Canon 5D ll. strobe sync

I am about to use my 5d ll. with profoto studio strobe for the first time. I have never used it before . How should the camera be set for

best results ... Sync speed etc . And does it matter if u use sync cord or trigger remote. Thanx

<p>You can't use a shutter speed faster then 1/200th, otherwise you will get black at the bottom of the frame. A sync cord may be ok, but a remote like a pocket wizard is safer. Sometimes the voltage in the sync circuit can be higher then it should be, depending on the strobe system and / or if it is malfunctioning. The higher voltage can fry the circuit in the camera. The remote protects you from this. You can also get a "safe sync" which fits on the sync cord, but pocket wizard is safest. I have had this happen by malfunctioning power packs. </p>

<p>Of course you will have to use manual mode as none of the auto exposure will function with studio lighting. Use the histogram on the camera to adjust, or better yet, tether to a computer with lightroom or another program. Of course only the f stop will affect the exposure of the flash.</p>

<p>While the X-sync for the 5D II is 1/200th I believe the manual suggests 1/160th or slower for studio strobes.</p>

<p>The fastest recommended shutter speed is 1/160th if you want consistent results. As you have plenty of light available work at the aperture that is the sweet spot for your lens...usually f5.6 or f8. Lowest possible ISO setting for best quality.<br>

Start with one light, say a fill light, and adjust until you are 1 to 2 stops below your chosen exposure. Now add a key light for the chosen exposure. This method gives you time to see the effect of the different settings on your scene.<br>

Lastly, if you don't have a light meter, use a white terry cloth towel. Increase light until the highlights start blinking on the LCD, then back off by 1/3 stop. Perfect exposure!</p>

<p>A professional camera like the 5D II will allow up to 250 volts on its Prontor-Compur socket (the little coaxial flash sync socket on the side of the camera). Therefore no Safesync or suchlike device should be needed when the camera is connected to a studio strobe of recent and reputable manufacture. Since Profoto is a reputable (and expensive) make, you can be pretty certain that their equipment is safe for both humans and cameras alike. The specification for their current equipment is stated as being "Compliant to ISO 10330 standard" - i.e. no more than a 24 volt trigger.</p>

<p>Quote from Canon's 5DII PDF user manual, p104: <em>"Do not connect to the camera's PC terminal any flash unit requiring 250 V or more."</em><br>

If you bother to read the rest of p104, you'll see that Canon states that 1/200th is the maximum X-synch speed useable with <em>"non-Canon compact flash units"</em> and that with large studio units the synch speed should be dropped to between 1/30th and 1/60th sec. However, this is Canon simply CTA, and you can probably easily use the Profotos at up to 1/200th with cable or optical triggering.</p>

<p>If using radio triggers, you'll need to drop the maximum sync speed to something like 1/160th to account for the delay in the triggers.</p>

Thank u all for the info, much appreciated.

<p>I hope you are not going to use it for the first time to do a production photo shoot. I would recommend setting it all up in your living room and shooting the dog or plant or something. Play around with the settings get a photo magazine or two and practice. You do not want to do this for the first time with your client around watching. Practice first and choose what worked well in practice.</p>