how to use hexar af with flash for concert photography

[perudo]

hello,
I have difficulties using my hexar with flash when doing concert photography. I use a flash, but this flash syncs on second curtain and takes too much time to trigger. Furthermore, Iwould like to use it as a fill in flash, not full power.
How should I set it up? Can I use another flash on my hexar?

 

[pvdhaar]

In P-mode, the shutter speed should't drop below the camera shake critical speed that you've set. Keep select pressed for 3 seconds until the camera shake critical speed shows, use up/down to change to a reasonable speed like 1/30 or 1/60. This should work both with and without the HX-14.

You can even do fill with the HX-14 in P-mode, if you've got a Hexar with all functions enabled (look on photo.net's hexar page for the procedure):
- switch from Off to P-mode while pressing SELECT
- keep pressing SELECT and use UP/DOWN for GN selection
- when releasing SELECT, camera displays [PFl].
The GN that you select can be different from 14 to get a fill ratio. Eg. when set to a higher value, the aperture closes down more for the a=GN/distance rule. The down side to this is that the HX-14 still fires at full power, requiring a long recharge time. A more flexible flash unit would be better I guess.

And indeed, you can use other flashes on the Hexar. I've used a Metz with Nikon adapter, and it works; even the flash ready signal is in the same location on the shoe and gives the correct information to the camera. Put the camera in Manual mode (select aperture and shutter speed yourself) and put the flash in auto-aperture. The differences in aperture set on camera and flash determine the fill ratio.

 

[Phantomas]

I do not mean to step on your toes as I respect everyones creative outlook on photography, but please remember that flashes during concerts/shows are freaking annoying to the rest of the public!
I shot quite a few shows and never ever have used flash, not out of purist hey-look-ma-no-flash conviction (something that others are proud of simply because they don't know how to use flash correctly) but because I don't want to disturb the audience and ruin their (and my) experience of music. People are there to watch and hear the band.

 

[perudo]

I do not mean to step on your toes as I respect everyones creative outlook on photography, but please remember that flashes during concerts/shows are freaking annoying to the rest of the public!
I shot quite a few shows and never ever have used flash, not out of purist hey-look-ma-no-flash conviction (something that others are proud of simply because they don't know how to use flash correctly) but because I don't want to disturb the audience and ruin their (and my) experience of music. People are there to watch and hear the band.

🙂 I'm a musician myself, and don't care if people shoot with flash at shows. It never disturbed me.... Those shows I'm speaking of, happen in bars, with ****tiy light, and fill flash is the only way to catch good pictures for me. I tend to take only a few shots this way, not to bother others, but honestly nobody ever complained.

 

[perudo]

In P-mode, the shutter speed should't drop below the camera shake critical speed that you've set. Keep select pressed for 3 seconds until the camera shake critical speed shows, use up/down to change to a reasonable speed like 1/30 or 1/60. This should work both with and without the HX-14.

You can even do fill with the HX-14 in P-mode, if you've got a Hexar with all functions enabled (look on photo.net's hexar page for the procedure):
- switch from Off to P-mode while pressing SELECT
- keep pressing SELECT and use UP/DOWN for GN selection
- when releasing SELECT, camera displays [PFl].
The GN that you select can be different from 14 to get a fill ratio. Eg. when set to a higher value, the aperture closes down more for the a=GN/distance rule. The down side to this is that the HX-14 still fires at full power, requiring a long recharge time. A more flexible flash unit would be better I guess.

And indeed, you can use other flashes on the Hexar. I've used a Metz with Nikon adapter, and it works; even the flash ready signal is in the same location on the shoe and gives the correct information to the camera. Put the camera in Manual mode (select aperture and shutter speed yourself) and put the flash in auto-aperture. The differences in aperture set on camera and flash determine the fill ratio.

I really need to get to know my hexar better,...but this sounds like a solution to me 😉