Pocketwizard FlexTT5 - Hypersync problems

[The View]

I have used my flex tt5 Pocketwizards at the regular flash sync time so far.

With is 1/200 second for the Canon 5D mark III.

I am firing a Pro-7b from a Profoto Pro-7b power pack.

Today I updated the firmware, and tried out Hypersync.

I tried out all the settings, five different flash models, fast, slow, medium - I always get clipping.

Even at 1/250 there is visible clipping. (1/200 is Canon's sync speed).




I scouted the web, and there are no instructions for Profoto flashes or any other professional flash.


The really odd thing is that the only flashes you can select are Paul C. Buff flashes. Not a single professional flash is available as a selection.

So - is this simply not working with professional flashes? Have I thrown my money out the window for buying these more expensive units which don't seem to deliver?


Any ideas how I could get this to work?

[Ellis Vener]

"I am firing a Pro-7b from a Profoto Pro-7b power pack.
"

The problem is on the Profoto side of your set up.  when I initially got my ControlTL set,  one of the first shots I made was a portrait of my friend, Austin photographer Kirk Tuck. The set up wasa Profoto Acute B 600 and two Canon speedlites, each with their own ControlTL TT% attached. While I was  able to get good sync at up to about 1/2,500th on a Canon EOS-1D Mark IV with a 70-200mm f/2.8L lens,   I wonder if the inclusion of the Canon Speedlites in the set up had something to do with the success.

In the attached photo the light from the Profoto Acute b is coming from camera left (from Kirk's right).

I didn't try it with a 7B so my experience may not apply to your set up.

"Not a single professional flash is available as a selection."

Despite your inferred prejudice against them The Paul C. Buff Einstein 640 is most certainly a professional grade flash. feature for feature  the only flash that comes close is the new Profoto B1 500 Air TTL monolight and in sustained real world performance  the Einstein has held up very well.

But back to the topic at hand: hypersync with high output electronic flash. For hyper-sync, FP (Nikon), or HSS (Canon) modes  to work well  with any flash you need the flash's triggering circuitry to be designed to work with  the camera's trigger timing and it also has to have a longish flash duration. No matter your shutter speed, for almost all focal plane cameras it takes roughly 1/300th of a second for both the first and second shutter curtains to complete clear the shutter's gate.  The Profoto Acute 2400 at 2400 w-s with just one head might be a good candidate for this as at full output the flash duration , as measured using the t/0.1 ISO standard for flash duration  is about 1/80th a second.

[The View]

Here's an update to Hypersync with professional grade flash:

It's important to do the calibration shot at the regular sync speed of 1/200 of a second (in my Canon case).

To change settings in a  pocketwizard flextt5, you need to turn off the system, and connect the pocketwizard to the computer, and then change settings.

As I learned, you have to start at a non-hypersync setting of 1/200 of a second in order for everything to work.

Only then you can go to a shorter setting.

It's also recommended to start at the -10 fast setting, and work your way down.

[Ellis Vener]

Sounds like some "best practices" advice!

[rogan]

I have spent a lot of time with this. Profoto and elenchrome. It works but with a ton of exceptions. Fun toy to play with but not good enough to count on. FWIW I have had the best luck with the profoto 600Bs at full power(full power works better on most strobes as its the longest strobe duration) I've given up on it for now. Being a pro I need it to work every time and there are too many variables. As well it's hard to change the strobe power without changing everything. Someone needs to make a special head for this that has a long flash duration. Shouldn't be hard but needs to be designed for this use.
Curious as to how profoto are going to use this on their own system on the b1 air as they have announced. If it works well I will buy 10 of them.

[Ellis Vener]

" Fun toy to play with but not good enough to count on. "

With Speedlites (or Speedlights for the Nikon inclined) and the with the Paul C. Buff Einstein, the ControlTL system works consistently and at a professional level of reliability. Some folk like to think that you can't do pro level work with anythign other than Broncolor, Profoto, Elinchrom and while I get where they are coming from, they aren't right, at least not in every situation. If you are photographing Kate Moss, or a Maserati Catalog you probably do want a Profoto or Broncolor system. I shoot corporate , business to business advertising, annual reports, and editorial portraits (not fashion, and not high end life style) and the Einsteins and Speedlites work just fine for that. I also happily use Profoto and Broncolor pack and head systems where those tools are the appropriate choice.

"As well it's hard to change the strobe power without changing everything"

With manually controlled packs and monolights , that is absolutely true, and one place where Profoto's Air TTL system, when and if it is implemented on more than the B1 will be a stand out.

"Someone needs to make a special head for this that has a long flash duration."
It is not the the flash head so much as the system inside the pack that controls flash duration, if you are talking about things like AC powered pack and head systems, or battery powered systems like the the 7B or Acute 6ooB. And as I said before, at full power  the Profoto Acute 2 2400 with a single head attached already has a god-awful long flash duration.


"Curious as to how profoto are going to use this on their own system on the b1 air as they have announced. If it works well I will buy 10 of them."

There is no hyper-sync, high speed sync, or FP syncing with the B1. I tried it and Profoto is explicit about this not beign a possibility.  As a TTL controlled 500 watt-second monolight the B1 is terrific -as long as you don't shoot with a Canon EOS-1D X. I think the B1 is a terrific 500 watt-second monolight. Great (i.e. short) flash duration, and I love having the battery on board too,

[rogan]

Ellis,
 see #11 below
http://www.profoto.com/blog/off-camera-flash/camera-flash-faq/

Believe it when I see it but have been told they are indeed planning it.

[Ellis Vener]

I'll believe it when I see it too. I know it is possible.