How to lock HSS on Sigma 500 Super Flash

I have been trying (with no success) to try figure out how to lock HSS on my Sigma 500 Super Flash. I can select HSS and take one shot, but then it shuts off right after the shot and I have to press the button again for the next shot.

Is there a way to lock it on? Or am I just wasting my time because there is no way to keep it on?

OK I had to RTFM to refresh my memory On my 300D I have to use Tv or manual and set the shutter speed to 1/200s or faster,that is the maximum sync speed for the 300D. Once you exceed that shutter speed the HSS will stay active on the flash, if it drops below that the HSS will switch off as it is not required.

Hope that helps

David

That's one thing about the Sigma unit that works differently from the Canon Speedlites. The HSS turns itself off whenever the shutter speed gets to flash sync or slower (like if you're in Av mode and you half-press the shutter button and the camera meters 1/120).

David's advice was good, but slightly inaccurate. After switching to Tv or M mode, set your shutter speed faster than flash sync. Then switch the flash to FP. It will remain in HSS mode as long as your shutter speed requires it.

Yup - just tried it... bugger .. should have checked that first

David

I like to shoot in Av mode outdoors to properly set the DOF. With a shallow DOF I have to keep turning on the HSS for almost every shot. It shuts itself off any time it drops below 1/200 sec for any reason. Then the shutter speed required goes up above 1/200 sec, and HSS is off, so it pegs at 1/200 and the exposure is wrong. I end up turning it on 30 times in one session so it becomes a real pain in the b..t to keep doing it.

So there is no way to lock it on? Do Canon flashes keep HSS on when this happens?

From what I have read, the HSS will remain active on Canon Speedlites (though they only use it when the shutter speed requires) until you deactivate it. You can even turn the flash unit off and the setting will be the same when you turn it back on. Changing batteries might be another story.

With the Sigma unfortunately you need to control the shutter speed, and if you also want to control the aperture, possibly consider M mode?

I may just have to buy a Canon flash then...

Anyone want to buy a Sigma 500 Super Flash? =)

Ummm... it's a double edged sword, HSS reduces the effective flash power as it doesn't have time to fully recharge. It is just as easy to have left it on on a speedlight and only discover it when the shots are underexposed. It really depends on what you shoot and how as to which one is best.

David

I use it mostly for shooting models and cars at outdoor car shows on a bright sunny day. Actually I have another show tomorrow that I have to shoot. I usually shoot with a Canon 5D & Tamron 28-70 f/2.8 lens with a circular polarizer near f/5. The shallower DOF reduces the distractions in the background a bit. Shooting at f/5 with my full frame is similar to shooting at f3.5 with my 20D for DOF.

If I shoot in Av mode like I usually like to do, I have to press the HSS button every time I am going to take a shot (too inconvenient). I suppose that I could shoot in M mode, but then I would have to keep paying attention to the exposure reading. I could switch to Tv mode and dial it to 1/200sec, but then the apperture jumps around from too f2.8 to f16 or even higher sometimes.

Looks like M mode is the best bet, but sometimes at a car show I do not have much time to play around with camera settings.

Curtis is correct. On my 430EX the HSS will stay enabled until I replace the batteries or I switch it off.

Just did a carshow yesterday and it was a really bright and sunny day.

Looks like shooting Tv was the best thing to do. I put on a circular polarizer and started off at 1/200 sec as a base. I then looked at the meter, and slowed the shutter down until the f/stop went up from f/2.8. This gave me a wide enough aperture near f/3.5 to about f/8. As long as the shutterspeed was above 1/60 then the exposure would be good.

Most of the day I was shooting around 1/100 sec at f/4.5 Iso 100 with a flash. The results were spectacular without having to use HSS at all.

When it started getting darker, I switched over to M mode, f3.5 @ 1/50 sec, Iso 400 at first and then Iso 600 when it got really dark out. I still left the polarizer on even at night and it really helped with eliminating hot spots.

HSS was not even necessary even in such a bright sunny day.

It's used most often for outdoor portraits, when blurring the background with a wide aperture is an important goal. Otherwise, stopping down works fine, and will get you more flash range than with HSS.

The thing that I love about my Canon 5D is that I even at f/4.0 the backgrounds are blurry because it is full frame (x1.6 less DOF than my Canon 20D) without having to use HSS.

The circular polarizer filter also helped to shoot with a wider f/stop setting to get a better blurry backgrounds. It also made the sky bluer and richened up the colors on the cars. HSS alone without the polarizer would of not had enough power to fill the shadows properly.