High Speed Sync options?

Just want to double-check and see if I'm understanding this correctly...

I have a couple alien bees and use cyber sync's to trigger them. I'm comfortable with them, and use them for inside studio-type shots... I shoot in manual with 1/200 shutter speed due to sync-speed limitations.

For "travelling flash" I have a 430EX, which I keep in high speed sync mode all the time, since it only uses it when needed.

I want/need to do more shots in bright sunlight at fast aperatures (<2.8), which means fast shutter speeds and mandatory HSS on the flashes to fight the sun.

Are these my only options:

1) Get a 580EX or ST-E2, connected to my camera's hot-shoe, set as master, and trigger my off-camera 430 as a slave. I've read these don't work well in bright sunlight though.
2) Get a 580EX and connect it to the camera with a long ETTL cable. Would still have the same problems triggering the "slave" 430 in bright sunlight, but would benefit with being able to have both flashes off-camera. Negative side is it's not wireless.
3) Get Radio Poppers or the new Pocketwizards which support ETTL and high speed sync.

Those are my only options (essentially), right? High speed sync only works with ETTL and Canon Speedlites? There's no way to get my alien bees or any strobes to high speed sync, right?

Thanks in advance for your help...

BigDaveE wrote in post #7924968
Just want to double-check and see if I'm understanding this correctly...

I have a couple alien bees and use cyber sync's to trigger them. I'm comfortable with them, and use them for inside studio-type shots... I shoot in manual with 1/200 shutter speed due to sync-speed limitations.

For "travelling flash" I have a 430EX, which I keep in high speed sync mode all the time, since it only uses it when needed.

I want/need to do more shots in bright sunlight at fast aperatures (<2.8), which means fast shutter speeds and mandatory HSS on the flashes to fight the sun.

Are these my only options:

1) Get a 580EX or ST-E2, connected to my camera's hot-shoe, set as master, and trigger my off-camera 430 as a slave. I've read these don't work well in bright sunlight though.
2) Get a 580EX and connect it to the camera with a long ETTL cable. Would still have the same problems triggering the "slave" 430 in bright sunlight, but would benefit with being able to have both flashes off-camera. Negative side is it's not wireless.
3) Get Radio Poppers or the new Pocketwizards which support ETTL and high speed sync.

Those are my only options (essentially), right? High speed sync only works with ETTL and Canon Speedlites? There's no way to get my alien bees or any strobes to high speed sync, right?

Thanks in advance for your help...

pretty much your only options. i would go for #3
yes, hss only works with ettl/canon speedlites

Strobe sync @ 1/400: Pushing the limits.

BigDaveE wrote in post #7924968
Those are my only options (essentially), right? High speed sync only works with ETTL and Canon Speedlites? There's no way to get my alien bees or any strobes to high speed sync, right?

Thanks in advance for your help...

I have been trying to find an answer to those questions too. The impression I got is that PW TT1 & TT5 HyperSync 2 modes work with any flash. I would be interested in getting a definitive answer on this question too.

I actually was in the same boat recently.

I had one 430 EX II and one Vivitar 285 and Cactus triggers. So two lights with no ETTL possibility which means no high-speed sync. Since I've been doing a few HSS pictures recently (with the 430 EX on the camera) I was researching my options.

Given the price of the Pocket Wizards, radio poppers etc. compared to a 580 EX II, I decided to get the 580 EX II instead and sold the Vivitar in favour of another 430 EX II.

So now I own a total of three lights, capable of wireless ETTL. If I would have gone with a PW setup for example, I would have spent as much money as I did for the 580 (more actually) and ended up with 2 lights.

Of course there is one very obvious disadvantage with the optical ETTL setup - you need line of sight. Indoors that's not so bad because even if you hide a flash behind the subject (to light a background for example), the pre-flash will bounce on the walls and most likely still reach your target. But if you have no line of sight at all (outdoors), then this setup is of course useless...

Personally, I am still happy with my decision and this setup will last me a good while. As far as "bang for your buck" it certainly seems like a much better option (too me at least).

Your mileage may vary.

abdul10000 wrote in post #7927434
I have been trying to find an answer to those questions too. The impression I got is that PW TT1 & TT5 HyperSync 2 modes work with any flash. I would be interested in getting a definitive answer on this question too.

any flash with an ETTL feature and capable of doing HSS but not monolights.

jeromego wrote in post #7928038
any flash with an ETTL feature and capable of doing HSS but not monolights.

Don't the new PWs (as well as RP) let you shoot at >sync speed even when using monolights?

bobbyz wrote in post #7928341
Don't the new PWs (as well as RP) let you shoot at >sync speed even when using monolights?

yes, you can but only up to 1/400 just like what curtis mentioned few posts above this. and thats already pushing it.

jeromego wrote in post #7928371
yes, you can but only up to 1/400 just like what curtis mentioned few posts above this. and thats already pushing it.

I have to dig up the posts but I can do 1/320 no problems currently. With new PS, I hear 1/500 is no problems when using 1 series.

You left out:

Get some ND filters and don't use HSS.

Stealthy Ninja wrote in post #7940075
You left out:

Get some ND filters and don't use HSS.

I shoot with a polarizing filter when I need to slow the shutter.

Zivnuska wrote in post #7942321
I shoot with a polarizing filter when I need to slow the shutter.

Essentially a 2 stop ND filter. Yep.

Sometimes it's nice to have a bit more (especially in the sun).

Stealthy Ninja wrote in post #7943031
Essentially a 2 stop ND filter. Yep.

Sometimes it's nice to have a bit more (especially in the sun).

I tried using my W+B Polarizing filter but had contrast and color problem. Is this a common problem with using Polarizing filters in place of nd filters?

abdul10000 wrote in post #7947056
I tried using my W+B Polarizing filter but had contrast and color problem. Is this a common problem with using Polarizing filters in place of nd filters?

The problem probably is you used a cheap chinese W+B filter and not a quality B+W filter.

Shouldn't be a problem usually. Need some with/without photos.

Stealthy Ninja wrote in post #7947118
The problem probably is you used a cheap chinese W+B filter and not a quality B+W filter.

Shouldn't be a problem usually. Need some with/without photos.

OMG!!!! now I know why, and I bought my filter on ebay for $$$