Help with 645D and leaf shutter with flash

[tashley]

A plea for help: I have used my 645DF so far mostly with the 80mm Phase lens when in the studio using flash. I have a 110LS lens which I have used rarely and only at 1/125th in X sync mode.

I have a shoot tomorrow evening and need to work out how best to use higher shutter speeds (such as 1/800th) with the LS lens and studio flash. I am using Bowens Gemini, triggered by a Pulsar radio trigger which slots into the 645DF hotshoe. This triggers nicely using X sync mode but is as yet untested using the faster shutter speeds of LS.

I have tried to look through the Phase manual but I'm afraid on this subject, to me at least, it's not helpful...

If anyone has experience of this scenario and can offer a fool's guide, I would be very grateful!

Thanks....

 

[Paul66]

Your going to have to shoot with a sync cord to get the faster shutter speeds, already went through all that!

 

[tashley]

Oh oh... So the hotshoe doesn't fire when in LS mode?

Do you have to do anything complicated in custom functions?

 

[Shashin]

And double check your flash duration, it can be longer than your shutter speed depending on the power of the units.

 

[kdphotography]

Tim,

There are two different things you will need to check when photographing at higher flash sync wirelessly with the Phase 645DF and LS lenses.

1. Check the flash duration of your particular lights (which Bowens?) at the various output levels.

2. Check the flash sync triggering capabilities of your wireless system. If not capable, then you're left with using a sync cord (assuming your strobes have a short flash duration.

The limitations on your ability to use higher flash sync will vary according to your lights (short) flash duration ability and limitations of your wireless trigger. So, if your triggering system can only handle 1/800th---that's where your ceiling is at. Faster triggers and shorter light durations will allow you to go all the way up to your max of 1/1600th with the SK LS lenses.

Yes, the hotshoe will fire in LS mode and trigger your transmitter.

On the DF, you can set CF18 to auto switch beteen using the focal plane or leaf shutter capable lens, FP only, or LS only.

ken

 

[yaya]

Use M or Av modes, not X
The Pulsar I think can do 1/320 or 1/500 and the same goes for the Gemini
If you're using a cord don't forget to plug it into the body and not into the back

 

[tashley]

Thank you do much for the advice chaps... I will test out these tips tomorrow before the shoot. Hope I can return the favours!

 

[gazwas]

It would be really helpful if you could post your findings Tim as not everyone shoots Profoto/Airsync.

I shoot Bowens lights and would love to know what model Gemini/Gemini Pro you used and what radio sync etc.

 

[tashley]

So far preliminary trial is:

Gear:
Two Bowens Gemini GM500R with one Bowens Pulsar radio trigger.
Phase IQ180 on 645DF with SK 110 LS mounted and Custom Function 18 set to Auto

Mode is set to Manual: no metering, just trial and error for exposure. The Pulsar is happily fired by the hotshoe with no need for a sync cable, at least up to 1/500th, and that seems to be working nicely, triggering one flash by radio which in turn is triggering the other by flash alone.

All seems to have worked first time though no doubt this evening when I try to tether and run Capture Pilot, there will be some issues but hey, it's all part of the fun and games.

I will report back!

 

[gazwas]

Thanks Tim, that's really good to know you are getting 1/500th sec from the 500R as the flash duration is quite long on those units (t=0.5 1/900).

Would be good to know the sort of power settings you are using.

Good luck with the job.

 

[Guy Mancuso]

Tim what will happen if your too fast on sync is images will progressively get darker so go for a common shutter speed like 1/125 and save that image . Than try going up the scale until it starts getting darker than compare the 1/125 shot than you will know your cutoff speed. Easy to do tethered that way you can watch the histogram. At some point your remote trigger will not get you up to the 1/1600 speed but this way you can tell how far you can push it and honestly 1/500 sounds like it unless you get into Profoto or hensel remote triggers. Worst case if you absolutely need the speed sync cored it drop power and it should take you there. It really is a balance of short duration and remote trigger

 

[Sheldon N]

Also you might want to check and see if there are any issues with color shifting if you are chopping the strobe duration short by running the shutter speed faster than the flash duration. You might not get consistent color if using just a portion of the flash pulse.

 

[tashley]

Just waiting for the model to arrive and I haven't had a chance to try all the above because (grr, as is so often the case) I am fighting the camera. It keeps on resetting its own aperture to F2.8.... I am trying to shoot at 6.3 and it is such a nightmare getting the exact DOF I want according to markers when the camera can't remember its own settings for more than a minute. Sometimes I wonder....

 

[Guy Mancuso]

Put on manual than tape the damn thing down. LOL

Don't feel bad I'm in processing hell about 950 FULL RES images to process. I got smoke pouring out the back end of my MBP. LOL

 

[tashley]

Dude, it IS on manual! This happens in any mode. aaaarrgh!

Sounds like the passive cooling's gone on your back!

;-)

 

[Guy Mancuso]

Its on manual and its moving around. WTF is that all about.

 

[gazwas]

You don't get much luck with your kit Tim. :facesmack:

You tried cleaning the lens/body contacts to see if its a communication error?

 

[tashley]

It does it all the time, always has... regardless of FW updates, shooting mode, whatever, and the cleanest contacts in the business. I've sort of gotten used to it, it's just this evening the DOF issue needs to be really exact so there's been a lot more to-ing and fro-ing. Oh, did I mention the model is an hour late and I'm hungry!

Jeesh I'm such a whiner...

 

[gazwas]

A hungry photographer is never a happy one!

 

[kdphotography]

Tim, have you tried burning sage? A minor exorcism perhaps? Don Libby suggests burning sage, chanting, and dancing naked around the DF. That's usually exactly the time when your model will show up...

:ROTFL: