How to get Sync speed above 200?

there' s a solution actually. I was looking for high speed sync radio triggers and after using Pocket Wizards Plus II for the whoooole 2 days, I exchanged them for Pocket Wizard MiniTL (on camera) and Flex5 TL ((for flash)
You can get speeds up to 1/8000 with a significant loss of light however. But they do the job. I must admit they are far from perfect (including the price of 400 plus dollars for both of them, range and occasional hiccups leaving a black bar) but... that's the only available solution of the problem that I could come up with. Check them out - most likely you will love them ( I do)
oh ya - they do full ETTL and all. hope that helps

korrektor wrote in post #7886005
there' s a solution actually....Pocket Wizard MiniTL (on camera) and Flex5 TL ((for flash) ... leaving a black bar...

Leaving a black bar is the shutter

to eliminate the shutter creep (black bar) just adjust your sync offset in the PW utility.

There is some misinformation is this thread - I suggest that the original poster do their own research regarding the new PW's.

see this thread for some examples of high shutter speed sync without the shutter creep
https://photography-on-the.net …p?t=689847&high​light=flex

Radio poppers will let you do high speed sync with any strobe http://radiopopper.com …d-sync-w-bees-and-others/

You need to understand balancing flash with ambient. Flash is incredibly powerful, but haS a tiny duration. If you want flash to be your exposure then you need to minimise ambient. Sometimes you want flash as main with ambient as fill. You also need to consider color temperature.

If your aim is to use flash as the sole light source set the camera to ISO100, F16, and the camera max sync speed - 1/200th for 5D and rebel/Xii cameras, and 1/250th for 40D etc. Take a shot without flash and check ambient is negligible. Turn flash onto full power and take the shot. From that you'll start to learn about how strobes work.

Well, what if I want blurry bg? F16 ain't gonna cut it by the way I have a question ready: if i had two or more speedlites, could it be possible to master/slave them via high speed synch? (one flash on camera triggers another one off camera) that video tutorial was great but he never explained what he used for hss . Please excuse my dumbness, it's like 8 in the morning

korrektor wrote in post #7888149
Well, what if I want blurry bg? F16 ain't gonna cut it

If you want a blurry background, you probably aren't wanting your flash to be the main source. You are either going to have to balance with ambient (longer shutter speed or higher ISO) or add more lights to light the background.

korrektor wrote in post #7888149
Well, what if I want blurry bg? F16 ain't gonna cut it by the way I have a question ready: if i had two or more speedlites, could it be possible to master/slave them via high speed synch? (one flash on camera triggers another one off camera) that video tutorial was great but he never explained what he used for hss . Please excuse my dumbness, it's like 8 in the morning

FORGET the Canon "high speed sync". That will do little for stopping action because the output of the flash is so weak. The HSS mode is best used for filling shadows of a nearby subject in sunlit outdoor scenarios.

Set the camera's shutter speed to the max sync speed. Then adjust either the flash output or the camera lens' aperture (or both) to achieve the exposure that you want. The duration of the flash will stop action (as illustrated by the flying dancer photo above).

Remember this is a creative decision... in summer shooting at the sync speed means 1/250th F16, and you don't always want every man and his dog in focus.

tim wrote in post #7888457
Remember this is a creative decision... in summer shooting at the sync speed means 1/250th F16, and you don't always want every man and his dog in focus.

Why do you suggest the f/16 aperture, Tim?

I just shot a job in my studio with two AlienBees B800's (FAR more powerful than Speedlites) bounced off white umbrellas, and the aperture setting for the shot was f/9.

The aperture setting will be quite dependent on how much light is emitted from the flash unit.

nahh if the light is low, I still use HSS with Flex (for evening skateboarding shots for example) The thing is that it is all up to the person I guess.

SkipD wrote in post #7888748
Why do you suggest the f/16 aperture, Tim?

I just shot a job in my studio with two AlienBees B800's (FAR more powerful than Speedlites) bounced off white umbrellas, and the aperture setting for the shot was f/9.

The aperture setting will be quite dependent on how much light is emitted from the flash unit.

Outside in the middle of summer my exposure is often ISO100 1/250th F12-F16.

tim wrote in post #7888457
Remember this is a creative decision... in summer shooting at the sync speed means 1/250th F16, and you don't always want every man and his dog in focus.

This is a great point I just re-ran into on Saturday. Blazing sun and I'm shooting engagement photos at a lower aperture than what I'd like. Any other way would have created a big background washout in a lot of shots.
Using a PC cable to connect camera to flash could have helped though as my Skyports are pretty limited to a 1/250...
I'm down for any other ideas though.

Mr. Clean wrote in post #7900155
Using a PC cable to connect camera to flash could have helped though as my Skyports are pretty limited to a 1/250...

That's a limitation of the camera, not the flash or the radio slaves.

Lithian wrote in post #7882117
The reason you'd want a faster shutter speed is to overcome bright ambient lights, like the sun.

In my case I am trying to lower the aperture for more background blur. If I lower the flash below full output the ambient light will compete with the flash light. That means my subject will not be illuminated with beautiful directional light anymore.

Lithian wrote in post #7882117
The other alternative to increasing shutter speed is to add more flash power and close the aperture or add ND filters, or if you need a shorter duration use multiple units powered down (assuming shorter durations at lower power, not always the case)

I guess an ND filter can resolve the issue I am facing. Using a 1 stop ND filter will drop my exposer from 5.6 for example to 4. I would not have to change anything except install the filter and dial the higher aperture.

My only concern is will an ND filters introduce less contrast/saturation and more flare?? I am asking because I tried a B+W slim polarizer for the same situation and it reduced contrast.

Palladium wrote in post #7886086
Leaving a black bar is the shutter

to eliminate the shutter creep (black bar) just adjust your sync offset in the PW utility.

There is some misinformation is this thread - I suggest that the original poster do their own research regarding the new PW's.

see this thread for some examples of high shutter speed sync without the shutter creep
https://photography-on-the.net …p?t=689847&high​light=flex

Thanks for posting this link. Just to confirm, if I hook up a Flex t5 to my 350D and a Mini t1 to my Vivitar 285HV, set the flash to manual and the sync offset to whatever setting (ex -800) I will be able to increase my shutter speed from 1/200 to 1/400, correct?

Another question, increasing the shutter speed is not going to change my my aperture, as the flash duration never really changed (ex remains 1/1000), correct? So I will be using just a higher sync speed, which at best reduces the effects of camera shake with long lenses, correct?