to go above 1/180s, you need a HSS flash. The three main options are Pentax, Sigma and Metz. I myself got a good deal on the Metz Mecablitz 52-AF1 (though I just last week sent it back under warranty due to a blown capacitor, which they replaced with a new unit simply - it appears I just got unlucky there however).

As for off-camera, there is no Pentax compatible radio trigger that supports HSS. The only way is to use an extension cable with a HSS compatible flash. I've done this with my Metz and it works fine but that cable is a little annoying. I tend to favour manual with the radio triggers.

Thanks for this,
So will the absolutely most basic cable (just a 3.5mm mono type thing), used with an HSS flash, will that still work? or does the cable have to be "intelligent"?

[JimJohnson]

Thanks for this,
So will the absolutely most basic cable (just a 3.5mm mono type thing), used with an HSS flash, will that still work? or does the cable have to be "intelligent"?

The cable must specifically support Pentax TTL / P-TTL to do wired off-camera HSS flash. This cable is essentially a Pentax extension cord for the hot shoe.

[cyclone3d]

The cable must specifically support Pentax TTL / P-TTL to do wired off-camera HSS flash. This cable is essentially a Pentax extension cord for the hot shoe.

My understanding is that any cord that supports TTL will work. It is just a straight through cable and as long as it has all the connections it doesn't matter if it is specifically for P-TTL.

[JimJohnson]

Originally posted by JimJohnson Quote
The cable must specifically support Pentax TTL / P-TTL to do wired off-camera HSS flash. This cable is essentially a Pentax extension cord for the hot shoe.

My understanding is that any cord that supports TTL will work. It is just a straight through cable and as long as it has all the connections it doesn't matter if it is specifically for P-TTL.

I guess I shouldn't have been in a rush. The slash was my shorthand for 'or'. My point being is you couldn't just use something like a headphone extension cord to achieve wired off-camera HSS flash. You had to use a cable that carried the all the Pentax hot shoe contacts to another identically laid out off-camera hot shoe.

[AVANT]

Can you please show us some examples of how you use HSS and what you're able to achieve with it?

I'll dig through some of my old albums where I've resorted to using HSS outdoor if OP does not deliver. Hopefully I can find suitable examples.

There's multiple uses for HSS, but it's great for balancing outdoor light (since that's what the OP was using it for). If it's generally sunny, but you're taking picture of someone under a shady tree. There would simply be too much contrast for the camera to handle. Without the flash, you're forced to expose for the background with a very dark person, or focus on exposing the person and let the background be blown out. By using HSS, you can use the camera exposure for the background (which is requiring a very fast shutter speed), and use the PTTL exposure for your subject. Because of the additional light, both subject and background are now within contrast limits of your sensor, so you end up with an exposed subject in front of an exposed background.

[shaolen]

The problem is not getting a flash that can do 1/4000. Pretty much all flashes can do that.

The problem is that Pentax DSLRs (and the K-01) will not trigger the flash to begin with at speeds faster than 1/180, unless the camera senses a P-TTL flash that supports HSS.

what is HSS? Does my fgz360 have it?

[dtmateojr]

I'll dig through some of my old albums where I've resorted to using HSS outdoor if OP does not deliver. Hopefully I can find suitable examples.

There's multiple uses for HSS, but it's great for balancing outdoor light (since that's what the OP was using it for). If it's generally sunny, but you're taking picture of someone under a shady tree. There would simply be too much contrast for the camera to handle. Without the flash, you're forced to expose for the background with a very dark person, or focus on exposing the person and let the background be blown out. By using HSS, you can use the camera exposure for the background (which is requiring a very fast shutter speed), and use the PTTL exposure for your subject. Because of the additional light, both subject and background are now within contrast limits of your sensor, so you end up with an exposed subject in front of an exposed background.

No need for HSS. Use a ND8 which allows you to open up to f5.6 with perfectly exposed background then let the flash balance that.

[TimKierath]

No need for HSS. Use a ND8 which allows you to open up to f5.6 with perfectly exposed background then let the flash balance that.

Try that at a wedding when the couple runs from inside to outside and you need to drop the shutter speed to like 1/500 but you still want to use some fill flash - got time to attach a fliter?

[dtmateojr]

Try that at a wedding when the couple runs from inside to outside and you need to drop the shutter speed to like 1/500 but you still want to use some fill flash - got time to attach a fliter?

How many photographers does it take to screw a ND filter?