Burst: configuration for off-camera flashes.

I need to photograph 9 fps for approximately 10-15 sec using 2-3 off-camera flashes.

D850, with battery grip, SB-800.

Subject is about 3-5 meters away. Flashes about 2-3 m away from subject.

 

What is the best configuration for off-camera flash operation and 9 fps firing?

(PocketWizard, Quantum, ...etc.?)

biggest issue I am seeing is flash head overheating. I'd contact the flashgun manufacturer before I fry an expensive system flash.

Sorry my cameras aren't that fast. I wonder what faint hint of output to expect at all from hotshoe flashes at that rate and fear you might need incredibly expensive studio equipment I am not familiar with.

Triggers don't look critical to me.

At what power level?

 

9 fps for 10 sec is 90 flashes.

 

Running out of capacitor charge and overheating are going to be your biggest worries.

 

I'd have thought any radio trigger should cope just fine.

 

I assume everything is full manual, no TTL.

 

 

Maybe first question should be: do you really need 9 fps, would 4.5 fps do?

Tropdude, to achieve properly exposed images shot at a high frame rate you should shoot multiple flash guns firing using cheap radio triggers at 1/16 to 1/64 of a second. Check out

The Ultimate Flash Setup for Hummingbirds by John Gerlach for the best explanation. His technique will freeze hummingbird wings and should work as well on human subjects.

1/16 to 1/64 of a second.

1/16 to 1/64 POWER maybe?

 

This is one of those cases where using +1EV 'more' of ISO means you can halve the flash power....

 

Full power at 100ISO, 1/2@200, 1/4@400.1/8@800, 1/16@1600 etc.....

Umm... Will the D850's buffer handle 15 seconds at 9fps?

Related thought: What kind of (homebrew?) electronics would be able to fire a multitude of flash triggers in a sequence? - Frame 1 -> trigger A, frame 2 trigger B, frame 3 trigger C, frame 4 trigger A? With such a setup and 9 flashes to utilize 3 lights the 9FPS might be somewhat in reach.

In my experience a SB-800 can deliver 3 well exposed images into ISO 400 body in range of 3-5 meters and if pushed further ISO needs to be raised. Jochen is onto something. It could be some sort of well crafted load balancing circuit that spreads load to multiple flashes equipped with external pattery pack.

 

In standard body + three SB-800 flashes this is no can do.

Mike I understand your point, my apologies I meant power 1/16 to 1/64 power. You are exactly correct. You need to have multiple flash guns of course. You can buy 6-7 Yongnuo guns with wireless radio capability for the cost one Nikon or Canon flash. Together they will compensate for the low power of a single flash while taking advantage of the short duration of the flashes at that power so as not to over heat. If you shoot mix and match flashes you can use either optical slave on those that have it or cheap radio triggers. The key is to turn the power down and use more than one to compensate. Thanks for catching my mistake. Merry Christmas

4 x yongnou 560 IIIs will do this happily and very in-expensively at 1/64 power...