# Studio Strobes, Remotes and Rear Curtain Sync



## Bingo (Aug 12, 2015)

I've been poking around at this for a while and not finding exactly the info I'm looking for (Or at least I *think* I'm looking for) so I thought I'd just ask.

I'm using a Canon 70d. I currently have a single AlienBee B800.

I do primarily a style of light painting type shots. Specifically LED hoops and similar items. I shoot in total darkness or as near as possible.

I'm trying to find a way to use remote flash triggers with the studio strobes and rear curtain (2nd curtain) sync. Eventually I'd like to get 2 strobes so would like something that's expandable as well.

Like a lot of people, money is an issue so I'd like to both find something as cost effective as possible and also stay with the AlienBee if I can so that I don't have to replace the one I currently have. Especially since I also have the battery pack for it since I often shoot in places with no power.

Is there even a way to do this without having to use on-camera flash triggering everything optically? Not only do I not like having the extra light I often need to have things positioned where the sensors on the strobe aren't even able to pick up the oncamera so I wind up having situation where I'm using oncamera to trigger a speedlight positioned in a way so that when IT fires it triggers the strobe. Ugh.

I really appreciate any suggestions anyone has. Thank you!


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## Designer (Aug 12, 2015)

Bingo said:


> .. so I wind up having situation where I'm using oncamera to trigger a speedlight positioned in a way so that when IT fires it triggers the strobe.


So what you're saying is; you're going to need some RF remotes.  Is that about the size of it?


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## Bingo (Aug 12, 2015)

So what you're saying is; you're going to need some RF remotes.  Is that about the size of it?[/QUOTE]

I think so?  That's kind of where I was going when I said I think I know what I'm looking for. But even many of those I looked at I couldn't find a clear answer to if they would do rear curtain with a studio strobe.  Do you have any suggestions of which ones would? 

I'm kinda lost here, to be honest. I only fairly recently started really using lighting. Previously all my shooting had been live music and working with ambient light so strobes and everything along with it is rather new territory for me so I can use all the help I can get.


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## Designer (Aug 12, 2015)

I thought the rear curtain setting was in your camera.


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## Bingo (Aug 13, 2015)

Designer said:


> I thought the rear curtain setting was in your camera.



It is. But what I've found is that most remote flash triggers do not send the signal correctly though and instead send it as a regular flash firing everything immediately.


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## photoguy67 (Aug 13, 2015)

I do not own or have I ever shot a Canon 70d, but I just set up my nikon d7200 for rear curtain sync and used my yongnuo triggers on my nikon and my yongnuo flash and both triggered just fine on rear curtain sync with a 2 and 4 second shutter.


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## Alexr25 (Aug 13, 2015)

Whether the flash is fired on the front or rear curtain is set by the camera, the remote flash transmitter merely passes the signal to the  receiver whenever it is triggered by the camera. If your flash is firing on the front curtain then obviously the camera is set to normal sync and not to rear curtain  sync. There is no way the remote flash trigger can select front or rear curtain sync as only the camera knows what the front and rear curtain are doing at any point in time and the correct moment to trigger the flash.


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## Designer (Aug 13, 2015)

Bingo said:


> .. firing everything immediately.


It sounds as if you are firing the flashes independently of the camera shutter timing. Have your camera fire the flashes instead.


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## WayneF (Aug 14, 2015)

Bingo said:


> I do primarily a style of light painting type shots. Specifically LED hoops and similar items. I shoot in total darkness or as near as possible.
> 
> I'm trying to find a way to use remote flash triggers with the studio strobes and rear curtain (2nd curtain) sync. Eventually I'd like to get 2 strobes so would like something that's expandable as well.



Rear Curtain Sync is a camera issue.  The camera decides when to trigger the flash relative to the curtain motions, and then the flash simply flashes when triggered.

Nikon DSLR puts the Rear Curtain setting in the camera menu, so it works with any flash.  I'm unfamiliar with Canon (they call it 2nd Curtain), but Canon still seems to put the switch on the flash body.  I think this is just a hold back to the old days before cameras had computers and menus?  Nikon also used to put the Rear Curtain switch on old flashes (I think SB-26 was the last, 1994).

But Rear Curtain Sync seems very pointless with your light painting shots anyway.  I assume that means you hold the shutter open while you manually trigger the flash several times, aimed into different areas I assume.  At least that is the standard light painting.

Then there is no shutter sync, and specifically, there certainly is no concept of Rear Curtain Sync.  You said Total Darkness, so you are not even using your shutter for timing.


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