Lighting issue - Profoto B1 off-camera flash kit – sequence of photos, movement
gosia1234
Registered Users Posts: 1 Beginner grinner
I'm going to be photographing a footballer doing a trick with a ball (called around the world) and I need to photograph a sequence, of about 5 images while he's doing that. I'm using a Nikon D700, I was advised to photograph using a shutter of about 1/1000 sec and using Profoto B1 off-camera flash kit.
The trouble I'm having is the flashes do not recycle fast enough, so when shooting a fast sequence the lights are uneven, or don't fire. I found that you can use the flashes in a Quick Burst Mode, which means the following:*When the output is set to three stops below full power, you will empty 1/8 of the tank with every flash, which means that you can flash eight consecutive times with almost no delay in between.
When setting the camera to the flash/bracketing option of 1/135 which allows me to photograph on any chosen shutter speed with flash, and shooting on a range between 1/500-1000 sec, the flashes lock to the range 8-10 (10 is max) and I can't reduce them any more than two stops, the Air TTL-N remote switches into the high sync mode - and still flashes don't recycle fast enough and are uneven if I attempt to shoot a sequence.
I'm really struggling to find a solution to this, so I would appreciate any advise on the above and how I can improve the situation and the set up to get this right. The location of the photoshoot means I won't be able to plug into the mains.
The trouble I'm having is the flashes do not recycle fast enough, so when shooting a fast sequence the lights are uneven, or don't fire. I found that you can use the flashes in a Quick Burst Mode, which means the following:*When the output is set to three stops below full power, you will empty 1/8 of the tank with every flash, which means that you can flash eight consecutive times with almost no delay in between.
When setting the camera to the flash/bracketing option of 1/135 which allows me to photograph on any chosen shutter speed with flash, and shooting on a range between 1/500-1000 sec, the flashes lock to the range 8-10 (10 is max) and I can't reduce them any more than two stops, the Air TTL-N remote switches into the high sync mode - and still flashes don't recycle fast enough and are uneven if I attempt to shoot a sequence.
I'm really struggling to find a solution to this, so I would appreciate any advise on the above and how I can improve the situation and the set up to get this right. The location of the photoshoot means I won't be able to plug into the mains.
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Gosia - welcome to the Dgrin, hopefully one of our more gear-savvy members will have some suggestions!
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If you use a normal flash sync speed for the camera and switch the flash into manual mode at 1/8th power you may achieve some of what you wish to achieve. This will mean shooting in relative darkness to control ambient light, instead of using a fast shutter speed.
In HSS (High Speed Sync) flash mode the flash modulates at a rapid rate while the camera's focal-plane shutter traverses the frame. This sucks up tremendous amounts of flash power and reduces the flash recycle rate. By using manual mode for the flash and normal flash sync speed on the camera you will allow less flash power consumption and more flashes per charge.
The lower power output also reduces flash duration on the Profoto B1 to around 1/4000th (guessing here, as the flash duration in Normal flash mode [t0.5] is from 1/11,000 sec. at minimum power output to 1/1,000 sec. at full power.)
I believe that the Nikon D700 supports 1/250th flash sync, so use 1/250th shutter speed plus Normal flash mode and 1/8th power on the Profoto B1.
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