Canon 40D & Sigma DG500 Super - Rear Curtain Sync issue on Manual mode

Donnie

Donnie

Suspended / Banned
Messages
7,027
Name
Paul
Edit My Images
No
As in manual on the flash.

I'm trying to get a rear curtain sync shot using the above and my simple manual wireless triggers but they won't allow rear curtain sync :-(

However, there's a pc socket on the 40d, as well as the wireless reciever, so, Im wondering if a cable from the camera to the trigger (with the flash manually set on rear curtain) would work?

Might be a thicky question but I just want to get the right cable as I also have a short yongnuo off camera cord which does work but is quite short, I'd like something a few metres long to give me some flexibility :-)
 
Donnie said:
As in manual on the flash.

I'm trying to get a rear curtain sync shot using the above and my simple manual wireless triggers but they won't allow rear curtain sync :-(

However, there's a pc socket on the 40d, as well as the wireless reciever, so, Im wondering if a cable from the camera to the trigger (with the flash manually set on rear curtain) would work?

Might be a thicky question but I just want to get the right cable as I also have a short yongnuo off camera cord which does work but is quite short, I'd like something a few metres long to give me some flexibility :-)
Click to expand...

Tricky. The second (rear) curtain firing signal goes out through the E-TTL hot-shoe contacts on Canon so all you'll get out of the PC socket is normal first-curtain sync.

Easiest way to get remote second-curtain sync is to use an E-TTL radio trigger such as the new (and bargain price) Yongnuo 622, or Phottix Odin or Pocket Wizard Mini/Flex. Strangely enough, Canon's own remote E-TTL system does not support remote second-curtain sync (I think possibly for patent reasons, but that's only a guess).

There is another way but it's a complicated workaround using an optical slave plugged into a radio trigger that picks up the second-curatin flash fired from a separate gun. That must be in manual, so you can't use the pop-up to do it.

The other thing is that second-curtain often makes little or no difference unless the direction of subject movement is both important and predictable/controllable. It's not the magic bullet some folks believe it to be.

Also be aware that second-curtain is only active at shutter speeds longer than 1/25sec or so, and even then it's more like 'middle-curtain sync' until the shutter speed gets significantly longer still. The only system to offer real second-curtain sync is Pocket Wizard.
 
Hmm I was wondering if that was the case re the firing signal :-( I do like the look of those 622's but funds aren't going to allow that at the moment /:-/ I may have to rethink things or just delay 'til I can get the right gear then.
 
Donnie said:
Hmm I was wondering if that was the case re the firing signal :-( I do like the look of those 622's but funds aren't going to allow that at the moment /:-/ I may have to rethink things or just delay 'til I can get the right gear then.
Click to expand...

Do you really need second-curtain sync? What are you shooting?
 
One of the local lads on his Lambretta, but I was planning a shot using this technique to get some lighttrails of the scooter as it comes toward the camera (obviously not directly) but at a diagonal across the frame with the flash going off as he draws near so he's prominent in the frame.

Not sure that makes sense lol
 
Donnie said:
One of the local lads on his Lambretta, but I was planning a shot using this technique to get some lighttrails of the scooter as it comes toward the camera (obviously not directly) but at a diagonal across the frame with the flash going off as he draws near so he's prominent in the frame.

Not sure that makes sense lol
Click to expand...

Makes perfect sense, and that's one situation where second-curtain really scores :thumbs:

I was thinking maybe of club photography with people waving light wands and stuff around, when some shooters think that second-curtain overlays the flash image more prominently. It doesn't of course, and makes no difference to the random movement blur, but introduces a few other problems along the way.
 
If you were local I'd have helped you out with PW's.
Is there someone local that'd like to help you out with the project? There isn't really a section to ask about that.
 
Could be fiddly. But how about shooting loads of the slow shutter shot, loads with flash and picking the most suitable pair to merge in software.

I've never tried it but it's a theoretical solution.
 
Why not a long ettl cable?
Not as elegant to look at but will get you the result.
 
Cheers Phil, no one local that I know with such equipment that I know of and no one in the local camera club either :-/

I see what you are saying about merging 2 photos, and that's crossed my mind as a workaround I have to admit, but the fun would be in the fiddly pp lining up the trails with the scooter shot, it's a back burner option.

long ettl cord sounds like it could be the answer perhaps as looking on the like of ebay there's some near 10m (which is more than enough) ones for about £30.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top