# What is high speed sync



## sactown024 (Dec 14, 2012)

I keep watching videos with photographers with High speed sync (HSS) and just want to know what I need to accomplish this. Is it a cord? a special type of speedlite? camera? 

right now I have a Canon 7D with a Yongnuo 560II, I am going to assume I need something different in order to accomplish HSS. What do I need?


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## JAC526 (Dec 14, 2012)

I'm not sure if any 3rd party speedlights offer high speed sync.  I know the 560 doesn't.

You need a Canon flash in order to accomplish high speed sync.


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## Derrel (Dec 14, 2012)

High speed sync is a special type of flash output, where the flash fires in very rapid succession, a series of micro-bursts, which are so rapidly-created and squelched, and so closely-spaced that to human eyes, the flash looks like one,single "Pop!", but which it most definitely is NOT. This type of flash output is produced only by high-tech speedlight units. This flash technology requires a camera body that offers HSS compatibility, in order to utilize this nifty capability. 

This type of flash does not, I repeat, does NOT offer good motion-stopping abilities. Countless novices have used high speed synch set-ups, thinking that HSS will allow them to freeze things like golfballs dropped into water glasses, birds alighting on bird feeders,and so on; unfortunately, on high-speed motion, high speed synch actually produces BLURRY images many times! It is not one,single flash, but MANY flash events in very rapid succession.

The *high speed sync name* refers to the ability to use high SHUTTER speeds,often in bright light and or with wide lens apertures, so that fill-in flash can be used outdoors in bright light, using wide f/stops, to get shallow depth of field effects; High speed synch can allow the photographer to be free from being "stuck" at exposure settings like ISO 100 at 1/200 second at f/13...


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## Overread (Dec 14, 2012)

Watch this video it should explain clearly what highspeed sync is as well as a few other flash functions


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## wassa786 (Dec 22, 2012)

^while it is a good explanation, he lost my attention after the first 30 seconds.


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## KmH (Dec 22, 2012)

Your loss then.

It's one of the best explanations of flash sync on YouTube.


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## thetrue (Dec 22, 2012)

Definitely good to watch. I never realized why the fastest shutter I could use is 1/200.


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## Tee (Dec 22, 2012)

Dang.  That was good.  Easy to understand for non-techie people like me.


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## snowbear (Dec 22, 2012)

I had an understanding of some of this, but this clears up a few things.  Thanks, Keith.


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## Buckster (Dec 22, 2012)

JAC526 said:


> I'm not sure if any 3rd party speedlights offer high speed sync.  I know the 560 doesn't.
> 
> You need a Canon flash in order to accomplish high speed sync.


Actually, the newer offering from Yongnuo offers HSS:

Amazon.com: Professional Flash Speedlight Flashlight Yongnuo YN568EX for Canon 1D 5D 7D 60D Canon 1Dx, 1Ds series, 1D series, 5DIII, 5DII, 5D, 7D, 60D, 50D, 40D, 30D, 20D, 650D/T4i, 600D/T3i, 550D/T2i, 500D/T1i, 450D/Xsi, 400D/Xti, 350D, 1100D, 1000D


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## ratssass (Dec 22, 2012)

this is probably the 4th time i've watched this.the first time probably didn't hold my interest,either,but hopefully each viewing left a bit more in my skull.


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## Awiserbud (Dec 22, 2012)

I remember watching this youtube video ages ago, its been around for a while but it is indeed one of the best explanations of shutter speed/flash sync out there.
Anyone that didnt find this helpful probably didnt want to learn anyway


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## siwillems (Dec 24, 2012)

That was probably one of the best videos i've seen on you tube (except maybe girl drunk pranks)  the level of informtion and clarity of delivery was ten out of ten


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## fjrabon (Dec 24, 2012)

JAC526 said:


> I'm not sure if any 3rd party speedlights offer high speed sync.  I know the 560 doesn't.
> 
> You need a Canon flash in order to accomplish high speed sync.



Metz flashes will do HSS (or at least the AF50 and AF58 will).


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## greybeard (Dec 24, 2012)

Very good explanation.


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## TCampbell (Dec 24, 2012)

He didn't mention it in the video (great video, btw), but the max flash power when using high-speed sync can also depend on the shutter speed.

For example... if the flash has to pulse four times as the curtains sweep across the image then it cuts the max flash power to 1/4 of what the flash could fire if it were allowed to use full power.  But if you use a faster shutter speed, the slit narrows and this means more pulses of light will be required.  E.g. double the speed and maybe it now requires 8 pulses of light instead of 4 -- and the max flash power is now cut to just 1/8th of full.  The camera can calculate the number of pulses it will need and adjusts the max power accordingly.


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## Rampage (Apr 28, 2016)

Overread said:


> Watch this video it should explain clearly what highspeed sync is as well as a few other flash functions


Good looking out with that video. It explains the concepts very well

Sent from my LG-V410 using Tapatalk


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