Trigger and Modifiers for Einstein

I'm doing my head in trying to decide

Cybre Commander vs Pocket Wizards
The only reason I'm considering the PW over CC is for HSS. I find I use it often with the 600EX-RT.

As I only want to get one light modifier at the moment, what would you recommend. It will be use out doors a lot, for portraiture and small group shot.

I was thinking a Soft box (47 OCTABOX or 30x60) But would a beauty dish be a better option? might handle wind better too.

The light will be use for both indoor and outdoor portraits, mostly outdoor as fill till I can get a second and set up a studio. I find I need to shoot above sync speed (1/180 - 1/200) to prevent camera and or subject blur, when using ambient light and fill flash. Although I'm a newbe to strobes so any advise is welcome.

I have both, but I use the commander.... Keep in mind that you have to have the module for the Einstein also if you use the commander.

Do a bit more research to see if the PW hypersync (not HSS, different technology altogether) will do what you want with the einstein. The short duration flash is likely not to do what you hope it will.

gonzogolf wrote in post #16204318
Do a bit more research to see if the PW hypersync (not HSS, different technology altogether) will do what you want with the einstein. The short duration flash is likely not to do what you hope it will.

From http://www.paulcbuff.c​om.au …3mhz-international/MC2-CE

The PowerMC2 is a product designed and manufactured by LPA Design for use with the all-digital Einstein™ flash unit...........

........The system additionally allows use of PocketWizard® features such as HyperSync and Optimized Rear Curtain Sync for maximum control of your lighting

Am I misunderstanding something?

I want to be able to shoot in sun light, wide aperture, shutter speeds faster than full sync. Doesn't have to be 1/4000s, but up to 1/1000 would be nice. Will PW/Einstein not do this?

DamianOz wrote in post #16204475
From http://www.paulcbuff.c​om.au …3mhz-international/MC2-CE

The PowerMC2 is a product designed and manufactured by LPA Design for use with the all-digital Einstein™ flash unit...........

........The system additionally allows use of PocketWizard® features such as HyperSync and Optimized Rear Curtain Sync for maximum control of your lighting

Am I misunderstanding something?

I want to be able to shoot in sun light, wide aperture, shutter speeds faster than full sync. Doesn't have to be 1/4000s, but up to 1/1000 would be nice. Will PW/Einstein not do this?

Dont confuse the capability of working with the electronics and the ability to get the results you want using technology. Hypersync relies on the long tail burn of the flash after it peaks. The short duration of the Einstein's means less tail burn so reduced effectiveness using that technology. It might be worth a thread, or perhaps a post in the alien bee user thread where some Einstein users hang out to see if they can get the speeds you want.

thanks

I have the Einstein and from what I can recall, it won't work. The Allienbees would be best for what you are trying to accomplish.

I am confused??? For action freezing which one do you reccomend? Cyber Commander or PW?

There is two ways to freeze action, shutter speed or light duration. Either will work equal for short light time, the limiting factor is the lights ability to fire and turn off quickly.

The PW will allow you to shoot a shutter speeds above sync speed, but the light need to be able to stay lit for the time it takes for the full exposure. The problem is finding a light that can do this.

The simplest ay to imaging the process is.
You have two plates that move across the sensor, the first and second curtain. The move at the same speed regardless of shutter speed setting. The shutter speed setting adjusts the time between when the first curtain starts moving, and the second starts moving. When the time is slow, the first curtain will have moved right past the sensor leaving it fully uncovered before the second curtain starts to cover it.
If you fire a fast burst of light at this time, you can freeze action.
Then when you increase the shutter speed setting faster than the max sync rate, the 2nd curtain will start covering the sensor before the 1st curtain has fully opened. If you have a constant light, this two will freeze action. But, the problem with using a flash, the flash fires quicker than the time it takes for both curtains to do their job. so you end up with part of the photo black, covered by the curtains.
The is two ways to over come this. Use multiple firing of the flash, of have the flash stay alight longer. In the case of the PW, it relies on the flash having a slow fall off, it fires the flash a little early and uses the after burn for exposure light. But again, this after burn needs to last long enough.

Hope that helps... I still haven't worked out the best light to use with PW. If heigh speed shutter is not a priority, then either will work fine.

I'm also considering using multiple 600EX-RTs, but this may require DIY modifier mounting.
I wander if anyone has tried LEDs

DamianOz wrote in post #16209683
There is two ways to freeze action, shutter speed or light duration. Either will work equal for short light time, the limiting factor is the lights ability to fire and turn off quickly.

The PW will allow you to shoot a shutter speeds above sync speed, but the light need to be able to stay lit for the time it takes for the full exposure. The problem is finding a light that can do this.

The simplest ay to imaging the process is.
You have two plates that move across the sensor, the first and second curtain. The move at the same speed regardless of shutter speed setting. The shutter speed setting adjusts the time between when the first curtain starts moving, and the second starts moving. When the time is slow, the first curtain will have moved right past the sensor leaving it fully uncovered before the second curtain starts to cover it.
If you fire a fast burst of light at this time, you can freeze action.
Then when you increase the shutter speed setting faster than the max sync rate, the 2nd curtain will start covering the sensor before the 1st curtain has fully opened. If you have a constant light, this two will freeze action. But, the problem with using a flash, the flash fires quicker than the time it takes for both curtains to do their job. so you end up with part of the photo black, covered by the curtains.
The is two ways to over come this. Use multiple firing of the flash, of have the flash stay alight longer. In the case of the PW, it relies on the flash having a slow fall off, it fires the flash a little early and uses the after burn for exposure light. But again, this after burn needs to last long enough.

Hope that helps... I still haven't worked out the best light to use with PW. If heigh speed shutter is not a priority, then either will work fine.

I'm also considering using multiple 600EX-RTs, but this may require DIY modifier mounting.
I wander if anyone has tried LEDs

I've been using 6 600ex-rt speedlites and wantd to move to a more economical and powerful solution.

This might be helpful:
http://wiki.pocketwiza​rd.com …formance_with_y​our_Camera
Once you click on the link to your camera you can then choose the strobe to see settings and results.

aliengin wrote in post #16207926
I am confused??? For action freezing which one do you reccomend? Cyber Commander or PW?

The trigger doesnt much matter for action freezing. Its a matter of flash duration. Its unlikely that you could get a shutter speed high enough using hypersync to do really fast shutter speeds for motion stoppage (above 1/1000).

DamianOz wrote in post #16204475
From http://www.paulcbuff.c​om.au …3mhz-international/MC2-CE

The PowerMC2 is a product designed and manufactured by LPA Design for use with the all-digital Einstein™ flash unit...........

........The system additionally allows use of PocketWizard® features such as HyperSync and Optimized Rear Curtain Sync for maximum control of your lighting

Am I misunderstanding something?

I want to be able to shoot in sun light, wide aperture, shutter speeds faster than full sync. Doesn't have to be 1/4000s, but up to 1/1000 would be nice. Will PW/Einstein not do this?

Gonzo is correct, I tried to go this route and was very disappointed, the results were very inconsistent with curtain shadow all over the place. I could get it to work for a shot or two, then the shadow would creep in. Unusable, IMO. And, you have to have the Einstein at full power for it to work at all. I ended up selling the MC2 and PW and now I use a ND filter instead, or 600EX's. I also tried the YN622's, but they don't play well with Einsteins either. They (YN-622's) do work well Eli D-Lites, and also with AB800 or AB1600.

If you are curious...example of D-Lite 2 with YN622 at 1/8000

Thanks Dave, looks like the best option so far

The best option using studio strobes seems to be ND and a short flash duration within the cameras sync speed. The Einsteins excel in this situation because of the short flash durations they can achieve.