430Ex help

[stoat]

Ok I've tried everything but I'm obviously missing some vital element! I want to do high speed sync (freezing motion, water droplets etc) photography. I have a Canon 5d Mk11 and a 430 ex speedlite. I have set the speedlite (off camera) to M, checked that the zoom range is the same as the focal range of lens (although can't seem to see the range of the flash showing on the screen as mentioned in the manual) checked the H with arrow symbol is showing on flash. And yet when I try anything above 250 I get the black curtain. As far as I was aware with these setting I could use any shutter speed (obviously adjusting my aperature of course ) but nothing above 250 seems to work. What am I doing wrong ? Btw I also have the young uno trigger which works fine. Any help greatfully accepted

[iLvision]

If all of your settings are right then it's the problem with your trigger.
NOTE: not all triggers have a high speed sync! I didnt know this before but unfortunately we all learn. Make sure your trigger is capable with high speed sync. (there's only a few that are)

[ELT_Photo]

In order to use HSS, your radio triggers must be ETTL capable - PW mini/flex, Phottix
Odin are two of the top of my head.

Good luck,
Eric

[oldvultureface]

You can also use an E-TTL cord connecting your flash to the camera. That will carry all the signals necessary for HSS.

[stoat]

wow thank you so much for your quick responses. I can't believe something so simple as not using my trigger was the answer - this has been annoying me for ages !. Time to buy a dedicated trigger I guess, or at least a cord . In the meantime I'm going to be, hopefully, improving my water splashes greatly!

[iLvision]

Originally Posted by stoat

wow thank you so much for your quick responses. I can't believe something so simple as not using my trigger was the answer - this has been annoying me for ages !. Time to buy a dedicated trigger I guess, or at least a cord . In the meantime I'm going to be, hopefully, improving my water splashes greatly!

No problem

I went with the Phottix Odin solution and couldn't be happier. Best E-TTL stuff out there. A lot of people have problems with E-TTL Pocketwizards. (flex/mini) so I would skip on PW.
I suggest you to get Phottix Odin set instead and you're set for 1/8,000

[stoat]

one more question - any recommendations for best triggers and best sites to buy from (U.K)

[Matt Peters]

You don't need HSS to get water drops, this was taken at 1/200 @ f/8 with a 430ex using RF-602 wireless triggers from eBay.


Water, week 8 by Matt Peters Photography, on Flickr

[AntonLargiader]

Originally Posted by iluxa007

... A lot of people have problems with E-TTL Pocketwizards. (flex/mini)

Some people have problems with the 580EXII flash. Otherwise, I don't know of any widespread problem anyone is having with them.

However, the real point here is that HSS isn't needed nor even desirable for this sort of shot. By using low-power sync flash, you get a faster exposure because the shutter time isn't very important. A low-power flash pulse is shorter than your fastest shutter speed. With HSS, the lighting pulse is longer, so you get more motion blur.

[stoat]

and I have done that Matt but, with all due respect, it doesn't give a crisp sharp finish and that is what I now want to do, so by getting a shutter speed of 8,000 I can attempt to actually freeze those droplets

[AntonLargiader]

That doesn't look very frozen to me. The available data for flash duration isn't consistent, but all indications are that the effective speed of low-power flash is in the 1/10,000 to 1/40,000 range.

Would love to see some comparisons.

[stoat]

it isn't frozen - which is why I want the facility to use a high shutter speed - hence my post !! Now I have the information I can save up for a descent trigger and hopefully get that frozen appearance !

[AntonLargiader]

What was the flash power in that?

[stoat]

don't have that info I'm afraid

[oldvultureface]

Originally Posted by AntonLargiader

What was the flash power in that?

Looking at the EXIF (f/22, ISO 200) and guessing at the flash to subject distance, I'd say 1/8 to 1/4 power.