Trigger flash faster than 1/160??

ChuckB28 · 08-17-2013, 06:49 PM

Is there a way to remote trigger an off camera flash shooting faster than 1/160? I'd like to try using an off camera flash outside for fill in for portraits.

Thx!!!

MPrince · 08-17-2013, 07:04 PM

Pentax x-sync is 1/180. Cybersync triggers will fire at max sync speed.

ChuckB28 · 08-17-2013, 07:22 PM

Um... x-sync?

ChuckB28 · 08-17-2013, 07:36 PM

High-Speed Sync - Pentax P-TTL Flash Comparison

Guess I found my answer. So I need the 360 or the 540 flash to do HSS??

ChuckB28 · 08-17-2013, 08:06 PM

So apparently this has been a problem/complaint for a while. So you actually need 2 of the Pentax flashes to do HSS. One off camera and one on. Way to screw your consumers, Pentax.

ChuckB28 · 08-17-2013, 08:09 PM

Or one of these?

Aokatec - Products

demp10 · 08-17-2013, 08:13 PM

Originally posted by ChuckB28

Is there a way to remote trigger an off camera flash shooting faster than 1/160? I'd like to try using an off camera flash outside for fill in for portraits.

Thx!!!

Have you considered using reflectors, doing it in post processing or using a ND filter?

**maxfield_photo** · 08-18-2013, 07:20 AM

You can also use a TTL cord to get your flash off camera, and that way you only need one. The problem is no third party makes a TTL cord over 3 feet long to my knowledge. Pentax has a system of off-camera hotshoe adapters and cables that you can string together to get the flash off the camera, OR you can do what I did, and make your own by cutting a third party TTL cord in half and crimping some RJ45 plugs on the ends. Then all you need is a CAT 5 cable and you can have any length of cord you need.

I agree though, Pentax really screwed up when they designed their flash system. Everything they could have done wrong (and still call it a working flash system), they managed to do. It is by far the worst thing about shooting Pentax, but if you're resourceful you can work around it.

ChuckB28 · 08-18-2013, 03:35 PM

I have used reflectors but they usually seem to end up blinding my subjects.

asp1880 · 08-19-2013, 01:57 AM

Originally posted by maxfield_photo

The problem is no third party makes a TTL cord over 3 feet long to my knowledge.

I've found a 2m or was it 5m P-TTL cord on ebay once. So they did exist at one point in time.

Regards,
--Anders.

Sandy Hancock · 08-19-2013, 02:08 AM

My Metz 58 AF-1 does HSS.

**JimJohnson** · 08-19-2013, 07:22 AM - **1 Like**

Chuck, if your maximum (non-HSS) flash speed is 1/160, it means you have your camera configured to use 1/3 stop increments. Switch to the more traditional 1/2 stop increments and you'll see a max flash speed of 1/180.

The difference between 1/3 and 1/2 stop steps is at most +/- 1/6 stop. Few exposures are going to be critical enough that you can't deal with that in processing.

ChuckB28 · 08-19-2013, 07:45 AM

NO WAY!!! Wow thanks!!!

**maxfield_photo** · 08-19-2013, 08:07 AM

Originally posted by JimJohnson

Chuck, if your maximum (non-HSS) flash speed is 1/160, it means you have your camera configured to use 1/3 stop increments. Switch to the more traditional 1/2 stop increments and you'll see a max flash speed of 1/180.

If you prefer to work in 1/3rd stop increments, you can just set the camera to X sync, and it will lock it to 1/180th, but like Jim says, you'll only be gaining 1/6th of a stop over 1/160th.

**JimJohnson** · 08-19-2013, 08:16 AM

Originally posted by maxfield_photo

If you prefer to work in 1/3rd stop increments, you can just set the camera to X sync, and it will lock it to 1/180th, but like Jim says, you'll only be gaining 1/6th of a stop over 1/160th.

By the tagline I know Chuck has a K-5, but some of us poorer folk's mode dial doesn't give us an X-sync setting. We have to use 1/2 stop increments to manually set a 1/180 shutter speed or use one of the (semi)automated exposure modes.

08-17-2013, 06:49 PM	#1
ChuckB28 Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: Pennsylvania Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 145	Trigger flash faster than 1/160?? Is there a way to remote trigger an off camera flash shooting faster than 1/160? I'd like to try using an off camera flash outside for fill in for portraits. Thx!!!

08-18-2013, 07:20 AM	#8
maxfield_photo Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Cincinnati, OH Posts: 1,216	You can also use a TTL cord to get your flash off camera, and that way you only need one. The problem is no third party makes a TTL cord over 3 feet long to my knowledge. Pentax has a system of off-camera hotshoe adapters and cables that you can string together to get the flash off the camera, OR you can do what I did, and make your own by cutting a third party TTL cord in half and crimping some RJ45 plugs on the ends. Then all you need is a CAT 5 cable and you can have any length of cord you need. I agree though, Pentax really screwed up when they designed their flash system. Everything they could have done wrong (and still call it a working flash system), they managed to do. It is by far the worst thing about shooting Pentax, but if you're resourceful you can work around it. Last edited by maxfield_photo; 08-18-2013 at 07:31 AM.

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08-17-2013, 07:04 PM	#2
MPrince Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: WV Posts: 1,495	Pentax x-sync is 1/180. Cybersync triggers will fire at max sync speed.

08-17-2013, 07:22 PM	#3
ChuckB28 Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: Pennsylvania Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 145 Original Poster	Um... x-sync?

08-17-2013, 07:36 PM	#4
ChuckB28 Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: Pennsylvania Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 145 Original Poster	High-Speed Sync - Pentax P-TTL Flash Comparison Guess I found my answer. So I need the 360 or the 540 flash to do HSS??

08-17-2013, 08:06 PM	#5
ChuckB28 Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: Pennsylvania Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 145 Original Poster	So apparently this has been a problem/complaint for a while. So you actually need 2 of the Pentax flashes to do HSS. One off camera and one on. Way to screw your consumers, Pentax.

08-17-2013, 08:09 PM	#6
ChuckB28 Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: Pennsylvania Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 145 Original Poster	Or one of these? Aokatec - Products

08-17-2013, 08:13 PM	#7
demp10 Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Atlanta Photos: Albums Posts: 602	Originally posted by ChuckB28 Is there a way to remote trigger an off camera flash shooting faster than 1/160? I'd like to try using an off camera flash outside for fill in for portraits. Thx!!! Have you considered using reflectors, doing it in post processing or using a ND filter?

08-18-2013, 03:35 PM	#9
ChuckB28 Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: Pennsylvania Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 145 Original Poster	I have used reflectors but they usually seem to end up blinding my subjects.

08-19-2013, 01:57 AM	#10
asp1880 Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Lyngby, Copenhagen Photos: Albums Posts: 742	Originally posted by maxfield_photo The problem is no third party makes a TTL cord over 3 feet long to my knowledge. I've found a 2m or was it 5m P-TTL cord on ebay once. So they did exist at one point in time. Regards, --Anders.

08-19-2013, 02:08 AM	#11
Sandy Hancock Moderator Site Supporter Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Adelaide Hills, South Australia Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 11,272	My Metz 58 AF-1 does HSS.

08-19-2013, 07:22 AM - 1 Like	#12
JimJohnson Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Summer:Lake Superior - Michigan Winter:Texas Hill Country Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,772	Chuck, if your maximum (non-HSS) flash speed is 1/160, it means you have your camera configured to use 1/3 stop increments. Switch to the more traditional 1/2 stop increments and you'll see a max flash speed of 1/180. The difference between 1/3 and 1/2 stop steps is at most +/- 1/6 stop. Few exposures are going to be critical enough that you can't deal with that in processing.

08-19-2013, 07:45 AM	#13
ChuckB28 Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: Pennsylvania Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 145 Original Poster	NO WAY!!! Wow thanks!!!

08-19-2013, 08:07 AM	#14
maxfield_photo Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Cincinnati, OH Posts: 1,216	Originally posted by JimJohnson Chuck, if your maximum (non-HSS) flash speed is 1/160, it means you have your camera configured to use 1/3 stop increments. Switch to the more traditional 1/2 stop increments and you'll see a max flash speed of 1/180. If you prefer to work in 1/3rd stop increments, you can just set the camera to X sync, and it will lock it to 1/180th, but like Jim says, you'll only be gaining 1/6th of a stop over 1/160th.

08-19-2013, 08:16 AM	#15
JimJohnson Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Summer:Lake Superior - Michigan Winter:Texas Hill Country Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,772	Originally posted by maxfield_photo If you prefer to work in 1/3rd stop increments, you can just set the camera to X sync, and it will lock it to 1/180th, but like Jim says, you'll only be gaining 1/6th of a stop over 1/160th. By the tagline I know Chuck has a K-5, but some of us poorer folk's mode dial doesn't give us an X-sync setting. We have to use 1/2 stop increments to manually set a 1/180 shutter speed or use one of the (semi)automated exposure modes.