The GetDPI Photography Forum

Great to see you here. Join our insightful photographic forum today and start tapping into a huge wealth of photographic knowledge. Completing our simple registration process will allow you to gain access to exclusive content, add your own topics and posts, share your work and connect with other members through your own private inbox! And don’t forget to say hi!

X1D / ES / Flash - Some success

nameBrandon

Well-known member
I apologize if this is common knowledge, or just even basic exposure knowledge, but wanted to at least leave this here for posterity for those like me searching on the subject.

Due to the electronic shutter limitation on the X1D there didn't appear any way to directly sync a flash. I am using a CF lens with Prontor shutter, so I had thought of somehow using that PC port and a Y cable of some kind to sync using a long exposure on the ES and the shutter in the CF lens, but I didn't seem to be able to find a cable that might work for sale on the internet.

What I did do was manually test that theory. It took a bit of trial and error, but if I set the ES to a 2 second exposure, left the lens shutter open, triggered via X-system release cable and then manually fired my flash when the "1" second left displayed on the screen, I consistently got fully lit frames. I managed to repeat this a number of times. There was some minor exposure variation (+- 0.25 stops I'd say) and WB variation (very slight).

This was done with a studio strobe (Alien Bees B800) at 3/4 power. I imagine flash strength and resulting duration are going to have a big impact on how repeatable this is, and it will require a fair amount of testing, but I did want to at least document that it is possible.

I wanted to use this approach for macro shooting with my Actus, so that's the reason I went through all of this, I'm not just really bored.

Anyways, I present my masterpiece.. I call it "slightly out of focus Hasselblad box." :)

 
Top