Sony A6000 high speed flash

[Labrat1955]

This is a pretty simple question: Is it possible to use high speed flash synch with a Sony A6000? I have a Nissin i40 flash unit, which is SO MUCH better than the pop up flash. It has a high speed synch function, but as far as I can tell, there's no way to set the shutter speed any higher that 160th once the flash is mounted. Am I missing something, or is it just not possible?

[LiveShots]

I think 1/160 is the limit for the a6000.

[Pieter]

1/160 is the limit for normal flash, but high speed sync works with the Nissin i40. Make sure you set your flash settings in camera to high speed instead of front/rear curtain sync. I did have some trouble though with the i40 in high speed mode, as it would sometimes not perfectly sync with the camera. It would flash on exposure but the image sometimes came out totally dark or only the top/bottom half of the image exposed properly. Resetting camera and i40 usually solved this for the next couple of shots.

Edited March 8, 2019 by Pieter

[Labrat1955]

On 3/8/2019 at 10:36 AM, Pieter said:

1/160 is the limit for normal flash, but high speed sync works with the Nissin i40. Make sure you set your flash settings in camera to high speed instead of front/rear curtain sync. I did have some trouble though with the i40 in high speed mode, as it would sometimes not perfectly sync with the camera. It would flash on exposure but the image sometimes came out totally dark or only the top/bottom half of the image exposed properly. Resetting camera and i40 usually solved this for the next couple of shots.

Hi Pieter. For a moment there, I thought you had solved my problem! However, when I go to the camera menu to change flash settings, the high speed option you mention isn't there.

[Pieter]

37 minutes ago, Labrat1955 said:

the high speed option you mention isn't there.

Sorry, I messed up there, did it out of memory which apparently let me down. The option is indeed not in the camera, it's hidden in the flash unit itself. Put the flash on and in auto (A) setting. Now press and hold the colored LED next to the power button for about 4 seconds. The white LED next to the (A) wil start blinking, which means the flash is in HSS mode. On your camera you'll now see that shutterspeeds faster than 1/160 are unlocked.

Dotake note that the flash power goes down in HSS mode as it fires a relatively long burst rather than 1 very short high power flash. Only part of the long burst is recorded by the camera sensor instead of the full flash.

[Labrat1955]

On 3/16/2019 at 5:54 PM, Pieter said:

Sorry, I messed up there, did it out of memory which apparently let me down. The option is indeed not in the camera, it's hidden in the flash unit itself. Put the flash on and in auto (A) setting. Now press and hold the colored LED next to the power button for about 4 seconds. The white LED next to the (A) wil start blinking, which means the flash is in HSS mode. On your camera you'll now see that shutterspeeds faster than 1/160 are unlocked.

Dotake note that the flash power goes down in HSS mode as it fires a relatively long burst rather than 1 very short high power flash. Only part of the long burst is recorded by the camera sensor instead of the full flash.

Hi once again Pieter. Many thanks for taking the time to reply. I have done as you described, but sadly the shutter speed is still limited to 1/160.

[Pieter]

Does the white LED on the i40 start blinking while the flash is mounted on your a6000, whith the camera on? If so the problem should be in the flash settings of the camera. Try changing those a bit (set flash mode to fill instead of rear or front curtain), maybe reset the i40 if it doesn't work the first time. It really should work that way.

Maybe also check this movie for reference:

 

[Labrat1955]

Hello again Pieter. Yes, indeed, the white LRD does blink, as it should. I have tried all the flash settings in the camera, and nothing makes a difference. I'm beginning to think there's a fault with my camera.