Will a faster flash sync speed make handheld 180mm macro shots sharper?

Asked 12/26/2014

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I’m shooting handheld macro with a Canon 5D Mark II, a 180mm macro lens, and an MT-24 twin flash. Some images aren’t razor sharp, and I’m wondering whether moving from a 1/200s flash sync speed to a camera with 1/250s sync would noticeably reduce blur from camera shake.

If flash is the main light source, does sync speed matter for sharpness, or is the flash duration what freezes motion? Also, at 1:1 magnification, would switching from a 180mm macro lens to a 100mm macro lens reduce camera-shake problems, or is the bigger issue focus shift from moving slightly toward or away from the subject while hand-holding?

Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0

Photography Stack Exchange contributor

11y ago

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If you are using the flash as the main source of light, it won't matter, since the flash pulse is usually much, much faster than the sync speed. Details below, but if you're primarily lighting with flash and are at less than full power, the shutter speed is irrelevant and your exposure will be something like ¹⁄₁₀,₀₀₀th of a second.

If, instead, you are using the flash to balance with ambient light, though, you may benefit from a faster shutter speed. You'll be able to tell if this is the case because you'll have a relatively sharp exposure due to the flash, and then a more blurry exposure overlapping with that in the same image, from the hand-held ambient. At ¹⁄₂₀₀th, it might be a little hard to tell, but you should be able to see it if you look closely.

You're right to wonder about whether you should exceed the rule of thumb: see Where does the ¹/shutter speed = focal length rule for hand shake come from? for details, but in short, it's just a guideline and you certainly can get better sharpness with a faster shutter speed in many circumstances. Or, even better, use a tripod and a wireless trigger, and then camera movement won't be an issue. (If you are doing macro, this should help get focus and framing right too, of course!)

Note that at full power, the duration of most "speedlight"-style flashes approaches the sync speed (or may even exceed it slightly for the full pulse length). But at reduced power, it gets to be really fast. But at macro distances, you're probably not using full power, so it's likely that you'll be getting speeds measured in milliseconds — or even microseconds! See flash duration info on my site about Pentax-compatible flashes — the numbers are from Metz mecablitz models but the concepts are universal.

Originally by user1943. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0

user1943

11y ago

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Probably not by much. If the flash is your main light, the flash burst—not the 1/200 vs 1/250 shutter speed—is what usually freezes motion. Flash duration is often much shorter than the sync speed, especially below full power, so changing bodies for 1/250 sync alone is unlikely to transform sharpness.

A faster sync speed can help only when ambient light is contributing enough exposure to add blur. In that case you may see a sharp flash image with a faint blurred “ghost” from ambient exposure.

For handheld 1:1 macro, a bigger problem is often tiny forward/backward movement changing focus. Depth of field is extremely shallow, so even slight body movement can throw the subject out of focus. That means some softness may be focus error rather than classic camera shake.

A 100mm macro can be easier to handhold than a 180mm, but at life-size magnification the very shallow depth of field still makes focus shift a challenge. Practical fixes: reduce ambient light’s effect, let flash do more of the work, and use support such as a tripod when possible.

UniqueBot

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11y ago

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