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Archive 2016 · HSS with Pocket Wizard and Paul C Buff

  
 
guitardirky
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p.1 #1 · p.1 #1 · HSS with Pocket Wizard and Paul C Buff


I would like to start shooting more HSS and I'm in the dark per-say about what will work with certain equipment that I have access to.

Is it possible to do High Speed Sync with Einsteins? I'm under the understanding that I cannot

If I go the AlienBee route what pocket wizard devices do I need to get to do HSS with Alien Bee Lights?

FWIW, I'm a Nikon shooter.



Jun 09, 2016 at 01:15 PM
ericvgill
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p.1 #2 · p.1 #2 · HSS with Pocket Wizard and Paul C Buff


You can't us HSS with any light designed by Paul C. Buff.

HSS pulses the light for all of x-sync time, roughly 1/200.

Pocketwizard uses the special timing and long light duration technique to get what they call "Hypersync." This works best with lights that have long t.1 times; this means "not you, Einstein." I used it with the better-suited White Lightning X3200s and found it was fiddly and prone to gradients, since light drops off during the long pulse.

Einstein's high speed modes work either with leaf shutter cameras that can actually sync fast, or in the dark where they are pretty much the only source of light. With a Nikon SLR, this means "no bright sunshine portraits without using ND filters".

If you want the portrait HSS that's all the buzz now, look at the Godox AD600 (rebranded by Cheetahstand, Adorama, others), Profoto B1 and B4, or some of the Elinchrom lights with their newest triggers.



Jun 09, 2016 at 09:15 PM
story_teller
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p.1 #3 · p.1 #3 · HSS with Pocket Wizard and Paul C Buff


ericvgill wrote:
Einstein's high speed modes work either with leaf shutter cameras that can actually sync fast, or in the dark where they are pretty much the only source of light. With a Nikon SLR, this means "no bright sunshine portraits without using ND filters".
.


You were doing great up to this point. Your general statement is incorrect, however. (I'm assuming you really meant DLSR since the OP didn't mention a film camera.)

Many Nikon DSLRs can use the FP (flash pulse) feature with more recent Nikon speedlights such as the SB-900, SB-910, SB-700 etc. I can easily shoot at 1/4000 and get a full frame image with my D810 and SB-900. There are tradeoffs such as distance, but no need for a ND filter. Here are some other examples of "sunshine portraits" with a Nikon and no ND filters.

This is from the PocketWizard website -
http://wiki.pocketwizard.com/?title=Understanding_HyperSync_and_High_Speed_Sync

The Einstein does have to be fired at full power, but it is possible.

f-stopper article -
https://fstoppers.com/originals/demystifying-high-speed-sync-68527

Another article -
http://www.kentyuphotography.com/blog/a-guide-to-pocketwizard-hypersync-and-high-speed-sync-settings/

Paul C.Buff forum -
http://www.paulcbuff-techforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=67&start=50

Hypersync with Nikon D3x -
http://www.dannysteyn.com/blog/tag/hypersync-nikon-d3x-nikon-sb-900-flash/

These articles clearly demonstrate that Nikons can shoot portraits in bright sun using hypersync and in some cases using an Einstein. The newer Godox and private label flashes can provide additional benefits and ease of use, however, I can take my existing equipment out and shoot on a sunny beach all day long and never touch a ND filter.




Jun 10, 2016 at 08:16 AM
jrash168
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p.1 #4 · p.1 #4 · HSS with Pocket Wizard and Paul C Buff


You can use hypersync with Einsteins and either the Pockewizard Mini TT1 or the Flex 5 mounted on your camera and another PW receiver on the Einstein (MC2, Plus II, Plus III, etc). There is some set up required through the computer accessing the TT1/ Flex 5 so that the syncing is timed correctly. You must use the Einstein at full power but can use diffusers, grids, or a combination to reduce the flashes output or you can use an ND filter on your lens. This shot was taken with an Einstein using hypersync.

Nikon D810, Tamron 15-30 f/2.8 @16mm, iso 100, f/9, 1/1250
Einstein @ full power with Omni reflector with diffusion sock.







Jun 10, 2016 at 09:23 AM
dmward
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p.1 #5 · p.1 #5 · HSS with Pocket Wizard and Paul C Buff


The important thing to remember here is that IGBT power controlled strobes, from speedlites to Einstiens and others is that the ONLY time there is a tail that can be used for HyperSync (or whatever you call it) is full power.
At ALL other power settings there is no tail and thus no light.

Within the last few months Phottix, Godox and others have introduced 600 Ws lights that do true High Speed Sync. And TTL.



Jun 10, 2016 at 08:26 PM
Jay Ford
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p.1 #6 · p.1 #6 · HSS with Pocket Wizard and Paul C Buff


story_teller wrote:
These articles clearly demonstrate that Nikons can shoot portraits in bright sun using hypersync and in some cases using an Einstein. The newer Godox and private label flashes can provide additional benefits and ease of use, however, I can take my existing equipment out and shoot on a sunny beach all day long and never touch a ND filter.



All right. Would you recommend buying Einsteins for that purpose in the face of other offerings?




Jun 11, 2016 at 12:08 AM
story_teller
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p.1 #7 · p.1 #7 · HSS with Pocket Wizard and Paul C Buff


Hi Jay. It really depends on what you predominately need the lighting for. Overpowering the sun is not something I do every day. However, my standard SB-900's and PocketWizard Mini-tt1 and flextt5 remotes with FP (Flash Pulse) provide capability for some situations where there is a need to control bright ambient light. For studio work I have my D1's. If I did a lot of outdoor shooting and needed HSS or Hypersync, I'd probably look at something fairly portable. Preference would be for the Profoto stuff since I have a variety of Profoto- compatible modifiers, but I would check out other solutions such as the Chinese stuff just to see.

Einsteins are great lights in that they are both very fast and have the capability to do hypersync with the ttl PocketWizards. I've borrowed them a couple times from a friend for some freezing motion shots and found them very versatile. They're somewhat portable with PCB's battery, but I wouldn't class them as rugged.

Hope that gets you a bit closer.

Larry



Jun 11, 2016 at 07:48 AM
BigIronCruiser
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p.1 #8 · p.1 #8 · HSS with Pocket Wizard and Paul C Buff


It would help if you let folks know how the lights will be used. Will it be indoor and/or outdoor portraits? Will it be to freeze action like the hurdles shown above?

Einsteins, speedlights and other IGBT flashes have very short flash duration, commonly known as t.1 times. They work well for freezing action. You can read about flash duration here.

Godox and similar flashes exhibit t.1 times that aren't so good for freezing action. At full power, the Godox/Cheetah 600 has a t.1 time of 1/220. At 1/16 power, t.1 drops to a very usable 1/3500 sec. When used in HSS mode, t.1 times are less important because shutter speed becomes the dominant factor in freezing action. The downside of HSS is that there's an inverse relationship between shutter speed and effective flash power.

In a studio environment, Einsteins and AB's remain terrific options IMO. The PCB triggers (CST and CSRB) are uber-reliable, and PCB customer support is fantastic. If you look closely, you'll still see quite a few top-shelf pro's using Einsteins and AB's. Portability was my primary objective, so with sad eyes I sold my Einstein's, AB's and PocketWizards after moving to Cheetah (re-branded Godox) lights. YMMV.



Jun 11, 2016 at 09:03 AM
guitardirky
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p.1 #9 · p.1 #9 · HSS with Pocket Wizard and Paul C Buff


thank you all for the info so far. I have alot of reading to catch up on!

I am looking to do more outdoor, portrait and action/adventure/sports shooting.



Jun 11, 2016 at 11:08 AM
Stephaniespix
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p.1 #10 · p.1 #10 · HSS with Pocket Wizard and Paul C Buff


I use PW tt5's on Elinchroms, lightweight and easy


Jun 11, 2016 at 11:16 AM
Jay Ford
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p.1 #11 · p.1 #11 · HSS with Pocket Wizard and Paul C Buff


What BigIronCruiser said on portability. I bought a pair of the Godox AD600Ms in large part for ease of moving, and they are. Because the batteries and radio receivers are built-in, there are no external wires at all.

(Unless you want it - there is an add-on that will make the light a pack-head, and another that will allow combining two chargers to make a 1200WS light).

I should have gotten them through Cheetahstand. I will be adding a couple of their grab and go lightstands and probably anything in the future through them.



Jun 11, 2016 at 09:17 PM





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