Max Sync Speed of d-lite 2 & 4?

What's the max shutter speed acheivable with the Elinchrom D lite 2 & 4? I've read a post on here and several others by searching Google that the shooter couldn't get above 1/125, even when the max sync of the camera was rated at 1/200 or 1/250. I know one shooter was using PW PII's with his setup.

I'm just slightly worried because I can't find any specific information that states that you can use the max sync of the camera and not worry about the shutter catching the light at the bottom of the frame. I've read a few posts that say that a shutter speed of 1/125 is fine for studio work, but I don't know exactly what applications I'm going to be using with these lights. I could be doing portraits where is doesn't matter or I could be doing action shots where the higher shutter speed definitely helps.

I'd really like to find out before I go and purchase a set of lights.

Right now it's between the d-lite 4 and the WL XL1600.

My 30D's max sync is 1/250. I can only shoot at 1/160 using my D-Lite 2's without getting a black bar in the frame. To me though it's a non-issue. I'm not going to be shooting action or sports with my D-Lites, only studio portraits.

shooterman wrote in post #5477419
My 30D's max sync is 1/250. I can only shoot at 1/160 using my D-Lite 2's without getting a black bar in the frame. To me though it's a non-issue. I'm not going to be shooting action or sports with my D-Lites, only studio portraits.

I know for a fact you can shoot 1/250 with the White Lightings. That's disappointing.

Yeah I can shoot at 1/250 with my AB too, but the 1/160 with my D-Lites doesn't bother me at all.

I can hit 1/250 with the synch cord, 1/180 with Skyports

it's dependent on your camera unless you're using the skyports... 30D, 40D, XTI, XSI max is 1/250.. 5D also i think..

1D's can shoot at 1/500

that's it

it you bypass the internal settings, you will start to see the shutter darken the frame

As many of us have tested and discovered, regardless of the max sync speed of your camera or radio triggers, the Elinchrom D-Lites will not sync faster than 1/160s without showing the first signs of shutter curtain in the frame.

Factors affecting max. sync speed:
1) The camera's X-sync speed
2) Lag created by a radio triggering system
3) The duration of the flash
4) Whether or not you require flash exposure of the bottom of the frame (right side if shooting vertical). For example, if you're using flash for outdoor fill and your subject does not fill the right side of a vertical image, you can stretch things a bit.

With hotshoe flash units, the highest power setting will have the longest duration.

With studio strobes such as D-Lites, the highest power setting will have the shortest duration. Lower power settings will have longer durations. The lower your power setting, the slower your shutter speed will need to be.

Max. sync speed shouldn't be an issue with any modern studio strobe in a studio setting. There is little disadvantage to slowing down the shutter to 1/125 or even slower in that environment. Sync speeds in the 1/60 range were common in years gone by. It does become an issue if you're outdoors competing with the sun or if you're trying to use flash to freeze motion of a fast-moving subject.

And that's where the problem lies. I don't intended on using these primarly in a studio environment.

I've gotten 1/200 with my dlite 4's on my 20D using cactus triggers.

TMR Design wrote in post #5481736
As many of us have tested and discovered, regardless of the max sync speed of your camera or radio triggers, the Elinchrom D-Lites will not sync faster than 1/160s without showing the first signs of shutter curtain in the frame.

I will need to go back and check my EXIF data, but I don't think this is correct.

Please do. Or if there's anyone using the d-lites and Pocket Wizards, maybe they're having a different result and can chime in.

I've seen 1/200s work but not consistently, so I play it safe by keeping it down to 1/160. Sometimes it's easy to be fooled so if you're testing sync speed, shoot gray or white frames so you can see the curtain if it appears.

Curtis N wrote in post #5484702
Factors affecting max. sync speed:
1) The camera's X-sync speed
2) Lag created by a radio triggering system
3) The duration of the flash
4) Whether or not you require flash exposure of the bottom of the frame (right side if shooting vertical). For example, if you're using flash for outdoor fill and your subject does not fill the right side of a vertical image, you can stretch things a bit.

With hotshoe flash units, the highest power setting will have the longest duration.

With studio strobes such as D-Lites, the highest power setting will have the shortest duration. Lower power settings will have longer durations. The lower your power setting, the slower your shutter speed will need to be.

Max. sync speed shouldn't be an issue with any modern studio strobe in a studio setting. There is little disadvantage to slowing down the shutter to 1/125 or even slower in that environment. Sync speeds in the 1/60 range were common in years gone by. It does become an issue if you're outdoors competing with the sun or if you're trying to use flash to freeze motion of a fast-moving subject.

There is one other factor which affects the max sync speed and that is the responsiveness or the lag time of the strobe to the sync trigger. The slower the response (longer lag time) the lower the strobe max sync speed will be. This is what would be limiting the sync speed of the D-Lites to a shutter speed slower than the camera max sync speed.

irishman wrote in post #5485133
I will need to go back and check my EXIF data, but I don't think this is correct.

Robert is absolutely correct. I've tested it also and 1/160 is the max I can shoot with my 30D before the shutter starts to creep in to the frame. At 1/200 there is a slight bar in the frame, which may or may not be acceptable depending on the situation. Shooting in portrait mode(camera vertical) and glamour with a black background, maybe/probably, but any type of high key shot, absolutely not acceptable.
But to me the whole thing is a moot point because I have no intention of using my D-Lites2's to compete with the sun or shoot sports/action shots. They are strictly for studio work and therefore are perfect for my needs.