Using flash above 1/200
Recently while taking some drop photos, I wondered whether I could increase the shutter speed past 1/200. With high speed sync, I often took pictures at 1/250 and 1/300 – but I wanted to see if I could exceed it.
I had thought a bit about using a PocketWizard MultiMAX, but after reading through the manual and reading about others’ experiences, it doesn’t seem that it can get me much past 1/300. Therefore I came up with a rather simple idea that amazingly worked.
I setup my MT-24EX on my 180L and used it to trigger to 580EX flashes. The MT-24EX was set as the master and both 580EX flashes (actually one 580EX and one 580EX II) were set as slaves. I placed both 580EX flashes on the end of Wimberley macro brackets – which held the weight fine. I then set the MT-24EX to high speed sync.
The entire camera loaded thus was quite heavy and large. I suspect in the field it wouldn’t be too practical – though a monopod may help things. My goal was basically to blast the subject with light. Since I was watching the kids at home that day, I couldn’t go outside to try with a live drop so I hooked up the hose on the faucet with a rubber band.
