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Was pointing out the trick of taping two of the contacts on the SB800 (or one on the SB28) to get 1/8000 flash synch speeds (see http://www.dslrusers.net./viewtopic.php ... flash+sync) to someone in town here. He has just come back to me with a question/suggestion, which I'd like some opinions from this forum on.

In the manual (p60 in mine) there is a reference to Auto FP high-speed Sync mode, with "for compatible cameras" in brackets. This is a high speed sync mode set on the camera (not the flash) allowing sync speeds higher than the ones specified (e.g. 1/500 for the D70). I've gone through the D70 manual and can't find any reference to it. Does this mean that the D70 is not compatible and I've got to tape the contacts?

Thanks and regards

Horst

In a word - yes

Pitty the D2x didn't have a faster sync, 1/250 sucks i think.

With the D2X and SB800 you can use the Auto FP High-Speed Sync setting on the D2X to set shutter speed values between 1/60 to 1/8,000

Stuart

bbj: if you got an sb800, it goes higher but the range of the flash drops of something chronic! fp mode allows high speed sync but it achieves this by pulsing the sb800 rapidly at a greatly reduced output, making a better beamer a necessity if you wanted high speed flash at any range.

Steve

Stuart, now u have got me, i am not up with all this flash stuff and hate using it but at speedway is where i have the most hassles, after dark under lights. Chi suggested bump iso up once to H1 or what ever it is but the noise was unreal. Now i had been putting the flash into GN mode, some of them other modes i cant seem to get like A/AA, i can get A but yeh i need some help in this area. I can seem to get 250sync, so ok maybe you can enlighten me how to get the faster sync etc...

Steve, i have seen pics of them but might be over kill, the flash i can light up the car but they are blurry.
Thanks fellas.

bbj: not sure I understand what your are saying here.
you are using the d2x?? and cant get faster than 1/250?? you enable that in flash sync speed 1/250fp. can look up the exact menu setting if you wish.

Like I said it seriously cripples flash range though.
the beamer is more something a nature guy might use.
as for the speedway I would be tempted to bump the iso and perhaps look at something like neat image to reduce the noise if it becomes a problem.

Steve

Steve, ok yes i have the D2x and just had a look in the settings and there is a flash sync 1/250fp, ok so will give that a try some time soon just to test it out. Yes i do change my iSO like upto 400 or 800 but yeh still hate the flash.LOL I use it for fill flash but yeh thats about it, i am no guru with this.

I can confirm that faster sync definitely works but the range goes down bigtime and gets worse as the shutter speed increases.

easily demonstrated. you set you sb800 in ittl. you should also see the addional fp appear on the back of the sb800. set the d2 to say iso 200 and shutter speed 1/250. Read the shooting range offered on the back of the sb800. Now increase the shutter speed on the d2 and see what happens the the available range on the back of the flash. scary.

so to get max range you need to shoot at the lowest shutter speed possible.
kinda works opposite to how you would expect it to work.
works normally up to the 1/250 but then starts working opposite.

Steve

Steve i have just been outside playing with it and i was shooting at 1/400 and seemed to be great, tried all the modes and yeh i like it, took a few pics so will have a look at them. This will have to be trial and error i think but now i know i can get a higher sync it is worth a try as i seem to think chasing sprintcars and trying to get a 1/2 decent shots without being blurry as buggery maybe because of the 250 sync, but if i can up to 320 400 which is my opictal shutter speed anyhow for shooting what i do is always between 320 to 400 anyhow will give it try next speedway nite.

glad you got it going.

it would be worth having a look at the little test I mentioned earlier.
you dont have to take any shots. it merely gives you an idea of what range reduction you can expect. just handy to keep in the back of your mind.


Steve