is this the most inexpensive way to shoot wide open with HSS

So to shoot wide open in the daylight using a 580ex II at HSS I need buy zebra flash ettl cord? I am wanting to start using fill flash during my outdoor portraits but my strobes won't sync at high shutter speeds when I shoot wide open.

ProjectNineFive wrote in post #11380622
So to shoot wide open in the daylight using a 580ex II at HSS I need buy zebra flash ettl cord? I am wanting to start using fill flash during my outdoor portraits but my strobes won't sync at high shutter speeds when I shoot wide open.

Trying to understand you have strobes and want to shoot wide open the right ND filter could fix assuming strobe has enough power
580 should do HSS on camera just fine

If the 580 is mounted on your camera it will work fine. Depending on your camera, there are several ways to use your 580 off-camera in HSS mode. The flash zebra cord is probably the least expensive way to accomplish this.

ProjectNineFive wrote in post #11380622
So to shoot wide open in the daylight using a 580ex II at HSS I need buy zebra flash ettl cord? I am wanting to start using fill flash during my outdoor portraits but my strobes won't sync at high shutter speeds when I shoot wide open.

Well you could also sync at your strobes' normal speed and use ND filters to allow you shoot wide open. You just need enough juice from the strobes...

Cord might be cheaper than the ND filers though based on what size filters you lookin for. With filters you will still need the cord to get the flash off camera. All depends on what you plan to shoot and what time of the day.

Since the OP wants to use a Speedlight off camera and make use of ETTL and HSS, the off shoe cord is needed. I would assume that the OP doesn't have any method of accomplishing this with a wireless system.

An ND filter would certainly be a good solution but if 'inexpensive' is the objective then it makes sense to use a long off shoe cord for ETTL and HSS.

Unless I'm missing something that's how I see it.

24Peter wrote in post #11382015
Well you could also sync at your strobes' normal speed and use ND filters to allow you shoot wide open. You just need enough juice from the strobes...

HSS will use more power than using an ND filter by nature. ND filters will always be more efficient.

You can simulate a variable ND filter with Linear Polarizers (which generally have better quality per price than circulars, anyway):
http://dimagemaker.com …for-a-variable-nd-filter/

That's good to know. I almost bought a linear polarizer but it had a knob on the side that wouldn't work with my lens hood. I kinda like my hood...

Thanks!

-Charles

TMR Design wrote in post #11382339
Since the OP wants to use a Speedlight off camera and make use of ETTL and HSS, the off shoe cord is needed. I would assume that the OP doesn't have any method of accomplishing this with a wireless system.

An ND filter would certainly be a good solution but if 'inexpensive' is the objective then it makes sense to use a long off shoe cord for ETTL and HSS.

Unless I'm missing something that's how I see it.

Well notice how he states his real problem: I am wanting to start using fill flash during my outdoor portraits but my strobes won't sync at high shutter speeds when I shoot wide open.

He wants fill flash while shooting wide open. He can either use HSS to get a higher shutter speed; or he can cut down on the amount of light using ND filters. Now he does imply he's already got strobes he can use (and presumably trigger) off camera. I use $30 ND filters without issue; my Canon OC-3 on the other hand was like $60 and it is only 3 ft long. The third party OC's I've tried never work as good (or in some cases at all) as the Canon.

Eruditass wrote in post #11382705
HSS will use more power than using an ND filter by nature. ND filters will always be more efficient.

Yes that is true with a Speedlite.

But I was thinking regular strobes (e.g., AB). If you want to match/overpower daylight you'll want something like AB800 or better. But since the OP is talking about using strobes for fill flash, this probably isn't an issue though.

Thanks for the feedback. I know about the ND filters. I have strobes and a speedlight. I didn't want to haul around the strobe + vegabond and buy an expensive ND filter for outdoor portraits. If I could use my speedlight for fill flash shooting wide open with an ETTL cord then that's what i'll do.

24Peter wrote in post #11383403
Well notice how he states his real problem: I am wanting to start using fill flash during my outdoor portraits but my strobes won't sync at high shutter speeds when I shoot wide open.

He wants fill flash while shooting wide open. He can either use HSS to get a higher shutter speed; or he can cut down on the amount of light using ND filters. Now he does imply he's already got strobes he can use (and presumably trigger) off camera. I use $30 ND filters without issue; my Canon OC-3 on the other hand was like $60 and it is only 3 ft long. The third party OC's I've tried never work as good (or in some cases at all) as the Canon.

Oh, I understood the question and problem, and I also understand HSS and the use of ND filters. I use both methods.

The FlashZebra ETTL cord for Canon is as good if not better than the Canon cable. It's fairly long and priced quite reasonably. An ND filter gives you one level of density, whereas using ETTL and HSS lets the OP adapt to changing conditions on the fly without having to either change ND's or add and remove it as needed.

I'm not saying ND's won't do the job. They will. I use them all the time but for some, using ETTL and HSS works like a charm. There are tons of pros shooting that way every day. It may not be ideal for everyone but for many, it's a great solution and proves to be very effective.

TMR Design wrote in post #11383482
The FlashZebra ETTL cord for Canon is as good if not better than the Canon cable. It's fairly long and priced quite reasonably.

+1 on this, I have the long cord.
Lon is great to do business with!

If you are using the flash for fill, I wouldn't think you would want the light to get too far from the camera. Long cord sounds like a winner to me.

Jim M wrote in post #11385032
If you are using the flash for fill, I wouldn't think you would want the light to get too far from the camera. Long cord sounds like a winner to me.

Exactly what I was thinking. For fill only, flash atop the camera should be fine.