High-Speed Sync 101: Everything You Need to Know!

[@joemaloney615]

Merry Christmas! Thanks for producing your great content.

[@JohnGress]

Thank you so much Joe! Merry Christmas and a happy new year!

[@lisag6503]

I have been looking for exactly this! Thanks

[@JohnGress]

Glad I could help!

[@MartinV.]

Great Video!

[@JohnGress]

Thanks!

[@MileysPhotography]

I have a godox tt650 flash and an godox x3 trigger, please advise if this setup will also give me the desired effect wen shooting off camera and using flash in a Softbox

[@brunocampos76]

@@MileysPhotography actually not, because the power of this flash is just 76w. But you can use a lower f stop to achieve a better result with a simple flash like yours.

[@MileysPhotography]

​@@brunocampos76can u mayb advise on settings perhaps to use

[@tahersafari3104]

Hi John, thanks for this useful tutorial. I have Elinchrom ELB 1200 with HSS head, and I use it with pro transmitter. I have no idea how to adjust the unit in order to benefit from HSS for my photography...

[@JohnGress]

With that combination I think you just increase your shutter speed beyond your sync speed and it works.

[@CreatedbyZyaire]

Great information!

[@JohnGress]

Thanks so much! I hope it helps.

[@tdurrshoots]

Ive never tried shooting in HSS for a photoshoot. But I was always considered it after seeing your images as I’ve seen you’ve been shooting HSS often. I’m going to explore with this🤔

[@JohnGress]

It’s worth exploring but I only use it outside and when I photograph people against windows.

[@thomaskopp7974]

John do you might have an ELB 400 with a HS head or an ELB 1200 on hand? These units offer Hi-Sync, which is different to HSS. While with HSS the flash is fired multiple times during the time of exposure with Hi Sync the flash is only fired once but it requires a slow flash head with a long flash duration (exactly what the HS heads offer). Elinchrom implemented Hi Sync only in the two products mentioned above. The ELB 500, the ELC line and now the one, three and five offer HSS exclusively. The disadvantage of Hi Sync is that you have a slight gradient due to the fact that a flash always discharges in a curve. This can be minimised with the ODS function the Elinchrom Pro Trigger provides. It‘s a bit more fiddly to tune but from what I’ve read Hi Sync should be more efficient than HSS. It would be interesting to see a comparison.

[@JohnGress]

I used to have an ELB 400 and I believe the technology was also in the Quadras I had. The problem with that technology was that it could be advantageous if you use that fall off strategically in your frame outside but if you were shooting on a more uniform background it would be a nightmare.

[@Franciehatescoffeeicecream]

I've struggled to get hss working on my mirrorless camera without banding. I use Panasonic s5ii

[@JohnGress]

This could help! First, check that both your flash and trigger are HSS-compatible. Next, review your camera menus to ensure there aren’t any settings that need adjusting. Finally, when others have encountered similar issues with other brands, it was often resolved by updating the flash manufacturer’s firmware. In some cases, though, users had to wait for a new firmware release to address the problem.

[@joliver4083]

For stills and under harsh sunlight, 5-7 stops 'high quality' ND filter is more efficient than HSS for balancing the ambient light. HSS lower the power of flash/strobe by 1-3stops depending on shutterspeed. It also consume more battery power and heats up your strobe/flash faster. I only use HSS on moving subject & if I need to lower the power than 1/256.

[@JohnGress]

While I havent tested it I could see that being the case. But most people will probably opt for the option that takes less gear.

[@joliver4083]

@JohnGress it weighs nothing and takes almost no space in the bag. Sometimes even with maximum shutterspeed and lowest ISO, you can't still properly expose the ambient light specially during high noon. Imagine your 500w strobe become almost as powerful as 76w speedlight when using 1/8000 shutterspeed on HSS. Longer recycle time, heats up & drain battery faster are big deals when on location.

[@emrah2024]

In most cases, I prefer to use ND filter, too. (By the way, this video is very useful for the one who wants to use HSS)

[@JohnGress]

@emrah2024 Thank you! I will make a video next year where I compare HSS and ND

[@paigeofstylez]

Its Christmas season and not one tutorial on using strobes with Christmas lights portraits

[@JohnGress]

Maybe next year!

[@paigeofstylez]

@JohnGress ok. I'm a paying member of the John Gress academy. Hopefully we get a video on there