Dragging the shutter.....

[Molydood]

Hi,

I have seen these shots where people refer to 'dragging the shutter', in that you use a low shutter speed, and then use flash at the end of the frame to get some sharpness, yet also have the motion blur there behind the main image. I really like the effect, and want to use it, but I don't know how.

I have a 300d, is this possible does anybody know?

many thanks
Martin

PS if it's RTFM then sorry! :oops:

[PacAce]

This done with what is called "2nd curtain" sync. I'm not sure if you can set the DRebel for 2nd curain sync but if not, you can set it on the flash if you have the 420 EX or the 550 EX. Of course, you would have to shoot in Tv or M mode so that you can set the shutter appropriately for the blur effect you want.

Correction: 420EX does not have a 2nd curtain sync switch so it can only be set to 2nd curtain sync via the camera that supports 2nd curtain sync.

[Mark_Cohran]

"Dragging the shutter" refers to using a longer shutter speed to expose more ambient light (typically to the background) while setting the aperture to correctly expose the subject or foreground. 2nd shutter (or curtain) synch is what gives you the motion blur behind a moving subject. You can "drag the shutter" and get more ambient exposure with a DRebel, but I'm not sure that the camera is capable of 2nd shutter synch. Your manual will be able to tell you that.


Mark

[PacAce]

"Dragging the shutter" refers to using a longer shutter speed to expose more ambient light (typically to the background) while setting the aperture to correctly expose the subject or foreground. 2nd shutter (or curtain) synch is what gives you the motion blur behind a moving subject. You can "drag the shutter" and get more ambient exposure with a DRebel, but I'm not sure that the camera is capable of 2nd shutter synch. Your manual will be able to tell you that.


Mark

"2nd curtain sync" is a term that refers to the firing of the flash when just before the 2nd curtain starts traveling to close the shutter. What this does is light the subject with the flash which in effect freezes the subject. This does not cause a blur but the exact opposite. What causes the blur is the fact that the shutter is set to a slow speed which in effect causes motion blurring of the subject. Since the flash goes off at the end of the curtain travel instead of the beginning, the combined effect is a frozen subject with a trailing blur in the opposite direction of the motion of the subject.

[Mark_Cohran]

You can "drag the shutter" without using 2nd shutter synch, in which case, you will get more ambient exposure to the background. You are right in that to get the motion blur you also have to use a slow shutter speed, but the Molydood is asking a question about a technique that requires a combination of "dragging the shutter" and 2nd curtain synch. I understand both techniques quite well and one can be used without the other, or in combination with the other. Dragging the shutter is often used during night-time photography when the photographer wants to provide proper exposure to the foreground and background. 2nd shutter synch is often used during sporting events to get the motion blur as described, and may or may not be used in conjuntion with flash.

Mark

[Mark_Cohran]

For those of you interested in this technique, here is a neat little article on Dragging the Shutter:

http://www.garageglamour.com/tips/articles/sunset_beauty/sunrise_beauty.php

[PacAce]

You can "drag the shutter" without using 2nd shutter synch, in which case, you will get more ambient exposure to the background. You are right in that to get the motion blur you also have to use a slow shutter speed, but the Molydood is asking a question about a technique that requires a combination of "dragging the shutter" and 2nd curtain synch. I understand both techniques quite well and one can be used without the other, or in combination with the other. Dragging the shutter is often used during night-time photography when the photographer wants to provide proper exposure to the foreground and background. 2nd shutter synch is often used during sporting events to get the motion blur as described, and may or may not be used in conjuntion with flash.

Mark

Not to belabor the point but the original poster was asking about the use of the slow shutter speed to cause the blurring of the subject and the use of the flash in 2nd curtain mode to freeze the subject. That is exactly what I described in my previous posts. you are correct in stating that "dragging the shutter" and 2nd curtain sync can be used independently of each other. However, you are not correct in stating that you can achieve the poster's desired effect described in his first post by only using "dragging the shutter" or 2nd curtain sync. They do have to be used together to get the effect he was asking about.

And to correct another mistatement on your part, 2nd curtain sync only works when used with a flash. Without the use of a flash 2nd curtain sync is meaningless. Without the flash, what would you be syncing up the curtain with?

[Mark_Cohran]

Well, between the two of us we've definitely answered the poster's question, eh?

I stand corrected on the use of 2nd shutter synch without flash, but I stand by my original post. The technique the orignal poster was looking for is the 2nd shutter synch technique, not dragging the shutter.

[PacAce]

Well, between the two of us we've definitely answered the poster's question, eh?

I stand corrected on the use of 2nd shutter synch without flash, but I stand by my original post. The technique the orignal poster was looking for is the 2nd shutter synch technique, not dragging the shutter.

Which is exactly what my first post was all about. If you go back and reread it, you'll see that that is exactly what my first sentence says. :)

[ejwebb]

Mollydood,

Bottom line after all this discussion is that you cannot use 2nd curtain sync with your Digital Rebel unless you have a flash that offers 2nd curtain sync as an option. The 420 EX does not offer that option but the 550 EX does.

[RinkRat]

Mollydood,

Bottom line after all this discussion is that you cannot use 2nd curtain sync with your Digital Rebel unless you have a flash that offers 2nd curtain sync as an option. The 420 EX does not offer that option but the 550 EX does.

Even with the Hack & the 420EX, it still will not work?

I have the Hack, but haven't tried it yet.

CF15: Shutter curtain sync
0: 1st curtain sync
1: 2nd curtain sync

Thanks

[ejwebb]

Even with the Hack & the 420EX, it still will not work?

No. FEC and the fixed (1/200) sync speed in av mode do work (I have used them) with the hack but 2nd curtain sync does not (I have not tried it). While many custom functions are listed, all do not work. Here is a list of what works and what does not (from this site - http://www.bahneman.com/liem/photos/tricks/digital-rebel-tricks.html#what)

I have attempted to confirm what works, and if it does not specify '[WORKS]' then I have not confirmed it yet.


CF1: SET button func. when shooting. [WORKS]
0: Default (no function)
1: Change quality
2: Change parameters
3: Menu display
4: Image replay

CF2: Shutter release w/o CF card [WORKS]
0: Possible without CF card
1: Not possible

CF3: Flash Sync speed in Av mode [WORKS]
0: Auto
1: 1/200sec (fixed)

CF4: Shutter button / AE lock button

0: AF/AE Lock
1: AE Lock/AF
2: AF/AF lock, no AE lock
3 AE/AF, no lock

CF5: AF-Assist Beam / Flash firing [NO]

0: Emits/Fires
1: Does not emit/Fires
2: Only ext. flash emits/Fires
3: Emits/does not fire

CF6: Exposure level increments: [WORKS]
0: 1/2-stop
1: 1/3 stop

CF8: RAW+JPEG rec. [WORKS]
0:RAW+Small Normal
1:RAW+Small Fine
2:RAW+Medium Normal
3: RAW+Medium Fine
4:RAW+Large Normal
5:RAW+Large Fine

CF9: Bracket. sequence/auto cancel
0: 0,-,+/enable (300D default)
1: 0,-,+/disable
2: -,0,+/enable
3: -,0,+/disable

CF10: Superimposed display
0: on
1: off

CF11: Menu button display position
0: previous(top if powered off)
1: previous
2: top

CF12: mirror lockup [WORKS]
0: disable (300D default)
1: enable

CF14: Auto reduction of fill flash - not tested yet
0: enable (300D default)
1: disable

CF15: Shutter curtain sync [NO]
0: 1st curtain sync
1: 2nd curtain sync

CF16: Safety shift in av or tv
0: disable
1: enable

CF17: Lens af stop button function
0: af stop
1: af start
2: ae lock while metering
3: af point: m->auto/auto-ctr.
4: one shot -> <- ai servo
5: IS start

[RinkRat]

No. FEC and the fixed (1/200) sync speed in av mode do work (I have used them) with the hack but 2nd curtain sync does not (I have not tried it). While many custom functions are listed, all do not work. Here is a list of what works and what does not (from this site - http://www.bahneman.com/liem/photos/tricks/digital-rebel-tricks.html#what)

Got it. Thank you.

[Molydood]

guys, thanks very much, I've been wondering about it for a while, and hoped it was possible with my camera as I love the effect it can produce.

However, looks like a I need a 550, but at least I know that now.

cheers