In getting to grips with this D70s I am at the place in the instruction book that is on about Front/Rear curtain when using a flash. I am a bit (a lot!) confused and if any one could explain this terminology in laymans terms, what exactly this means I would be obliged.
Well, imagine that you are using a one-second exposure. The shutter will be open for one full second, but your strobe fires in a fraction of that time, let's say just one 1,000th of that second.
Front/rear lets you choose to have that one1,000th happen at the beginning of the full second, or at the end.
When you are photographing a fast moving object, let's say a moving car, one full second is a long time. You will see some streaking, especially on any headlights or taillights.
If you choose Front, then the flash fires as soon as the shutter is fully open, but then your exposure continues during the other 999 1,000ths of that second. So your flash freezes the car & the lights first, then they continue to move, causing streaking.
If you choose Rear, the shutter opens, starting the exposure, so the streaking is being caught by your sensor and then your flash happens just before the shutter closes.
Rear sync, therefore will usually produce more natural looking results--the streaks will appear to lead up to the frozen image rather than leading away from it.
In my example of the car (especially at nite), the car will appear to be moving forward with Rear Sync, and backwards with Front sync.
Try a few examples. That's one of the great benefits of digital photography: you can sit there, try something and see the results right then.
Thanks Thomas for that description and i now understand fully what is happening. I will go and try it now and as you say, with digital you can try and see your results and if not correct - try again.
