How to use normal studio flashes with Epic?

[Martin Hoppe]

Hello Paul, thanks a lot, unfortunately I can´t have a look myself, I don´t own a RED. If you can make it work somehow, please post it here. I will go for the sync signal now, this way at least I know I have a signal per frame. Thanks!

 

[Martin Hoppe]

Hello girls & guys,

almost one year ago I was starting this thread to find out whether it is possible to use a RED as XXL replacement for a DSLR with the opportunity to fire flashes while filming.

I never worked with a RED until now, but it was said last year, that there would be an extension or development that would provide a normal PC-Sync-Trigger for firing a photographic studio flash each frame shot by the RED while in filming (or very fast burst?) mode.

Does anyone know if this has really happened? I still would love to find a camera that shoots e.g. 120 fps while making it possible to use studio flashes for lighting.

Thanks a lot! Martin

 

[TheBied]

Hello girls & guys,

almost one year ago I was starting this thread to find out whether it is possible to use a RED as XXL replacement for a DSLR with the opportunity to fire flashes while filming.

I never worked with a RED until now, but it was said last year, that there would be an extension or development that would provide a normal PC-Sync-Trigger for firing a photographic studio flash each frame shot by the RED while in filming (or very fast burst?) mode.

Does anyone know if this has really happened? I still would love to find a camera that shoots e.g. 120 fps while making it possible to use studio flashes for lighting.

Thanks a lot! Martin

The functionality is still very limited, but you can trigger a PC-Sync flash by assigning a key to 'Strobe: Trigger'. You'll want to have the camera set at 360 deg shutter.

 

[David Kuhn]

I've still not heard anyone mention what voltage was safe for the PC-Sync connection... while it's technically just a switch closure I believe you still need to take care to insure the strobe trigger circuit voltage is within a range acceptable to the camera.

 

[TheBied]

I've still not heard anyone mention what voltage was safe for the PC-Sync connection... while it's technically just a switch closure I believe you still need to take care to insure the strobe trigger circuit voltage is within a range acceptable to the camera.

The PC-Sync connection is an output from the camera to the flash.

 

[Paul Kalbach]

The functionality is still very limited, but you can trigger a PC-Sync flash by assigning a key to 'Strobe: Trigger'. You'll want to have the camera set at 360 deg shutter.

I've triggered strobes while shooting motion by assigning a key to 'Strobe: Trigger', but is there a way to trigger a single frame record along with a strobe simultaneously?

The PC-Sync connection is an output from the camera to the flash.

Do you mean don't worry about the voltage of the flash?

 

[TheBied]

I've triggered strobes while shooting motion by assigning a key to 'Strobe: Trigger', but is there a way to trigger a single frame record along with a strobe simultaneously?


Do mean don't worry about the voltage of the flash?

We'll be working the Strobe: Trigger into the Burst capture mode.

 

[Christopher Barrett]

I've still not heard anyone mention what voltage was safe for the PC-Sync connection... while it's technically just a switch closure I believe you still need to take care to insure the strobe trigger circuit voltage is within a range acceptable to the camera.

Unless your using direct sync connections to your strobe, you shouldn't have to worry about this. Radio slaves are way safer to connect to your camera than, say 1980's Balcar. I've given up on strobe with the Epic and just shoot with HMI's but I did have success just rolling the camera and then triggering the flash with my radio slave. I would usually get full flash on one frame and half flash on the next frame.

 

[Ulf Krentz]

I´ve tried broncolor scoro packs and was able to program a sequence of flashes and start it with the EPIC PC-sync. I´m not sure any more but I had at least 50 frames which were all timed correct. Because of the ultra sharp freeze of motion that is resulting from the short flash duration it had a very strange look but nothing that kept me working on it further more.

Cheers, Ulf

 

[David Kuhn]

The PC-Sync connection is an output from the camera to the flash.

It is indeed an output signal... but the signal is a 'switch closure' (the equivelant of having two wires in your hand and touching them together when you want the flash to fire). The flash provides a (generally) low voltage to one of the connection pins, and the camera triggers the flash by shorting that pin to the other pin on the connector. Genearlly a relay type short doesn't care what the voltage is as long as it's not enough to weld the contacts... but many cameras use an IC to handle the circuit - and that may have voltage limits (above which you blow out the chip).

Christopher's suggestion to avoid a direct connection would prevent any potential problems... since I've not heard any spec's from RED regarding the PC-Sync voltage limit - I'd recommend going that route.

 

[Maheel R Perera]

May be reviving an old thread.

Is there a way to connect to a high speed strobe when using high speed (240 fps).

 

[Ulf Krentz]

AFAIK, nothing new here. You can have the single "start" trigger via the PC port or extract the signal continuously from the sync out, this would probably be a some custom made box.
But I´d like to know where where to find a strobe for 240fps that additionally will provide a constant light output from flash to flash.

 

[Jeff McCoy]

Is there any way to trigger a flash with a Weapon CF?

 

[Ulf Krentz]

Unfortunately, at least to my understanding there is no module yet that would be equipped with an X out like with the old Sidehandle. You could try to extract a trigger from the sync out and a tally signal. I would be glad to stand corrected.

Cheers
Ulf