Hi D810 users,A question for studio photographers:(or any one else who knows:))I'm a studio fashion photographer, and use strobes for most of my work.The flash sync speed of the d810 is 1/250 according to Nikon specs,But when using studio strobes, at 1/250 half of the frame darkens.And at 1/200 its all fine and bright.To my understanding, until 1/250, the exposure should not be affected.Iv attached 2 untouched consecutive frames from yesterdays shoot, one at 1/250 and one at 1/200. The difference is huge.What is your experience in this?Thank you!

Some studio flash units are not as "quick" as Nikon hot shoe units and require shutter speeds longer than 1/250. Longer shutter speeds for flash are easily set in the menus. Some old studio flash units benefit from as slow as 1/125.Is the light fall off on the right intentional? If not the flash timing is a little out of sync with the shutter fully open timing. This can be an issue with older studio flash units.

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Same with my D800 when I use Phottix radio triggers with Nikon speedlights. I have to drop the shutter speed to 1/200 or 1/160. I think what you are experiencing is normal.

The effective studio strobe sync speed is 1/200th of a second. However when using a TTL HSS flash like the GODOX AD600 TTL the HSS speed is up to 1/8000th of a second which I do own and use.

Even at 1/200 that gradient looks unacceptable. It must be something with the strobe or the trigger, this is the kind of result you would expect when you go to shutter speeds faster than x-sync (without auto-FP or HS).I shoot a D800, not D810 (but I doubt they made it worse) and I can actually get the frame covered up to 1/320. I shoot at 1/250 for safety all the time, no problem.

That's "radio delay." Basically, when the camera fires it sends the "flash fire" signal at the same time...that has to travel to the strobe, the strobe has to interpret the signal, and it has to react/fire. There is typically a delay in this process and it is more significant with radio triggers. The "safe sync speed" for off camera flash (non-TTL) is typically about 1/160.

I have the same experience with my D810 and studio strobes. I have settled on 1/160 as the sync speed.

SKersting66 wrote:That's "radio delay." Basically, when the camera fires it sends the "flash fire" signal at the same time...that has to travel to the strobe, the strobe has to interpret the signal, and it has to react/fire. There is typically a delay in this process and it is more significant with radio triggers. The "safe sync speed" for off camera flash (non-TTL) is typically about 1/160.Yes but it depends on the trigger. I shot 1/250 with a D810 quite easily with Elinchrom triggers (and lights)

Nikonparrothead wrote:SKersting66 wrote:That's "radio delay." Basically, when the camera fires it sends the "flash fire" signal at the same time...that has to travel to the strobe, the strobe has to interpret the signal, and it has to react/fire. There is typically a delay in this process and it is more significant with radio triggers. The "safe sync speed" for off camera flash (non-TTL) is typically about 1/160.Yes but it depends on the trigger. I shot 1/250 with a D810 quite easily with Elinchrom triggers (and lights)Same here, with Elinchrom and now with broncolor (which as I mentioned works up to 1/320 even, Elinchrom might be similar)Guess we found one good reason to use well-known brands that you never really hear about.

You only need 1/200 or 1/250 for HSS or when you use pocket wizards and a Nikon SB flash like the 910's that I use with the TT1 and TT5 combo like I do for the same stuff you shootPast that 1/200 is all you need the 3rd selection from the top at least on the D750 I assume the D810 is the same.

As many people have said it's likely the triggers and possibly a combination of your triggers and strobes.  What are you using?I have used Phottix  and Paul Buff triggers and never really had an issue with either off-camera speedlights or my Paul Buff Einsteins.

I Have a strobe combination of Profoto compact and an old brand.my radio triger isnt the latest and greatest, so I did a sync cable test with the Profotocompact, and got the same resolt.The Profotos are 7 or 8 years old, and could be that its ether them or both with theradio triger. I smell an upgrade comming up..Thank you all for sharing your advice.Guy

In D810, 1/250s and 1/320s are high speed sync  - you can't sync using ttl and you have to use a hs capable trigger (pocket  wizard and many other are capable) - in addition, you should not use ttl unless your trigger and lights are ttl capable. Also, why do you really worry about a sync speed? Especially in fashion you are using a light speed as a shutter (most decent lights  will have a flash duration higher than 1/250s (t .1) - you only really use sync when you need more power or exact control over light intensity (can be just as effective on manual sync)...

jjconstantine wrote:In D810, 1/250s and 1/320s are high speed sync - you can't sync using ttl and you have to use a hs capable trigger (pocket wizard and many other are capable) - in addition, you should not use ttl unless your trigger and lights are ttl capable. Also, why do you really worry about a sync speed? Especially in fashion you are using a light speed as a shutter (most decent lights will have a flash duration higher than 1/250s (t .1) - you only really use sync when you need more power or exact control over light intensity (can be just as effective on manual sync)...I use the GODOX X-1N and X-1R with my strobes. HSS of course.

michaeladawson wrote:As many people have said it's likely the triggers and possibly a combination of your triggers and strobes. What are you using?I have used Phottix and Paul Buff triggers and never really had an issue with either off-camera speedlights or my Paul Buff Einsteins.Me too.  Full camera flash sync with PCB transmitters and strobes.  Same with my Quantums.