Hi,

I was wondering if somebody could enlighten me to the use of the high speed sync option that is available with EX capable speedlites (and a body capable of supporting the feature, of course).

Is it worth leaving the switch on the back of the flash on the high speed sync mode?

Many thanks,

John.

-- John Matthews (john@matthews-net.org.uk), October 18, 2001

Answers

When the flash goes into High Speed Sync (FP flash) it's power and max. covering distance is greatly reduced. I don't want that happening unless I really need FP flash. So I leave it off until I'm doing outdorr fill flash.

-- Jim Strutz (j.strutz@gci.net), October 18, 2001.

Well, the use Jim mentioned is the biggest one, outdoor fill flash. All of the bodies introduce since the Elan II/EOS 50 are E-TTL capable. This includes the 1V, 3, Elan 7, Elan II, Rebel 2000, Rebel G. As for leaving the switch on the back of the flash on, it shouldn't matter. I leave my 550EX with the high speed sync turned on all the time, and used to do the same with my 380EX. It won't actually go into that mode unless the shutter speed goes above X-sync.

-- Brad Hutcheson (bhutcheson@iname.com), October 18, 2001.

I use an EOS 1V HS and a 550EX flash, and I agree with Brad's comments.

-- kurt heintzelman (heintzelman.1@osu.edu), October 18, 2001.

Oooh, what do you guys know? :~)

One thing I do keep on is second curtain sync. Does anybody kbow if both of these can be left on at the same time without ill effects?

-- Jim Strutz (j.strutz@gci.net), October 19, 2001.

In response to Jim, I used to leave both second curtain sync and high speed sync on at the same time with my Elan IIE/380EX combo. It didn't seem to hurt anything. The 380EX didn't have a switch for second curtain sync though, so it was a custom function on the body. The 550EX has a setting built in for second curtain sync though, and I think it overrides the setting on the body. This wouldn't be a problem, but you can only set high speed OR second curtain sync on the 550EX, not both at the same time. I'll have to try setting second curtain sync on one of the bodies and give it a try I guess.

-- Brad Hutcheson (bhutcheson@iname.com), October 19, 2001.

if you are doing high speed sync i don't think you will notice any difference in the second curtan sync and first unless you are photographing a tracer bullet.

-- jeff nakayama (moonduck22@hotmail.com), October 28, 2001.