flash for continous shooting?

[mariom]

Hello citizens of photo.net.

I'm looking for a flash that I could use for continous frame

shooting. I think is called a high synch flash. The thing is I have A

rebel XT and I like to shoot things like drops of water and although

in P mode and with the built in flash I get 1/60, the camera does not

take the three frames per second. Is there a flash that would let

the camera work at 3 fps? Any orientation would be highly appreciated.

[frank_skomial]

What you called "a high synch flash", is perhaps the high speed sync ?, the FP flash mode for a single picture taking.

 

Fully charged flash releases only the required amount of power, as dictated by the picture taking conditions (ISO, distance, aperture, etc.), so if only a little fraction of power was used/needed for the first flash in sequence, so the remaining power would allow for next rapid shot, and possibly for third one ?

 

Eventually your flash power depletion would run out and you would not shoot any more fast pictures in one fast series of shots. More powerful flash you get, and with shorter re-charging time, you have more chance to shoot more pictures in one series.

 

For example, if you put your flash in manual mode and with power ratio 1/16, so, theorethically you could get close to 16 small flashes in fast sequence. In flash Auto mode, number of flashes depends on your camera and shooting settings/distances, etc.

 

For drops of water, 3 fps may not be fast enough, but you could catch a drop, that is if you are lucky. Thechniques for this were already discussed many times, just search.

[helenbach]

Jose,

 

A number of flashguns have a 'motordrive' mode that will permit rapid flash shooting by reducing the output per flash as Frank says. I use a Metz 60 CT-2 which has winder ('W', 2 fps max, flash duration 1/3500 s, approx 1/17 max output) and motordrive ('MD', 5 fps max, flash duration 1/5000 s, approx 1/25 max output) modes. The flash operates in manual: there is a useful exposure calculator dial on the top of the flash head. The recycling time is equal to, or less than, the flash interval, so it is effectively continuous, but it must not be fired in a continuous burst for too long.

 

There are flashguns that are made for truly continuous operation, but those are much more expensive.

 

Best,

Helen

[digitmstr]

My 550EX easily does it, with the proper settings.

 

It all depends on what the recycle time is for each shot. If you are shooting at a decent ISO, not too far from the subject, etc... In short, the more power you demdand from your strobe the longer the rec. times will be.

[clauder]

listen to above advise! I just wanted to warn you to be a bit cautious though, if you shoot long series of rapid continuous, and with very short intervals between them, you will fry your flash circuitry (been there, done that)... so give it some time to relax and cool down between series