Understanding Flash Duration
Want to freeze movement? Flash duration is key.
Flash duration varies greatly between different types of studio lighting. If you’re looking to freeze movement, it’s important to understand its effects.
Here, Karl Taylor explains exactly what flash duration is and the impact it can have on your shot. In a step-by-step demonstration, he shows different studio lights with different flash durations and their ability to freeze movement.
In this class:
- Why flash duration is important
- What impact flash duration has
- When to use fast flash duration
- Measuring flash duration
- Practical demonstrations of different flash durations
- Sync speed vs flash duration
Questions? Please post them in the comments section below.
Comments
Hi Karl!
I was wondering, so the only way to know your measurement is to actually test it?
Why some of the manufacturers don’t mention this in the product details?
I could only find my flash duration. I guess I have to see where I belong doing the test.
Hi, All flash manufacturers (studio flash) should state what their flash duration is somewhere in their specifications. This will be listed as a t0.5 or a t0.1 measurement but remember as I pointed out in this video don’t be fooled by t0.5 measurements.
Alright! Thanks a lot!
Hi Karl
is the cut-off technology another name for IGBT (Insulated-Gate Bipolar Transistor)
Thank you.
Ha Ha that’s out of my league! You’d have to check with an electronics expert at broncolor for that. 🙂
I got the answer!, the IGBT technology/shortened flash duration has a T-mode for a strobe called Dynalite Baja, there’s a setting from T.1 to T.6
T.1 = 1/12800s
T.2 = 1/6400s
etc
This is an eye opening lecture…….. Thanks for this great information.
I would like to know the measure of Speedlight’s flash duration…….. Is it t0.5 or t0.1?
Thanks Karl
Hi Speedlites when on half power or less can be very fast even for a t0.1 measurement. The problem though with them is they are quite weak in power to get the fastest speeds.
Hi Karl,
This is an amazing tutorial, but it could have been a bit better if you compared it also to speed lights. I tried my Canon 580 EX ii to freeze some water splashes even at 1/128 but still noticed some blur, I wonder what I could do to get it absolutely frozen.
Many thanks Karl.
Hi Aby
Then its not the flashduration… Its rather do to focus-problem…
580 EX II flashduration is fast… So somewhere around 1/16-1/32 of power should be more than enough to freeze watersplashes
This is at T0.1
1/1 = 1/250
1/2 = 1/919
1/4 = 1/2066
1/8 = 1/3759
1/16 = 1/6024
1/32 = 1/9470
1/64 = 1/14000
1/128 = 1/20000
Dear Karl
Quick question, the t 0.1 is it also called freeze mode?
thank you and regards,
Hi, No the t0.1 simply refers to a the type of measurement used to measure how short the flash burst is capable of achieving.
Hi Karl, just a quick question. If I am using a flash and would like to capture the motion blur in the picture with let’s say a Profoto mono-block. What are the settings/ tricks to achieve this?
You’ll learn that in this class https://visualeducation.com/class/shutter-speeds-and-apertures-to-flash/
Dear Karl,
If I could give 7 stars I will..such a professional level..and having you as my first teacher in these journey I must be very very lucky.
I have a question regarding my next purchase for a flash , I will use it mostly for shooting food photography , Could you please give me your advice in the product bellow :
LUMI 400 II 800Ws
6 f-Stop Power Range with 30 step adjustment from 5.0 to 8.0 in increments of 0.1
Fast Recycling times
Flash Duration of up to 1/2000s (Dependant on flash output)
I don’t have big budget a big budget to start but I do want have good quality photography
Thank you again
Lili
Hi Lili, You won’t really need fast flash duration for most food photography, not unless you plan to start throwing liquids around! 800W is plenty of power for food shots too. I’d prefer more than 6 stop range incase I want to shoot really shallow depth of field but that is easily overcome by putting a high quality 3 stop ND filter on the lens instead. Check on the LEE IR ND range for the best ND glass.
Dear Karl,
Thank you very much for your help, consedering the light , how many lights I need? is it best to have 2 lights or 3 lights?
Thank you again
Lili
Hi Lili, you can do great things with 2 lights but 3 lights would be my personal minimum as it multiplies the possible lighting solutions exponentially.
Hello Mr.Karl
Hope you are fine
thanks for this great tutorial
But I have one question if you don’t mind
I have a Godox Strobe light and its flash duration 1/2000~1/800s
Can you explain this to me please …?
Thank you
Hi Ghufran, well it sounds as if the fastest flash duration on this Godox light is 1/2000th of second and that the slowest is 1/800th of a second. But you should check if that is a t0.1 measurement (which if it is then good) or if it is a t0.5 measurement which if it is then means it’s not as fast as shown.
good explanation!
i never looked so consciously at the duration (burning time) of my flashes. when buying a new one, i shall now pay attention to this!
Hi Mamophoto, great but keep in mind this is only really relevant if shooting fast moving subjects.
Hi Karl, I’m not sure if my concept is correct. For example I want to shoot with full power which t=1/200, is it mean that my shutter speed can’t faster than 1/200?
And think it further, is it no limit for shutter speed if I turn to HSS mode? E.g. shutter speed 1/4000 at full power t=1/200
Many thanks
Hi Chiu, if you are saying that the flash duration will be 1/200th of a second at full power then if you use any shutter speed on the camera that is faster than that then you will be reducing the power of the flash because you will be cutting away some of it’s light. So for example if you used 1/400th of a second (assuming all other synchronisation was OK) then you would loose half the power of the flash.
Hello Karl! I just signed up on your website as I want to build my skills better than they are now, and look at trying some different things. I had heard a lot of information on flash duration and wasn’t too concerned about it but I do like to learn new things. It appears that duration can be quite important! I currently have a pair of Xplor 600 strobes and was looking at the specifications. The duration is listed as 1/220 to 1/10000 second (T0.1) so I am assuming, if what I heard in the video correctly is true, then the duration at the lowest power setting would be 1/10000 and at full power it would be 1/220?
Hi William, yes your logic is correct on how the duration works in relation to power. With more expensive packs you retain a very fast flash duration at reasonable power and consistent colour, I’m not familiar with this particular light as I’ve not used it but I’ve seen some positive reviews.
I really do like the light itself. It uses a common Bowens mount for modifiers, which is a popular mount. The one thing that is very different from the ones you have been using in the videos is the power level, and power adjustment. The ones you have show power levels from 2.0 to 10.0 (Excluding the really nice one you have that can go down to .2) The Xplor 600 goes from 1/256 power level to 1:1 power level on the dial, in 1/3 increments. So it would go from 1/256 to 1/256 + 1/3. Then +2/3, then 1/128. I do like how your lights are more intuitive to making adjustments. Need to add 1 stop of light? Go from 6.0 to 7.0 for example. And yours can go in .1 increments. I do like that you have a LOT more fine tuning available than mine. From 1 stop to another I have only 2 increments. You have 9.
As mentioned there is a lot having to do with cost and features. The Siros for example are about $1500 each and don’t come with a power supply/controller. The ones I have are $600 each with built in battery pack. If I were to start my own studio I would certainly look into those Siros lights for in-studio use!
Hi William, the Siros are certainly more expensive but I’m not sure what you mean by a ‘power supply/controller’ the Siros are available as either battery powered or mains powered. Cheers Karl.
My apologies. I thought the Siros were only available with external power supply. Thanks for the information!
Maybe you can help? garage set up, at night, white back ground, model light off, others lights off dark, im using calumet/bowen travel 750r 1/600 duration, im throwing stuff in air to freeze motion, peanuts, licorice, moving hands etc. and its all blurry, when i stand there im not but my hand movement is and the falling stuff, so why if you can tell me, can’t i freeze the little bit of motion im introducing. im shoot 1/100 f8 iso 100
Hi David, the first thing to check is if when you take the flash trigger off and just shoot with the camera and no flash if any ambient light is being recorded. If your pictures come out totally black then great that means you have no light pollution. If you have ambient light pollution increase your shutter speed until it’s gone (or you reach your maximum sync speed). Then put your flash back on and if the problem persists then this means the flash duration is not fast enough. Many flash systems claim durations higher than they can actually achieve so you will have to run some tests with the flash at lower power settings to see if the duration of the flash improves, and/or compare to a Speedlite on quarter power or less which usually have quite fast durations.
Now that had cleared up a lot of things for me now no wonder with my bowing lights I could of not get sharp images at low power and fast moving subject…… thanks
This is the best tutorial i have heard on this subject!
The flash duration is quicker at lower settings so instead of closing down you could push iso (No too much) or bring the light closer. the Scorro on minimum power is 1/10 000 of a second i think!
Well done
thanks Karl!
Im really enjoying your tutorials learning a whole lot more than I had been with a variety of youtube vids and books alone.
Could I ask what would you suggest as the maximum useful dimension of softbox for a single speedlight do you think 60cm like the costly Westcott Rapid Box
Hi John, i’d get the biggest softbox you can, as long as it as got an internal diffuser about half the depth in of the softbox and you set your speedlite to wide-angle then it should do a decent job. Bigger softboxes are more versatile as you will learn as you progress through this course.