Stroboscopic Flash

When using stroboscopic flash with a slow shutter speed, you can shoot multiple successive movements within a single picture, similar to stop-motion pictures.

With stroboscopic flash, set the flash output, number of flashes, and flash frequency (number of flashes per second = Hz). For the maximum number of continuous flashes, see "Maximum Number of Continuous Flashes".

  1. Select MODE with the joystick.

  2. Set the flash mode to MULTI.

    • Press the joystick up, down, left, or right, or turn Select dial and select MULTI, then press the joystick vertically.

  3. Push the joystick vertically to select an item.

    • Push the joystick up / down / left / right, or turn the Select dial to choose either the firing frequency (1), firing count (2), or firing output (3), then push the joystick vertically.

  4. Set the value.

    • Push the joystick to the left or right or turn Select dial to set the value, then push the joystick vertically.
    • Repeat Step 3 and 4 to set the flash frequency, number of flashes, and flash output.

How to Determine the Shutter Speed

To ensure that the shutter stays open until the end of the continuous flashes for stroboscopic flash, set the camera with a shutter speed calculated with the following equation.

Number of flashes ÷ flash frequency = Shutter speed

For example, if the number of flashes is set to 10 (times) and flash frequency to 5 (Hz), set the shutter speed to 2 sec. or longer.

Caution

  • To avoid degrading and damaging the flash head due to overheating, set repeated shooting with stroboscopic flash to 30 times or less. After shooting 30 times, allow a rest time of at least 10 min.
  • If you shoot repeatedly more than 30 times, the safety function will activate and flash firing restriction will be carried out. If this happens, allow a rest time of at least 50 min.

Note

  • When performing stroboscopic flash, combining a highly reflective subject with a dark background is most effective.
  • We recommend using a tripod and a remote switch.
  • Neither 1/1 power nor 1/2 power flash can be set.
  • You can also perform stroboscopic flash even when the camera's shooting mode is set to bulb (Bulb) (bulb shooting).
  • When the number of flashes is displayed as "----", flashes are fired continuously until the shutter closes or the charge runs out. The Maximum Number of Continuous Flashes is shown in the table on the next page.
  • High-speed sync () cannot be set during stroboscopic flash.

Maximum Number of Continuous Flashes

When the number of flashes is displayed as "----" (bar display), the maximum number of flashes is as shown in the table below.

Flash output / Hz 1 2 3 4 5 6-7 8-9
1/4 7 6 5 4 4 3 3
1/8 14 14 12 10 8 6 5
1/16 30 30 30 20 20 20 10
1/32 60 60 60 50 50 40 30
1/64 90 90 90 80 80 70 60
1/128 100 100 100 100 100 90 80
1/256 100 100 100 100 100 100 100
1/512 100 100 100 100 100 100 100
1/1024 100 100 100 100 100 100 100
1/2048 100 100 100 100 100 100 100
1/4096 100 100 100 100 100 100 100
1/8192 100 100 100 100 100 100 100
Flash output / Hz 10 11 12-14 15-19 20-50 60-199 250-500
1/4 2 2 2 2 2 2 2
1/8 4 4 4 4 4 4 4
1/16 8 8 8 8 8 8 8
1/32 20 20 20 18 16 12 10
1/64 50 40 40 35 30 20 15
1/128 70 70 60 50 40 40 30
1/256 100 100 100 100 80 80 60
1/512 100 100 100 100 100 100 100
1/1024 100 100 100 100 100 100 100
1/2048 100 100 100 100 100 100 100
1/4096 100 100 100 100 100 100 100
1/8192 100 100 100 100 100 100 100