Sony HVL-LE1 - Manual (Page 11)

Total exposure: 1/200 SEC
Flash
Shutterblade position over time
On-Camera Flash Basics
What is it?
Allows for use of flash on bright
days with fast shutter speeds
that would normally not sync,
avoiding shutter curtain shadows.
How to use it?
• High Speed Sync can be found
in the Custom Settings of your
Flash. It is usually labeled HSS
• Set your camera to wireless flash
mode for High Speed Sync to
work or attach an off-camera
flash cord
• Activating High Speed Sync
gives you access to the entire
range of shutter speeds that
your camera offers
Where to use it?
Portraits where the available
light is so abundant that
exposing for your subject leaves
too much depth of field or an
overexposed background.
high speed
sync
(HSS)
A sunny day gives us the ability to take nice fast photos, but chances are we
might also have to deal with shadows and shade and need to use a fill flash.
We may also want to maintain a nice defocused background at the same time.
In normal fill flash mode we would be limited to a shutter speed of 1/160 to 1/250
sec. depending on our camera, in turn, this would limit our aperture which would
be forced to a high f-stop and result in not much of a defocused background.
In normal flash photography, an instantaneous flash illuminates the subject
when the shutter is fully open. At shutter speeds up to 1/160 or 1/250 sec. the
first curtain shutter opens to completely reveal the sensor before the second
curtain starts moving. When the sensor is fully exposed your flash can fire to
illuminate your subject. However, in faster shutter speeds the second curtain
starts moving while the first curtain is still in motion. If your fill flash had to fire,
only a portion of your image would be illuminated.
In “High-Speed Synchronization” mode (HSS), the flash will emit multi-bursts of
light, illuminating each sliver of sensor exposed while high-speed shutters are open
as slits. This enables flash synchronization up to 1/4000 sec. high-speed shutters.
F14, 1/200 SEC, ISO 160
F2.8, 1/4000 SEC, ISO 160
HSS allowed for use of flash to fill-in shadows
from sun in bright conditions
High Speed Sync Fill Flash
This photo is a perfect example. To minimize shadows
and shade, a flash was used. However, the goal was
to have the rocks defocused. We can see that did not
happen. Why? With a flash set to a standard setting, it
could not sync with a shutter speed faster than 1/160 to
1/250 sec. With this in mind, the camera adjusted the
aperture accordingly. In this case, in manual mode,
we were limited to an aperture of F16, which allowed in
enough light to give undesired detail to the rocks. In this photo, High Speed Sync allowed us to use our flash
throughout the entire shutter speed/aperture range
of the camera. This works in both Aperture Priority and
Manual Mode. For the above photo, we turned on High
Speed Sync, put the camera in Manual Mode set an
aperture of F2.8* and a shutter speed of 1/4000 sec.
The flash fired, illuminating our subject. Aperture F2.8 gave
the rocks behind our subject a soft focus and the fast
shutter speed made sure the rocks were not overexposed.
* It is important to note that lenses vary in aperture settings and while our
lens was able to set an aperture of 2.8, your lens might not. Refer to your
lens owners manual for its specifications.
Standard Sync Fill Flash
Split-second Breakdown
Total exposure: 1/4000 SEC
Flashes
Shutterblade position over time
Split-second Breakdown
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