Sync Speeds with Pocket Wizard Flex tt5 on Contax

[blainesiesser]

I'm thinking about buying a p40+ or p65+ on a contax mount. I shoot a lot of people outside
so I'd really like to be able to sync flash around 1/1000th. I know, get the mamiya, LS lens, and profoto air.

Right now with Hypersync  mode on
my 5d Mark II, TT5's and studio flash I can sync up to 1/2000th.

Is there any reason
this shouldn't work on the contax with digital backs?

Is anyone doing this?

[errolhiggins]

Check with Pocket Wizard Tech support, I don't think it will work. There are different models for Canon and Nikon for example. They are therefore not cross platform. That's my 2 cents.

[donaldt]

unless you have Leaf Shutter in the lens
all focal plane shutter only get about 1/125 or 1/250 sync speed
the one you are getting on the Canon should be the high speed sync that only works with TTL and is not a true sync speed

as far as I know there is not way to sync the Contax over 1/125
if you really need the high speed sync, Hasselblad is your best friend, I love it when I need the extra speed shooting outdoor

[yaya]

I know, get the mamiya, LS lens, and profoto air.

The only lenses that can do 1/1,000 or faster are the Schneider LS and some of the Rollei PQS (on 6000/ Hy6/ AFi bodies)

Back wise you'll need a P40+/ P65+/ Aptus-II/ Mamiya DM for the LS lenses that will take you to 1/1,600

Yair

[heinrichvoelkel]

As you see, medium format guys have no idea what hypersync is about. they talk about leaf shutters, but not business

[paul_jones]

heinrich, please explain, i don't understand how it exactly works.  please correct me if im off track..

what i kind of understand is that there seems to be a more accurate timing of the flash during the curtain crossing, and hyper sync just fine tunes the timing so the flash in a spot where the curtain is open at a slightly higher speed.

is relying on slow studio flashes that have a slower duration than the shutter? or is there a curtain shutter speed that actually opens at a faster speed than the manufacturers advertise, and the slower rated speeds that are advertised include a buffer for inaccurate sync?

if i understand this correctly, maybe the contax can increase its shutter a little...

cheers paul

[donaldt]

those high speed sync things on Canon and Nikon are not true flash sync
they only flash it for a duration so that there is light before and after the shutter curtain opens, thus give a very high speed sync

however you can only do that through TTL
you cant do that with strobes and stuff like that

if you have used leaf shutter you will understand they are different

[paul_jones]

those high speed sync things on Canon and Nikon are not true flash sync
they only flash it for a duration so that there is light before and after the shutter curtain opens, thus give a very high speed sync

however you can only do that through TTL
you cant do that with strobes and stuff like that

if you have used leaf shutter you will understand they are different

i think you are explaining another technology. those canon flashes flash a couple of times during the exposure?

but the pocket wizard "hypersync" works with studio flash units- its shows on their site.

paul

[Frank Doorhof]

Hi,
I've been testing that setup and indeed with studio strobes I can reach 1/1000 on the 5DMKII where I normally was stuck at 1/125. Also more light is available with hyper sync than with HSS when combined with small flash.

On the other cameras like phase one etc. You will have to switch to normal mode, which should be no problem, however I'm not getting anything over 1/320 at the moment where my skyports and air are getting 1/1000 without light loss and 1/1600 with 1 stop loss.

I've mailed with pocket wizard support and they have a new firmware that I will be testing in the coming weeks that could solve that.

What I've seen so far I love the system on the canon, and the power tracking is very nice, however only works with DSLR.

A full review and several other posts on the pocket wizards (including a video) can be found on my blog at www.frankdoorhof.com

[yaya]

As you see, medium format guys have no idea what hypersync is about. they talk about leaf shutters, but not business

Such thoughtful complements are always appreciated, especially when backed with a thorough explanation of said technology and a proven business record:-)

Does your Contax hypersync?

[Frank Doorhof]

Missed that remark......

You know it's simple.
Tell me about a Photographer (or someone else) who knows EVERYTHING about EVERYTHING in their area of business and you are right
Hypersync is something VERY specialized for these pocketwizards.
When you are working with your own radios it's quite normal you don't know about this, I also just recently found out and I'm always trying to be on top of new things but also missed this for a while.

So no need to put down a whole group of MF shooters.
Heck I told my students about these and no one ever heard about them and half of them decided to get a set because they loved it and that are the strobist that REALLY should know about these units because for that area of shooting it simply rocks.

[Dragomir Spassov]

I'v spoked with PocketWizard about possibility to remap (by firmware) pins on their TT5. Basically the tech behind "hyper sync" is a listening for a preflash signal. This is useful because you can make a fine adjustment, when exactly the flash impulse starts, in relation of shutter movements. With this flash offset, we have an ability to start the flash impulse right before the second curtain pop in the frame. When we have to reach shorter (than manufacturer gave) times for synchronization, the shutter doesn't open at all, but the flash duration may be enough to deliver acceptable illumination at whole frame. I find Broncolor's top powerpacks very useful in such cases, with their adjustable flash durations.

So the tech guys told me, they haven't information about Contax645 pins and communications. If they have the info, then may be... I tried to contact Kyosera, but no response..

Now I'm considering of baying this:http://cgi.ebay.com/Contax-645-Factory-Repair-Manual-Complete-/200351225793?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2ea5dd17c1#ht_1049wt_907

And we'll see..

[UlfKrentz]

As you see, medium format guys have no idea what hypersync is about. they talk about leaf shutters, but not business

Well, as far as I understood this "magic workaround" it is based on two requirements:
The first is to receive a pre-sync trigger, this could be a preflash output or even and old M-synchronisation trigger. No idea if the contax could serve with this.
Second a flash duration that lasts at least as long as the movement (opening) of the shutter is taking place (which is not the effective exposure time). So this fine tuning might work fine with some flash units and small DSLRs with their ultrafast shutters but I doubt it will be applicable to MF focal plane shutters, they are bigger, moving slower and have to pass a longer distance. To get a true fast sync speed I suppose you´ll need a leaf shutter, especially with medium format, or the backs might be able to take over the shutter function in the future.

I think your comment was a bit harsh (...as you see, the small format DSLR guys have no idea what MF is about...)

Cheers, Ulf

BTW: This technique sounds promising in combination with studiopacks and leafshutters if you get access to the presync trigger 

[bcooter]

 (...as you see, the small format DSLR guys have no idea

I've never understood this medium format vs. anything talk.

Every format does something different and I've known few photographers (at least working photographers) that have just one format of camera, even from the film days.

Though when you think about it, why does the shutter matter anyway?    Canon's original 1d would sync to 500th using the ccd as the shutter . . . so why can't the medium format cameras do that?

Though once again when you think about it, the medium format guys shot themselves in the foot when they came up with the one back for one camera routine.

I'd buy a Hasselblad if I could put my Contax backs on it, or vice-versa, but I doubt seriously if I'd ever rent, much less buy that Mamiya camera and I'm not really knocking it because a lot of people like it, I'm just not one of them.

The real thing is the op just wanted to know if he could sync his contax at a higher speed than 125th and that'd be kind of cool if it could be done, without throwing his contax in the corner and buying a whole new system, though if freezing something was in my plans i'd buy those broncolor flashes that have adjustable duration.

That'll do it.

IMO

BC

[UlfKrentz]

I've never understood this medium format vs. anything talk.

BC,

I did not mean this vs that, you know you pulled this out of the context and turned the meaning of what I said. I was exactly criticising the same, therefore I modified the quote from Heinrich (As you see, medium format guys have no idea what hypersync is about. they talk about leaf shutters, but not business).

If you re-read my post you will probably find out that I only tried to be analytical and answer the OP´s question. Now you as a contax user should be able to give any information about the first requirement of giving a preflash or M sync?

And yes, using (a leaf shutter in combination with) grafit / scoro packs works well, that´s how we work, but it´s not the topic. IMO.

Cheers, Ulf

[bcooter]

I shouldn't have quoted you or sniped it, I should have quoted everyone so take this as not directed to any one person.

But you see it all the time on this forum, brand/format junkies  and as you know with the way things are changing and the pressure every image maker is under, nobody wants to buy one system of anything that is limited.

The Brons . . . they're great, but cost a lot and have a single function of flash.  How cool would it be if they had an HMI bulb for the modeling light?

The same with cameras.  I doubt if any one camera will do it all, but would anybody object to a medium format camera that focused like a Nikon, had more adjustable iso and live view on the lcd?

But, this wasn't about your quote it was about all of the quotes and really in today's world you want to get all the use you can out of what you have.  If a $900 gizmo will do that rather than buy a whole new system then everyone wins.

Now as a contax user, I can use falsh with daylight, though not as effectively as a leaf shutter blad.



And yes this image has post work, (most do) but with enough flash power, it works, just not as easy.

Though to tell you the truth, I didn't use the contax because it had a digital back, or a zeiss lens, or the shutter speed.  I used it becasue I was at ground level and wanted to use a waist level finder.

IMO

BC

[UlfKrentz]

Oh yes, still off topic but we did this stuff few years ago, back in digital ISO25 times, also not too fast shutter speed, 1/250 if I remember correctly. Was done in bright sunlight with no postwork regarding the background / ambience brightness.

http://www.shoots.de/index.php?id=268&L=1

Cheers, Ulf

[yaya]

Though when you think about it, why does the shutter matter anyway?    Canon's original 1d would sync to 500th using the ccd as the shutter . . . so why can't the medium format cameras do that?

That's more or less what we do to get to 1/1,600 with the LS lenses...the shutter goes to 1/800, the back does the rest

[bcooter]

That's more or less what we do to get to 1/1,600 with the LS lenses...the shutter goes to 1/800, the back does the rest

Yair,

Then why a need for a leaf shutter at all?  If you can gain up 1/800th of a second off the ccd, why not just let the sensor to the talking?

Wouldn't this give the ccd world some extra bragging rights, cause they seem to fall behind on live view and high iso, I would think having a virutally shutterless camera would be something to market.

IMO

BC

[Dragomir Spassov]

Yair,

Then why a need for a leaf shutter at all?  If you can gain up 1/800th of a second off the ccd, why not just let the sensor to the talking?

Wouldn't this give the ccd world some extra bragging rights, cause they seem to fall behind on live view and high iso, I would think having a virutally shutterless camera would be something to market.

IMO

BC

Yes, I'm agree with bcooter.
I think, there is more practical solution than shutterless cam. I need for shutter in terms to change DB with Film Back, and assume I'm not the only one. But, when the situation need shorter time for synchronization than my 1/125, I'll be happy just switch to back's PC sinch, and adjust the times thru the menu. I can see it, and definitely I'll be one of the users.