Einstein + VML Recycle Time (with Elinchrom bonus!)

TMR Design wrote in post #12608799
Hi Guys,

An audio editor works just as well for determining recycle times. Just figured I'd let you know.

I wonder which is more precise, the audio is maybe 1/2th behind the visual light on most of my flashes, but i guess the beep has its own duration and maybe i'm not picking it up, i usually wait till AFTER the beep to fire a strobe though.

Csae wrote in post #12608929
I wonder which is more precise, the audio is maybe 1/2th behind the visual light on most of my flashes, but i guess the beep has its own duration and maybe i'm not picking it up, i usually wait till AFTER the beep to fire a strobe though.

Plus the speed of sound being so much slower than the speed of light is going to make your measurements be WAY off, scientifically speaking of course.

You know, most people don't really concern themselves with anything under a second, unless your specific job inclines you to, thinking racing here....

How fast is that go! GEZZUS !

Pfft, that was only maybe 1/50th of a second.

lol, having 3 digits after is pretty standard for us now.

I've shot soooo much action without strobes that when I set my lights up the last thing I want to do is shoot fast.
The recycle times with two Einsteins on a VML are just fine for me. It makes me slow down and think more. Maybe when I learn more and it becomes second nature to look out for all the things I need to look out for I may begin to fire fast I guess.

Using audio should be just as accurate as with video.

Timing is done from the click of firing the strobe to the beginning of the beep. The duration of the beep doesn't come in to play.

Timing the click (pop) to the beginning of the beep should give the same results and since I'm using a waveform editor I can be very precise in selecting the in and out points.

I think that a lot of people make the assumption that wanting fast recycle times is about shooting bursts or shooting fast. That's not really the case and 'fast' is a relative term but I do a lot of shooting where it's crucial to be able to fire off another shot fairly close the first one. If a strobe doesn't have a fast recycle time (less than or equal to 1 second) to begin with, then using a battery is going to add at least another second to that, depending on the power setting. Many strobes at full power make you wait even when plugged in to the wall. Powering the strobe from a battery and firing at full power can add 2 or 3 seconds.

Sometimes that adds up to 3, 4 or 5 seconds. When I'm shooting, 3 or 4 seconds for recycle is very long.

I know that's not everyone's style or requirement but I've become very sensitive to recycle times and get very frustrated when there is a long delay.

TMR Design wrote in post #12609814
I think that a lot of people make the assumption that wanting fast recycle times is about shooting bursts or shooting fast. That's not really the case and 'fast' is a relative term but I do a lot of shooting where it's crucial to be able to fire off another shot fairly close the first one. If a strobe doesn't have a fast recycle time (less than or equal to 1 second) to begin with, then using a battery is going to add at least another second to that, depending on the power setting. Many strobes at full power make you wait even when plugged in to the wall. Powering the strobe from a battery and firing at full power can add 2 or 3 seconds.

Sometimes that adds up to 3, 4 or 5 seconds. When I'm shooting, 3 or 4 seconds for recycle is very long.

I know that's not everyone's style or requirement but I've become very sensitive to recycle times and get very frustrated when there is a long delay.

I got ya Rob!
I'm that way with dance photography, and will hopefully be there with strobes some day. So much to think about for me right now so the wait doesn't bother me. Hopefully one day it will!

TMR Design wrote in post #12609814
I think that a lot of people make the assumption that wanting fast recycle times is about shooting bursts or shooting fast. That's not really the case and 'fast' is a relative term but I do a lot of shooting where it's crucial to be able to fire off another shot fairly close the first one. If a strobe doesn't have a fast recycle time (less than or equal to 1 second) to begin with, then using a battery is going to add at least another second to that, depending on the power setting. Many strobes at full power make you wait even when plugged in to the wall. Powering the strobe from a battery and firing at full power can add 2 or 3 seconds.

Sometimes that adds up to 3, 4 or 5 seconds. When I'm shooting, 3 or 4 seconds for recycle is very long.

I know that's not everyone's style or requirement but I've become very sensitive to recycle times and get very frustrated when there is a long delay.

Right with ya, Rob. I find 3-4 seconds to be excruciatingly long.
That's why I'm looking at the BatPac. And it's smiling right back. But my wallet is close to giving me the finger right now.

Best of luck to your father. May his recovery time be fast as well