Flash sync speeds

[gandytron]

Until recently I'd been using my trusty old Nikon D50 for bird photography, which has a maximum flash sync speed of 1/500th sec. Taking photos using my SB-600 flash (often a must here in SE Asia when birding in forest) was possible, though I'd often end up with a few duds of birds leaping in the air during the tiny delay between flash firing and shutter closing.

Now that I have bought a D90 I'm disappointed to see that the maximum flash sync speed is 1/200th sec., and looking at other more expensive Nikons (>D300) the maximum flash sync is still no more than 1/250th.

Am I missing something here?

It seems that a tripod will be more-or-less essential for photographing with flash when using a telephoto (I use the 300mm f4 AF-S & 1.4 TC combo), and that the lag time between flash firing and shutter closing will, I fear, render the whole exercise useless because of birds reacting to the flash.

Can any body give me some advice on how to tackle this, and an explanation of why the maximum sync speeds are lower on the high end cameras (I note that some of the newer cheaper Nikons still have a higher flash sync speed)?

Thanks

Dave

[Alan W]

I suffered the same disappointment when i replaced my old D70, with a D2h.

The only answer is to use your trusty D50 for long-tele fill flash work {i'm seriously considering getting another D70 body for this purpose exclusively}.

Of course, you could try the FP type of flash option {assuming the D90 has this function}, although for long-tele work it is less useful than using a conventional high-sync setting, due to the power losses involved.

In my view, its a pity that nikon/canon etc appear to be going the FP flash route for high-sync flash, although possibly there are mannufacturing difficulties in allowing a traditional high sync shutter setting with 'cmos' sensors.

It also seems plain wrong to me, that a telephoto user, who may have spent £300 {or similar amount} on a modern fairly high powered flashgun, will find his/her flashgun has 'effectively' been reduced to being a very low powered unit, possibly forcing the user into fitting a cheap/flimsey/annoying gadget {better-beamer etc} to their expensive flashgun, in an attempt to regain the lost power.

Obviously 1/200 sec sync speeds are fast enough for the vast majority of photographic situations, and FP flash will also be useful for many, so i guess its understandable that manufacturers will cater for the majority.

As for us long-tele users, the only options seem to be 'muddle through' with FP flash {usually with the need to add a cheap 'extra', to make this option slightly feasable} , or buy a specific body with fast conventional sync speeds {whilst these bodies still exist}.

My first camera's only had sync speeds of 1/30sec {Zenith B} 1/60sec {Mamiya} 1/75sec {Pentax LX} 1/125sec {Pentax ME Super's} so i guess i can't complain too much, however, long-tele 'fill flash' was quite rare in those days for moving subjects {full flash being far more common}.

Thats my old fashioned view

Alan

[Watts]

Now that I have bought a D90 I'm disappointed to see that the maximum flash sync speed is 1/200th sec., and looking at other more expensive Nikons (>D300) the maximum flash sync is still no more than 1/250th.

Am I missing something here?



I thought you could use the D90 and SB-600 with FP high speed sync allowing use of any shutter speed.

You can with the D300, allowing sync speed up to 1/8000th.

Bill

[Duke Leto]

Yep but you loose flash power when using fp, if the subject is well lit and the flash is used to assist with the shadows then reduced power may not be an issue

[carlj]

Well, if it works the same as with my flash, it reduces the power dramatically...So not an ideal solution.

[gandytron]

Thanks everyone - I will try the FP, and as I have a better beamer this may give me an OK solution.

Will let you know how I get on.

[gvca1]

The reason for this paradox (that higher-end cameras have lower flash sync speed) is that in the pro-grade cameras, the exposure is metered with the physical shutter: Sensor turned on -> shutter open -> shutter closed -> sensor turned off.

In consumer cameras, the exposure is metered by gating the CCD capture itself. That is, the shutter opens, the sensor is sampled for a measured time, then the shutter closes. The down-side to this technique is that highlights can bloom or streak, as the electrons in one photosite spill over into adjacent photosites.

This can be a real problem at high ISO's and with long lenses. Also a problem for fill-flash in portraiture, for example with a wide-open 85 f/1.4.

Jim