FE with SB-30 flash

[Asha]

Been doing quite a bit of studying re Guide Numbers / Shooting distances for the SB-30 flash.

Played about with the unit on a D50 simply to see wether I am getting the results I want and am becoming fairly confident that i have a reasonable understanding.

My question is if used on the Nikon FE, can I use shutter speeds faster than the 1/125 synch speed and still obtain the same exposure for a given aperture/distance as doing so on the D50 offers the same exposure regardless of shutter speed.

Explained a little easier, will the following two examples offer the same exposure?:

eg 1:

ISO 400
Distance 1 meter
Flash output 1/8
F/8
Shutter 1/125


eg 2:

ISO 400
Distance 1 meter
Flash output 1/8
F/8
Shutter 1/1000

 

[s162216]

No you can't use it at faster than the X sync speed or you'll only get half a picture as the flash is not synced to the shutter opening/closing.

 

[Asha]

No you can't use it at faster than the X sync speed or you'll only get half a picture as the flash is not synced to the shutter opening/closing.

Thanks for confirming and explaining the reason why.

Without wanting to come across as a bit dim, but how come the half a picture problem doesn't happen with the D50 at 1/500 in M mode with the SB-30??

I'm presuming from your reply that it all comes down to synch speed again....being 1/125 on the FE and a maximum of 1/500 on the D50 ( it's impossible to set a faster speed with flash in place!)

 

[s162216]

The D50 is one of the few cameras which can sync up to 1/500th simply because of its CCD sensor so it can use electronic sensor switching to be able to sync up to there, later and current DSLR's all use CMOS sensors these days which have some major advantages but as they sense the image line by line rather than the whole scene (its a but difficult to explain!) like a CCD their unable to use sensor switching and as so sync speed is lowered back to simply how fast the focal plane shutter can sync.

Although the D50 doesn't support it, faster shutter speeds than the X sync can be obtained using high speed sync on flashes/cameras which support it, which basically pulses the flash rapidly so to be able to sync at much higher speeds although the obvious trade off is great loss in flash range.

 

[Asha]

Thanks for your time Samuel.

It all makes much more sense now than it did.

Tbh I've never been a lover of flash work simply because i've never took the time out to learn more in depth about it so therefore have often been very dissapointed with results.

The little bit of info that i've colected during the past few days re GN and Synch have already expanded my knowledge enough to want to play/practice and learn more.

Many thanks!

 

[freecom2]

The D50 and the D70 were the love of strobists for this reason - an incredibly fast sync speed, as fast as leaf shutters.