SB800: Repeating Flash

[Yi-P]

Just being playing around with the SB800 last night... I know it has this repeating flash for fancy stuff and all that, but how do you correctly use this?

Nikon's manual has very very limited information about this option, and it stands out by itself to be SB800 exclusive and on its own mode on the SB800 (even a remote repeating commander mode!). I'm assuming this mode is very powerful if it lands on the right hands.

I know it can capture several exposures of moving object in one frame, but what else? How do I correctly use it. What is most (if not best) application to use this?

This may be the least used mode on the SB800 and can be the most powerful one in creative control? Ehh, lets start to take some experiments and show what it can do!!

[Laurie]

i have been wondering this since of got my SB800!
i will be following this thread very closely and hope that someone can shed some repeated light on the subject.

[Reschsmooth]

Forgive me if I am answering the question on too basic a level, but as you know, the repeating flash is used to, say, capture a bouncing ball in 1 frame (with multiple images of the bouncing ball in the 1 frame).

To use it, as I understand it, you need to adjust your shutter speed with the frequency/no of flashes.

For example, if you want 10 flashes, and set it to 5 flashes per second, you will need a shutter speed of 2 seconds (and therefore a tripod).

I haven't used it with great success as yet, and have not used it in remote mode (didn't know you could).

I have thought about using it for the times I pour milk into my coffee (and try to create patterns).

I hope that helps.

P

[losfp]

I tried it out last friday.. but I obviously need more practice

You need to set the strength, then the frequency and number of repetitions, ie: 3 flashes @ 5Hz, THEN make sure that your shutter speed will accomodate that.

So for my example, you need to make sure that your shutter speed is at least 3/5s or slower.

Make sense?

[wendellt]

been a while since ive used strobe mode on the sb800

i think you press the mode button till 'RPT' shows up

then press select to the flash output read out looks like '1/128'

then press select again to change how many flashes you want within a certain hz range e.g 6 flashes at 10hz

the strobe effect can capture motion

did this a while back, execution is really bad but it shows what it can do


others use it more conventionally for photographign motion trials of objects like balls

[Yi-P]

I'm starting to get an idea in my mind now... Maybe we can try this out at tomorrow's meet Pat?? A few Sb800 on remote repeating flash... sounds cool, but kinda hard to get a result.. But experimenting and failing is stepping stone to success

[Reschsmooth]

Maybe we can try this out at tomorrow's meet Pat??

Sounds good - after everyone is wired on too much caffeine, the strobe effect may be put to good use.

P

[gstark]

To use it, as I understand it, you need to adjust your shutter speed with the frequency/no of flashes.

For example, if you want 10 flashes, and set it to 5 flashes per second, you will need a shutter speed of 2 seconds (and therefore a tripod).

One other point that needs to be taken into consideration is the total EV that your image needs.

Consider a person with your bouncing ball, in a room providing a clearly evident background. This presents an issue that you need to consider.

To correctly expose your bouncing ball ten times (say) the ball may need to be exposed at its optimum exposure level for each of those 10 impressions.

But the background, being static, will build its image presence with each impression that you make, and thus for it to appear correctly exposed, it might need to be exposed at just 1/10 of the correct setting.

Consider the challenge that these two extremities creat for you in terms of your exposure requirements.

[seeto.centric]

ive played with it a few times- with a tennis ball in the bathroom. no expert at it, but its basically a stroboscope.

process is as per wendellt's instructions. play around til you get it right.

also useful for parties/formals/gaining attention to one's self

-julz