{"id":203095,"date":"2015-09-13T09:00:14","date_gmt":"2015-09-13T13:00:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lightstalking.com\/?p=203095"},"modified":"2022-02-22T03:19:52","modified_gmt":"2022-02-22T08:19:52","slug":"flash-synchronisation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lightstalking.com\/flash-synchronisation\/","title":{"rendered":"Flash Synchronisation Demystified"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
One area where newcomers to photography often struggle, is with the use of flash. We might have bought a flashgun with our camera or added one later but to many there seems to be a daunting learning curve to using a flash gun correctly. Guide numbers, power settings, fill in ratios and above all flash sync speeds all add a sense of dread to flash beginners. Today we are going to attempt to demystify one of those elements, flash sync speed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
What is Flash Sync Speed?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n To truly understand this term we need to look at our camera\u2019s shutters and in particular the shutters on DSLR cameras. These cameras use what is known as a focal plane shutter. Effectively this is two curtains that move across the sensor or film plane. As the shutter is released, the first curtain travels up the width of the sensor. At a time interval determined by the shutter speed, a second curtain also travels across the sensor. The gap between the first and second curtain allows the light to hit the sensor and create our exposure. The smaller that gap is, the faster the shutter speed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n