High Speed Sync vs Neutral Density Filter | Ask David Bergman

Great lesson. So with high-speed sync or an ND filter, I don't need an expensive leaf shutter lens or to replace my camera with the new Sony Sony a9 III (which breaks ground with the new global shutter and can sync up to 1/80,000th of a second). Yay.

Great Video!

I have a flashpoint Evolv 200 and a round head attachment and it does not fit inside the V1/AD100Pro adapter for the Angler Fastbox. Do you have any idea why mine doesn’t fit? I bought the Fastbox hoping I could use evolv 200 with the extension head but the round head attachment clearly doesn’t fit. Any help would be greatly appreciated!

I sometimes use a Godox V100 with an ND filter on my Nikon D5 for outdoor portraits…amazing results.

Apenas olhando só as informações que colocou em cada foto, já foi o suficiente para entender a diferença e o porque usar "neutral density filter". Muito obrigado!

Very informative! 1st time viewer. Subbed!

This doesn't make sense. There's a 5 stop difference in shutter speed between the two examples but only a 3 stop difference in the flash power. The ND ate more light.

this is like the age old question lol

Are the guide numbers indexed off of ISO 100?

IMO this method works really well on mirrorless systems. Camera has a tough time focusing with ND's on Canon cameras, being that it still utilizes the mirror. For Canon users I will say plan your shoots, early morning shoots whenever possible or later in the evening around golden hour. This will yield better results for us Canon operators.

Question relative to speedlight power with ND filter. Normal speedlight is not powerful enough to over power the sun, so my concern is how to use speedlight to get the maximum brightness on the final photo. The ND filter reduces light not only from the sun but equally from the speedlight, so in bright light condition, with ND filter I can sure stay in flash sync range so I can use the full power output of the speedlight, but this full power is at the same time reduced by the number of stops of the ND filter when reaching the sensor. If I'm correct, there might be in the power output curve depending on the ambiante light level, some point where HSS gives more power than ND filter does, ans vis versa ? So my question is, given a bright light condition, how I can know which one of HSS or ND will give me the brightest speedlight result, except by trial and error?

When I use HSS flash mount on my camera. it burnt the flash circuitry of the camera and it cost me a huge amount to repair the camera. So, I think HSS with off camera flash wil be safe to use.

💥 Always the greatest content. As you move the shutter speed higher above the native sync speed does the light lose more power? I’m thinking of buying a 3 stop ND so that I don’t have to crank my shutter speed too high above the sync speed and I’m hoping that will save me on flash power.

No more HSS issues. I Just got from B&H my ND, 3-Stop B+W 77mm MRC 103M Filter for my Nikon Z6II and Z 24-120mm F/4 S lens and Godox V860II flash. Now my outdoor portrait photos are coming out well exposed at F4, 1/200s, ISO 100 with the flash at full power attached to the camera's hot shoe. At the same time this ND filter reduces the extreme backlight behind the subject

I think the HSS gets more photographers into the flash photography for outdoor portraits. Once a photographer gets used to balancing ambient light with the flash it doesn't take much to take it to the next level with ND filters for shallow DOF. HSS eats power like there is not tomorrow which could impact on location photoshoots.

Is HSS better the slower ur ss is from 1/8000? For example, if my ambient is too bright for a common sync speed of 1/200, but I only need a ss of 1/800 for a good ambient exposure. Would HSS perform better at 1/800 than 1/8000?

Been kind of deciding between getting a flash with HSS, or an ND filter. As I’m doing a lot of video lately as well, will probably get the ND filter, as it will be extremely useful for that as well.

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Thank you

David, great video - thanx a lot. But why did you put so high hss to 1/8000 and flash 1/16?

Dave, are you going to Imaging USA in January?

An ND filter does dim sunlight but does not correct harsh lighting conditions. Always bring a large diffuser to even out shadows etc

with a 300+ w strobe, and 3 to 5 stop neutral density filter, you can cut the ambient light , without using HSS thus maintaining your strobe power, and still lighting the subject with enough power. i will add , that please purchase a ND filter of quality, FREEWELL or other high rated brand. don't use the "free" ones that come in packages when you purchase a lens. you will get crisper cleaner image with high quality ND glass versus the "softer" image of the lesser filters. yes, it does make a difference.

Thank you so much, that was very helpful.

High Speed Sync causes your flash to lose power/output strength the more you raise your shutter speed as well so that's another reason to consider an nd filter.

Omg! I just said, “This guy is my hero!” I actually UNDERSTAND a new concept after a you tube video. This never happens! Thank you David! I have the new r6 but do not have a godox or other hss flash. Can I stick with a normal off camera flash, using hss settings? And it’s good to stay on manual right?

Longer lenses have shallower dof so could you move back and zoom in? I'm thinking a macro zoom might work in the studio if you had one

My camera doesn't supporn high speed sync

With ND filter shooting directly in to the sun, there will likely be glare in your image, causing a possible color cast or the image to appear washed out :(

I stopped using those step down rings because they can't be used in combination with a lens hood. In my opinion, shooting without a lens hood almost always causes at least some loss of contrast, and weird reflections when ambient light hits the exposed filter glass. It's much worse with shorter lenses.

Thank you great explanation of both options

You forgot to mention that once you put an ND filter on, you will need to compensate with your flash which means that the flash will drain more battery, in particular when you use 6 stop ND filter. Sometimes you will notice that it is not powerful enough.
I would rather make a real world comparison in terms of flash power output and battery drainage between HSS and ND filters.

I own ad200 strobe how mach nd filter power blocking i need .. coz at full power with 2500 shatter speed its not enough power ?

good tutorial====but this could have been explained in 4 minutes

Another way to go than a variable ND, since many have quality issues, is a set of .3, .6, .9 AND a polarizer, which is good for an additional 2 stops. Stack them all if need be.

Your model looks detached, not much in the photoshoot...

With ND filters it's another piece of glass between the subject and the sensor, this can effect the sharpness of the image. There may also be some color cast from the ND filters especially cheaper ones. All in all great question and great response Dave 👍👍

The there is hypersync or powersync that will work with older studio strobes that have a light output longer then 1/8000 of a second. Cactus triggers allow this as well as other brands. I can use my manual 1500w/s battery operated Speedotron 1500 Explorer. Or 1200 and 2400w/s studio packs at 1/8000 sec with my Pentax K1mii.
Keep up the great work Dave.

Simply answer to this problem is get a Godox flash with li-ion battery. HSS built in and newer Godox flashes have all the features you need in a flash including remote triggering.

That’s awesome to know. Great question👌
Now I know I can keep using my yongnuo 😄👌

As usual, great explanation David! I love your approach to explaining topic. Great work!

Another great video!

however, your explanation on sync speed was a little confusing when you said if the flash is on longer, then part of your image will be cut off.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but your camera's flash sync speed is determined by the shortest amount of time the sensor can be fully exposed from the first curtain opening before the second curtain has to start closing. If that number is 250th of a second, when you move to 320th of a second, before the first curtain can fully expose the sensor, the second curtain starts to close, which is why you get a black bar towards the bottom of the photo.

That is why HSS strobes, so that when you are at 1/4000 of a second and there's only a sliver of the sensor being exposed between the two curtains moving across, you get a consistent exposure.

Excellent lesson David. Thank you. That is gold the way you explain things. I get it.

Great explanation!

As you said, there are a lot of speedlites with hss capability. Some by camera manufacturers and some by third party.

The entry level cameras such as Nikon’s 3000 series are incapable of hss even if you have a flash that does. Nothing in the canera’s menu and nothing on the manufacturer’s website.

This is where the ND filters come in, and is an alternative for those systems that don’t.

Amazing tutorials. Thank you! (On behalf of many)

There is another way to mess with shutter speeds and apertures.
Some cameras such as my Nikon D70 can synch strobes at speeds up to 1/8,000th.
Remember the old saying: aperture for flash and shutter speed for ambient.
So once we set the correct aperture for the flash output, we can adjust the Nikon D70's shutter speed to make the background as dark as we want.