Yongnuo HSS/AutoFP flash exposure compensation

<p>A question for Yongnuo flash owners that have a model that supports HSS/AutoFP - does the flash exposure compensation work? I mean, does +/- compensation actually change flash light output?</p>

<p>The reason I am asking is that I have a third party Chinese flash (not Yongnuo) that supports HSS but the compensation does not do anything - theoretically it supports up to +/- 3 stops but in reality does nothing. This was confirmed in a review of this flash I found on the internet (that was comparing it to SB-800) so I know it's not just my copy of the flash.</p>

<p>I used to have two Yongnuo flashes and they were viable Nikon alternatives for me at the time. I would not mind going back to them but really need HSS FEC to not just be supported on paper and on the back LCD, but to actually work. :-) I believe the only current model that supports HSS for Nikon is YN-568EX but I may be wrong.</p>

<p>Thanks</p>

<p>I'd first determine that the flash you're using isn't working at full power. Because you obviously can't add a plus compensation to a flash that's already outputting as much light as it's capable of. Also some flashes drop out of HSS pulsed output mode when at full power, and revert to a single long pulse with an exponential decay.</p>

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<p>"but really need HSS FEC...."</p>

</blockquote>

<p>May I ask why Whiggy? If it's to combat ambient light, then that just doesn't work. For a start you lose something like half of the flash power as soon as HSS/FP mode is engaged, and secondly raising the shutter speed in FP mode requires the aperture to be opened up to compensate. The nett result is that both flash and ambient exposure remain the same, regardless of the shutter speed chosen.</p>

<p>The only use for HSS mode is to freeze action more than you can at X-synch speed, when flash is used to augment continuous light. If flash is the only light source, then simply reducing the flash power to shorten its duration achieves the same end.</p>

<p>Joe, thanks for taking your time to reply. You bring up all good and valid points.<br /> I should have mentioned that I am almost exclusively interested in the negative FEC, i.e., decreasing the output. Why? In my experience none of the 3rd party dedicated flashes have as precise and as consistent flash power control and output as genuine Nikon flashes. What that does in (i)TTL mode(s) is either underexposes or overexposes. In my case, which is shooting outdoors in the bright Florida sunlight, the flash I have overexposes in HSS mode almost all the time. I understand that if I am shooting with apertures wide open it may simply be impossible for the flash to provide power level that low, but this happens even with aperture closed a few stops. Majority of the time I simply resort to manual flash control and get decent results, but sometimes there just is not enough time from shot to shot to adjust. I know that FEC may not help all that much but I would rather keep it at lowest (-3 EV) all the time and have a lick of flash, then pull the shadows up in the post, than risk blowing out highlights, which we know in digital is a bye-bye. I also know I could stay under the X-sync speed, use ND filters, etc. but if I am going to get a new flash I want to make sure I can at least have some output control in HSS.<br /> Bottom line, I was just curious if anyone that has a third party flash can test and confirm that FEC works in HSS. With the flash I have now the exposure in HSS is exactly the same from 0 FEC to -2.5 stops FEC, then at -3 it looks like half a stop lower than 0., i.e., you can only really use half a stop of negative FEC.</p>

<p>Joe's point that maximum power cannot increase is pretty important, since HSS is so underpowered anyway.</p>

<p>I had a Neewer NW-985N with HSS, and HSS was pitiful, poorly and incompletely implemented, a joke. It was a decent flash except for HSS. Neewer is just a marketing name, they have flashes from a few manufacturers.</p>

<p>And I have an Aperlight YH700N with HSS, and it works very decently, including HSS and flash compensation. </p>

<p>But HSS can only run at about 20% maximum power, so I'd suggest testing with -EV FC, since +EV is likely asking for more power than it can do.</p>

<p>The flashes don't implement flash compensation. The camera metering system controls TTL exposure, and then simply instructs the TTL flash to use a specific power. Not an absolute level, but a specific increase above TTL preflash level. All the TTL flash does is to comply (correctly). If it has enough power reserve to do it.</p>

<p> </p>

<p>Thanks, Wayne.</p>

<p>As I mentioned previously, I am not interested in the +EV so power, or lack thereof, is not my concern. Quite the opposite, I want to make sure the flash complies with the -EV requests, a.k.a. negative flash compensation ... you'd think this would not be an issue because it does not need more power for this; it needs less ... but my flash does not care for me dialing in 0 to 2.5 -EV, it only slightly reduces output at 3 -EV.</p>

<p>If you could please do this test for me I would really appreciate it - take a pic in daylight in manual mode on camera, auto ISO turned off, with your Aperlite YH700N in the hot shoe, making sure that the camera shutter speed is somewhere in the HSS range (e.g., 1/800). Then on your Aperlite (but not the not camera) dial in 1 -EV and take another pic. Then dial in 2 -EV on the flash and take another pic.. then tell me if there is any difference in the flash exposure in the three pictures. Thanks in advance :-)</p>

<p>Well, I have to say you're right. I was surprised, but on close inspection, the Aperlite YH700N HSS Flash Compensation does not work well after all. TTL does work (is able to adjust power in different situations), but FC is not able to adjust power. So IMO, the Chinese idea of HSS seems more a constant level. I suppose they are still a step behind.</p>

<p>The Neewer NW985N I mentioned was also constant level for HSS, however for it, TTL did not even work (still a nonadjustable single level). Plus it had a banding problem, HSS frequency too low for 1/2000 and 1/4000 second. It seemed a decent flash if Not in HSS mode.</p>

<p>I don't have a Yongnuo with HSS capability.</p>

<p>A Nikon SB-800 works great in all HSS respects, exactly as hoped and expected.</p>

<p>I did not go outside, I was shooting at a bookcase, but it was flash, and I used a camera exposure for sun, EV 16, ISO 200, f/11, 1/500 second (at about 3 feet).</p>

<p>Note that even a SB-910 (which I do not own) has a HSS Guide Number of 48.6 (feet) for 35mm zoom and 1/500 second. So (at 35mm zoom) this HSS range outdoors is only 4.3 feet. Or double that distance for fill at -2 EV, possibly usable, but still not much range possible. So to me, HSS really seems a moot point.</p>

<p>IMO, the only one single advantage of HSS is that this same HSS Guide Number is good for any equivalent exposure. The GN chart is for 1/500 second, but because HSS is continuous light (like sunshine), but then (for HSS) any equivalent exposure works the same, like f/2.8 at 1/8000 second is the same exposure, both for sun and for HSS flash. Also meaning, f/2.8 and 1/8000 second works, if you can deal with the power limitations.</p>

<p> </p>

<p>Oh, wow... I am surprised too. Thanks for testing this, I really appreciate it. It's a bummer that your flash does the same thing but I guess if you do not need that feature you probably don't care if it works or not. You are 100% right - these Chinese knockoff companies still have a long way to go in terms of understanding, reverse-engineering, testing, and making everything work as advertised. When I found this out about my flash I searched up and down to find any mention of it and found a review in this blog - <a href="http://www.scantips.com/lights/neewer985b.html">http://www.scantips.com/lights/neewer985b.html</a>. This particular page talks about HSS and the issue at hand. I have the same flash but branded differently (Triopo). Thanks for confirming what I thought might be the case - it's highly likely all these flashes have the same issue. I think I am going to stick with Nikon on this. :-)</p>

<p>But... all this said, for basic use they are fine for the price. Thanks again, Wayne.</p>

<p>HSS works as expected on my Nissin Di866, and on the Godox V860N flashes that I have. The Nissin is quite a bit cheaper than any current Nikon flash, and the Godoxes are cheaper still. Based on build quality alone I'd say the Nissin gives the best bang for buck, but its user interface takes a bit of getting used to. OTOH the Godox V860 comes with a rechargeable Lithium battery and has much faster recycling.</p>

<p>I bought a Meike MK910 and was totally disappointed with the piece of crap. HSS does change in power, but in "normal" mode it doesn't deliver anywhere near its claimed output. It's barely more useful than the popup flash on my D800. Definitely not recommended.</p>

<p>Ah, yes, Meike is one of those same-guts-different-case knock-offs. Nissin seems to be quite good, maybe on par with Metz but at the same time it costs almost as much as second-hand Nikon counterparts, in which case I would just add a bit more and buy the Nikon. These other flashes are all sub $100 new. However, they confirm the old adage - there's no such thing as free lunch.<br>

Thanks, both Joe and Wayne, for contributing to the thread and shedding light (no pun intended) on this issue.</p>

<p>Quick update - sold my TR-982 II and bought a mint condition SB-600... happy to report there are no issues with flash exposure compensation with the SB-600; works as advertised :-)</p>