Which Flash?

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kayakingRob

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Sorry if this is a really simple question that has been asked many times before, but I'm struggling to find advice that I can understand and that I think is relevant to my requirements.

I mainly shoot whitewater kayaking, though like to branch out into other subjects as well, and am looking for a flash for a few projects that I have in mind. I'm currently shooting with a Sony A500, and want a flash that I can use both on the body and off the body depending on the situation. I think that I need a flash with reasonable power that can shoot quickly to freeze the action, and I'm not too worried about reload times - I anticipate that the shots I have in mind will be one off shots. If I can get a flash that I could also use for portraiture work, that would be a bonus but it's not the end of the world if the two subjects require different flashes.

I always aim to have a shutter speed in excess of 1/800th of a second, and would like to be able to achieve this sort of speed with a flash - is that possible?

Can anyone please highlight the main functions that I should be looking for in a flash to suit my needs? Sorry for the stupid questions!
 
You need a powerful flash with high speed sync capability, something like this Sony http://www.parkcameras.com/10250/Sony-HVL-F58AM-Flashgun.html High speed sync is very wasteful of light so you'll need to be quite close. It's £400.

Not sure this is the right way of going about it, but that's the answer to your question as posed. There are some less expensive alternatives, like the top end Metz guns perhaps, but nothing with HSS is cheap.

PS It will do portraits fine - that's easy ;)
 
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Keebsuk said:
The Nissin Di866 mk2 is Sony compatible and is more powerful than the one mentioned, with a guide number of 60. It also has HSS and costs around £190 if you shop around.

Andy
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You're right Andy, but guide numbers should really be called 'rough guide numbers' and I know for fact that Nissin puts out slightly less light than my Canon 580EX.

The other doubt I have is over its high speed sync output, and limited control in that mode. Not sure about that, haven't checked it, but the only certain answer to that for the OP is to go to a shop where you can try them all side by side, set them all on full power manual HSS mode and see what exposure levels you get at say 1/1000sec - and on his camera, to ensure full compatability.
 
I doubt the OP will be able to have the guns close enough for effective HSS to be honest. A tele lens will get the viewer closer, but it won't solve the issue of dramatically reduced flash output for the HSS. This is basically what Richard was eluding to in his post.
I think the best option would be a couple of off camera speedlights fired by radio triggers
 
Thanks very much, everyone. If I understand correctly, HSS fires the flash for several bursts that approximate to one flash as the shutter opens quickly? (ie, still set the shutter speed to 1/800th or 1/1000th, so the shutter still freezes the action?)

What are the requirements to freeze the action with a flash, rather than freezing it with the shutter speed? Is it possible to freeze the action with the flash rather than the shutter?
 
Michael Sewell said:
I doubt the OP will be able to have the guns close enough for effective HSS to be honest. A tele lens will get the viewer closer, but it won't solve the issue of dramatically reduced flash output for the HSS. This is basically what Richard was eluding to in his post.
I think the best option would be a couple of off camera speedlights fired by radio triggers
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Yes ;) We don't know enough about the exact situation, but I'm guessing there's some distance in involved. That's one thing, and I also wonder about how good a direct flash effect would look, which is what Michael is eluding to with the off-camera option.

If you want high shutter speeds, with flash, and decent power, then it gets very expensive ganging multiple guns together. Like this fella, posted before, but that's a heck of a weapon here's got here! Dave Black http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xNDAINwhTWU

kayakingRob said:
Thanks very much, everyone. If I understand correctly, HSS fires the flash for several bursts that approximate to one flash as the shutter opens quickly? (ie, still set the shutter speed to 1/800th or 1/1000th, so the shutter still freezes the action?)

What are the requirements to freeze the action with a flash, rather than freezing it with the shutter speed? Is it possible to freeze the action with the flash rather than the shutter?
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Yes. Probably the easiest route. Shoot at max x-sync speed, 1/160sec on Sony A500 which is modest, and let the flash do the freezing. If you use the flash as 'strong fill-in' rather than completely dominating the whole exposure it might look ok.

There will be some ambient blurring visible around the sharp flash image, depending on the action, but it might be attractive. Second curtain sync would improve that, but it doesn't work at speeds above about 1/30sec (you need Pocket Wizard Mini/Flex to improve that, expensive, and not available for Sony anyway).

Kirk X-tender might help with distance http://www.warehouseexpress.com/buy-kirk-flash-x-tender-1b/p1013209
 
Thank you Richard.

HoppyUK said:
Yes ;) We don't know enough about the exact situation, but I'm guessing there's some distance in involved.
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I imagine that for most of the shots I have in mind the distance is likely to be 5-10m (15m at most), and probably shot using a 28-70 f/2.8 rather than the longer lens. Sorry, I'd try and explain the shots I have in mind to try and help, but it would take far too long to try and explain properly.

HoppyUK said:
Yes. Probably the easiest route. Shoot at max x-sync speed, 1/160sec on Sony A500 which is modest, and let the flash do the freezing. If you use the flash as 'strong fill-in' rather than completely dominating the whole exposure it might look ok.
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Will most flash units be able to provide a short enough burst of light for this? Sorry, I'm really not familiar with flashguns and their capabilities.

HoppyUK said:
There will be some ambient blurring visible around the sharp flash image, depending on the action, but it might be attractive. Second curtain sync would improve that, but it doesn't work at speeds above about 1/30sec (you need Pocket Wizard Mini/Flex to improve that, expensive, and not available for Sony anyway).
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In at least one of the shots I have in mind, I want to achieve blurring around the periphery with a sharp focus on the subject, so this isn't necessarily a bad thing.
 
kayakingRob said:
Thank you Richard.


I imagine that for most of the shots I have in mind the distance is likely to be 5-10m (15m at most), and probably shot using a 28-70 f/2.8 rather than the longer lens. Sorry, I'd try and explain the shots I have in mind to try and help, but it would take far too long to try and explain properly.


Will most flash units be able to provide a short enough burst of light for this? Sorry, I'm really not familiar with flashguns and their capabilities.


In at least one of the shots I have in mind, I want to achieve blurring around the periphery with a sharp focus on the subject, so this isn't necessarily a bad thing.
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Dunno if this is the sort of thing you mean, but this was taken at about 10m distance I think, with flash providing most of the light. Plenty of blur, but shutter speed was very long, like 1/10sec or something - it was getting dark. Also second curtain sync, which helps to put the blur behind the subject, rather than in front.

With all hot-shoe guns, flash durations are very brief, like from around 1/800sec at full power, down to as short as 1/30,000sec or so at lower outputs.

IMG_6125-4-1.jpg
 
HoppyUK said:
Dunno if this is the sort of thing you mean, but this was taken at about 10m distance I think, with flash providing most of the light. Plenty of blur, but shutter speed was very long, like 1/10sec or something - it was getting dark. Also second curtain sync, which helps to put the blur behind the subject, rather than in front.

With all hot-shoe guns, flash durations are very brief, like from around 1/800sec at full power, down to as short as 1/30,000sec or so at lower outputs.
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Fantastic, thank you very much. Think that pretty much answers all my questions! Sorry for the simple questions!
 
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