X100: setting min shutter speed for flash

[daveleo]

I've been using the X100 flash more these days, and the Fuji external unit as well. I notice some pictures have camera movement blur. I have the min shutter speed set to 1/30s,ISO=320, auto ISO turned OFF, aperture = f4.0. Flash set to "slow synchro" mode.
I was expecting the program to take the shutter speed down to 1/30s and if that was not enough to get a good exposure, the flash would fire just long enough to make the exposure work.
However, I am seeing shutter speeds of 1/4s and 1/2s ???

The manual has almost nothing on this topic. I can find nothing in the menus that looks like a solution.

My questions are: how do you set the minimum shutter speed for the "slow synchro" flash mode. Is the "minimum shutter speed" setting under "ISO Auto Control" only active when you have ISO Auto turned on ???

This topic is probably 3 years old to some of you, but I did search here and (hard to believe) came up with zero.

Thanks for your comments.

 

[tomtofa]

The minimum shutter speed will be overridden even in Auto ISO if the exposure requires a longer speed. I think the min shutter speed set in Auto ISO only works if Auto ISO is on.

Here is some discussion from the Fuji-X forum:
http://www.*****************/index.php/topic/7734-how-to-set-minimum-shutter-speed-when-using-flash/
Edit - sorry, the RFF won't take that URL for some reason. If you go to the Fuji X forum and search "how-to-set-minimum-shutter-speed-when-using-flash" it should bring up the thread.

And from a discussion on DPR:
"There is another flash mode when called something like "slow-snycro" where the camera will light the subject with the flash and slow down the shutter to bring in the ambient/background. I have been trying a bit and it does a pretty good job, not great, but ok. Be advise though, it can drop the shutter speed pretty low so have a steady grip on the camera." (typical DPR diversions in this link, but some info here and there):
http://www.dpreview.com/forums/post/51395719

All in all, you should probably try a manual shutter setting rather than depending on a minimum setting (which probably only works with Auto ISO on).

I need to experiment more with this myself. I had some captures like yours the other day (too slow, blurry) with the shutter set to A - it was probably doing the same thing.

 

[daveleo]

Too weird.
Forced flash always uses 1/30s and whatever aperture you set on the lens.
Slow synch flash can go (I have seen) down to 1/2s (possibly lower ?) at the aperture you set on the lens.

The flash behaviour options are mind numbing: try to draw a logic diagram of aperture, ss, Auto ISO on/off, min shutter speed setting fixed/overridden by slow synch, forced flash locks 1/30s - where does ISO & aperture go? - I will keep studying, but so far this is totally counter-intuitive. I am back to manually setting aperture, ss, ISO and turning the flash OFF.

In my mind all of this is created because the slow synch mode overrides your minimum shutter speed setting. Why? Why? Why? do that ?

Okay, I said what I had to say. Love the camera, hate flash photography.


EDIT: Thanks for those links, by the way. There is some good info out there on this topic, I will read up on.

 

[willie_901]

The blurring comes form subject or camera movement. With numerous cameras I have seen subject motion (and camera shake) in flash photos at 1/30 and occasionally at 1/60 sec.

Your life will be simpler if you avoid all automation functions. As you gain experience you can incorporate the automation you actually need.

You probably already know (and this is all you have to know) is the ambient light contribution is controlled by the shutter speed and the flash light is controlled by the aperture. If the ambient light plays any role, with a 1/2 second shutter time, the camera should be on a tripod and the subject has to be static. If the flash light is strong enough, then its short duration freezes all motion.

I only used the X100 using third-party, off-camera flash with no automation whatsoever (except for the wireless triggers). So I don't know if the Fujifilm flash units can be used in full manual mode.

 

[tbhv55]

I've been using the X100 flash more these days, and the Fuji external unit as well. I notice some pictures have camera movement blur. I have the min shutter speed set to 1/30s,ISO=320, auto ISO turned OFF, aperture = f4.0. Flash set to "slow synchro" mode.

If you set the flash to slow-synchro then the camera will attempt to meter as normal (i.e. non-flash), and the flash is then effectively acting as 'fill'. Therefore, if the shutter speed for the (low-light) conditions would be slow without flash, then it will be the same when using slow-sychro.

You would need to switch to another flash mode, in order to prevent the shutter speed dropping to slow speeds, and risking blur. Hope this helps.

 

[daveleo]

Definitely what trapped me was the "min shutter" setting under the ISO select menu. It was a party situation, things were moving fast, I thought that I was safely locked above 1/30s and the flash would fill in as needed. Missed some nice shots - had I left the flash OFF and done my usual "f4 and shoot w/Auto-ISO ON", I would have made it home.

I should stop trying to learn new procedures.

I'll get over it.


Postscript: I've been experimenting more, based on these comments. Manual fstop, ss & ISO is giving me pleasant, consistent results, using the EF-20 flash, bounced and diffused (stofen gizmo) in and around indoors and porch. No fiddling, good party setup, pleasant (if boring) results and no motion blur !

 

[tbhv55]

Postscript: I've been experimenting more, based on these comments. Manual fstop, ss & ISO is giving me pleasant, consistent results, using the EF-20 flash, bounced and diffused (stofen gizmo) in and around indoors and porch. No fiddling, good party setup, pleasant (if boring) results and no motion blur !

Sounds like a winner, then!🙂

 

[willie_901]

...


Postscript: I've been experimenting more, based on these comments. Manual fstop, ss & ISO is giving me pleasant, consistent results, using the EF-20 flash, bounced and diffused (stofen gizmo) in and around indoors and porch. No fiddling, good party setup, pleasant (if boring) results and no motion blur !

It's amazing how simple flash photography can be sometimes. Thanks for the update.