david_newton1 Posted February 5, 2007 Share Posted February 5, 2007 Alright, I'm a action sports photographer that needs to be able to freeze action at any cost. That's why I got the D70s, for its 1/500th flash sync capability. I was very stoked about this, until I tried using it outside, in the daytime. I have two sunpak 555's and I can't seem to get a good shot with any shutterspeed higher than 1/60th. I really would like to know what's going on. Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robertin_m Posted February 5, 2007 Share Posted February 5, 2007 First, you have your slowest shutter speed on your camera set to 1/60. You can change that in your custom settings menu. Second, it is much easier to work in manual mode with a flash. Shutter speed does not affect flash, only apeture does. Therefore, you can set the apeture to what ever, set the shutter speed to what ever, set the flash to TTL, and the flash will compensate. Try it out, and good luck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
david_newton1 Posted February 5, 2007 Author Share Posted February 5, 2007 I just tried looking at my custom settings for the shutter speed, and there is nothing higher than 1/60th. I also see the TTL setting, which I just switched to. The pics are still coming out the same. I think it has to do with that shutterspeed setting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ilkka Posted February 5, 2007 Share Posted February 5, 2007 Not sure of your particular camera and flash, but 1/500s flash sync most likely does not work with all flash units. In traditional flash sync, both shutter curtains in the camera must be fully open at the same time. This sync speed is usually 1/60s or 1/125s, sometimes up to 1/250s. Anything higher and it works so that the flash gives several bursts of light while the shutter curtains move across the image. And this only works with certain camera and flash combinations that are programmed to work together. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pico Posted February 5, 2007 Share Posted February 5, 2007 RTFM. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robertin_m Posted February 5, 2007 Share Posted February 5, 2007 I think the problem is that the Sunpak is not TTL compatible with the D70 which requires i-TTL, which only comes with the SB600 or 800. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nolefan32 Posted February 5, 2007 Share Posted February 5, 2007 I would concur with the others -- 1/500th of a second is very fast, and probably requires use not only of a camera than can support it, but a flash unit as well. It's highly unlikely that anything outside of Nikon's own native flashes can sync that high, and thus your Sunpack flashes are the fly in the ointment. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
david_newton1 Posted February 5, 2007 Author Share Posted February 5, 2007 alright. thanks for all of your guys input. I've been doing some research and I've been able to find a bunch of people that were able to sync their 555's with their d70s up to 1/8000th! So, I must be missing something... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Crowe Posted February 5, 2007 Share Posted February 5, 2007 They might be able to trigger the flash at 1/8000 but I doubt it will sync. They should have a properly exposed band across the frame but not the whole frame. Have you been using different aperture settings as well? As someone else mentioned try full manual settings for both camera and flash. Good luck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joseph_smith3 Posted February 5, 2007 Share Posted February 5, 2007 Try Thom Hogan's web site and the Nikonian's web site. Also, what synch setting have you made on your d 70? Try varying that and see if it makes a difference. Your d 70 manual should explain what you have to do to use 1/500th of a sec. iTTL is probably the answer as already pointed out. Joe Smith Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rffffffff Posted February 5, 2007 Share Posted February 5, 2007 The D70s has an electronic rear curtain, so it will not give you the traditional banding that you get when you shoot above sync. I have shot with alien bees up to 1/8000 too, but it seems that after about 1/2000 or 1/2500 you start to lose light output from the flash because the shutter speed is shorter than the flash duration. This only works with "dumb" flashes, though, as the camera can detect an sb800 an limit the shutter speed while it is mounted to 1/500. I am not sure about the sunpak specifically, but if the camera is limiting itself, you can block all of the flash contacts except the middle one on the hot shoe to "dumb it down." Shoot in camera manual, make sure your camera is set to underexpose a little bit if there were no flash fired, put the flash on "AA" or the equivalent and you should have no issues all the way up to 1/1000 at least. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RaymondC Posted February 5, 2007 Share Posted February 5, 2007 Robert has got it. The D70 requires iTTL flashes like the SB600 or 800 to work in 1/500. The Sunpak probably doesn't support iTTL. Yes, you have read correctly, some pple have used it up to 1/8000. That is by what Robert says, cover all the sensors/contacts, make the flash dumb and pop the camera and the flash in manual mode and fire it. You won't have automation in flash though. Traditionally the flashes sync at 1/60 or slower unless you had a higher model camera and generally a sophisticated flash unit, such as a Nikon F100 or F5 with a Nikon SB28. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rick_helmke Posted February 5, 2007 Share Posted February 5, 2007 David there's no design reason for the D70s to synch at 1/60, I don't think there's been a Nikon synched that slow since the F3. Check the manual, something is set incorrectly. What do you mean you can't seem to get a good shot abovr 1/60? Rick H. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daviddbfotoart Posted February 5, 2007 Share Posted February 5, 2007 I dont know about your sunpacks, but my Metz 60ct-4 happily sits next to my D70, attached by a simple hot shoe adapter, and shoot 1/4000 2.8, with flash powered down to almost nothing, I get beautiful deep background colours, and perfectly exposed harshly backlit subjects. My D200 doesn't, but it's connected to the flash. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aardvarko Posted February 5, 2007 Share Posted February 5, 2007 make sure the Sunpaks and the D70 are both in full-manual, no auto on the Sunpak and no shutter-priority on the D70. Just manual at your desired F-stop and flash output. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
david_newton1 Posted February 6, 2007 Author Share Posted February 6, 2007 thanks a lot everyone. I put my camera in full manual mode, as well as my flash, and it still has not improved. Just to get things straight with all the confused people, when I use a higher shutterspeed than 1/60th (like 1/100th), I just get a black picture. I've looked through the manual and found nothing. This is really annoying. I'm sorry for causing so much trouble. I also forgot to mention that I am using some "ebay slaves" to connect my 555 to my D70s. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frank_skomial Posted February 6, 2007 Share Posted February 6, 2007 Sunpak 555 and D70 are best for fast sync photos. I wonder why you have problems, perhaps you use Auto, or any of those predefined auto modes ? I think Robbie and others already explained ... some. You can only use sucessufully 2 modes with D70 and Sunpak 555, and they are the Manual and Aperture Priority on D70 camera. Flash can be set in Manual, or in Auto. You instructions are as follow: 1. Set D70 in the Aperture Priority mode, and observe the F-Stop value, and ISO value. Make sure your ISO is NOT set to Auto ISO! 2. Set Sunpak 555 to Auto, ISO and Aperture on the flash set identically as for your camera, using those on-flash sliders. 3. Make sure that you max distance is withing the value from the Sunpak, or open the lens wider, or increase ISO on both the camera and the flash, always the same values. Shoot in any environment. It will work great outside, you may need to adjust flash for less fill light, or more, your choice. Inside dark places, watch for the shutter speed if drops too slow, as that may cause blurred pictures from ambient lighting. If shutter drops below what is safe for the lens ? (you know your lens and the rules) - then switch the D70 to Manual mode and select faster shutter speed, but do not change the aperture value - as that would fool the flash in auto thyristor. By selecting faster shutter in this condition you will cut out some or all of the ambient lighting. In sunny bright day, you will enjoy shooting fill flash and synchronize at any shutter speed that the Auto aperture mode will use in the camera. If you open lens wide (e.g. 1.4) to blur background, shutter could go very fast well above 1/500, e.g. 1/2000, 1/4000 sec., but the D70 will synchronize OK with Sunpak 555. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aardvarko Posted February 6, 2007 Share Posted February 6, 2007 Dude the slaves are the problem. You have to be hardwired. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aardvarko Posted February 6, 2007 Share Posted February 6, 2007 They necessarily involve a delay. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sam_thompson2 Posted February 6, 2007 Share Posted February 6, 2007 Get a hot shoe to household adapter. http://www.adorama.com/WNHSH.html Then build yourself a cable using supplies at Home Depot and the like here. http://strobist.blogspot.com/2006/04/lighting-101-build-pro-synch-cord-pt-1.html or get some pocket wizards. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aardvarko Posted February 6, 2007 Share Posted February 6, 2007 Even PocketWizards won't do 1/500s with focal plane shutters. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
w.smith Posted February 6, 2007 Share Posted February 6, 2007 I concur with Chris: it's prolly the slaves. They are the weakest link in your chain. And definitely don't sync with your D70's sophisticated (iTTL) flash circuitry. Hard-wiring could restore that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darrengold Posted February 6, 2007 Share Posted February 6, 2007 Not to forget that your slaves will react to the preflash from the onboard flash and already have fired before the shutter opens properly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mawz Posted February 6, 2007 Share Posted February 6, 2007 Those cheapo ebay triggers rarely sync above 1/125. Use cords if you have to go off camera and need fast sync or leave the flash on the camera. I've successfully synced using PC cords all the way to 1/4000 with a D50 (also a hybrid shutter design). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
david_newton1 Posted February 6, 2007 Author Share Posted February 6, 2007 that's what I thought it was. Dang. So, if I invest in some pw's, will it help out? Or am I stuck with getting some sync cords? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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