External high speed shutter

J

jdeg

^ broke something
Staff member
I had previously not heard of such a thing. I was searching for gadgets to test the MIOPS trigger and found this: https://www.cognisys-inc.com/products/high-speed-shutter/high_speed_shutter.php

It seems like a roundabout, and expensive way to do it, but if you really need an exposure to go take the millisecond that you tell it to you need something like this.

Here's an example of how it could be setup with an insect rig:
insect-rig-side-view.jpg

which goes for $2,349 ::what::(it looks like you're ready to incinerate the bug, but those are just laser sensors)

more info


I'm curious if anyone has used something like this and if there are cheaper alternatives out there?

One issue I'm running into is actually triggering the flash which is looks like this gets around. The sync speed is only 1/250 which causes even more delay in the shutter. The MIOPS does have a flash pc sync out, so maybe I'll play with that a bit, but I do need an adapter for my sb-700.
 
Scott Murray

Scott Murray

Senior Member
jdeg said:
I had previously not heard of such a thing. I was searching for gadgets to test the MIOPS trigger and found this: https://www.cognisys-inc.com/products/high-speed-shutter/high_speed_shutter.php

It seems like a roundabout, and expensive way to do it, but if you really need an exposure to go take the millisecond that you tell it to you need something like this.

Here's an example of how it could be setup with an insect rig:
insect-rig-side-view.jpg

which goes for $2,349 ::what::(it looks like you're ready to incinerate the bug, but those are just laser sensors)

more info


I'm curious if anyone has used something like this and if there are cheaper alternatives out there?

One issue I'm running into is actually triggering the flash which is looks like this gets around. The sync speed is only 1/250 which causes even more delay in the shutter. The MIOPS does have a flash pc sync out, so maybe I'll play with that a bit, but I do need an adapter for my sb-700.
Click to expand...
Look at the NERO triggers, they have a laser sensor and a sound sensor etc. They can also run a lead to a flash.
 
W

WayneF

Senior Member
Their write up seems to be an actual shutter mounted in front of the lens. It does not have to measure exposure timing (the flash does that), it only has to open quickly. Better cameras with better faster shutters have less lag time. I measure 114 ms lag for a D70S, and 54 msec for a D300 (have not tried the D800). Lag time is not for the mirror, or at least, it measures the same with mirror up. I can't believe shutter speed affects lag, but shutter does have to pass the flash. Working in dim surroundings (so the fast flash is effective) doesn't really matter how slow the shutter might be. The shutter speed is just a window duration to catch the flash. If you make shutter too fast, the narrow window complicates catching the flash.

Shutter lag does depend on the displays. The Rear LCD must be OFF, and the viewfinder must be ON. Shutter button half press does this, and is necessary before the timer is started (two hand operation). Must be low priority and takes the camera computer awhile to manage them. If otherwise, shutter lag is much longer, and quite variable. But if Rear LCD is off and viewfinder is on, D300 is 54 msec every time, repeatable forever (actually 52 msec, but I add 2 msec for a safety factor window).

Grandiose expensive solutions are great for the seller, but I cannot image 54 msec matters to either the insect or the human photographer. Our reflexes are in the order of 1/4 second. Automatic trigger schemes can bypass that. But there are other ways then.

I have the Cognisys Stop Shot for use with water drop splashes. It has three timers in it, and multiple input/outputs, so you can time for the water drop valve flow duration, and for the falling drop delay (trigger shutter then), and the shutter lag time before triggering the flash. Last two added is the actual drop delay. It works very well, but is a bit pricey. My writeup at Shako Solenoid Valve for Water Drop Collision Photography
 
Last edited:
J

jdeg

^ broke something
Staff member
Scott Murray said:
Look at the NERO triggers, they have a laser sensor and a sound sensor etc. They can also run a lead to a flash.
Click to expand...

Right, MIOPS = NERO trigger. Actually the NERO was renamed "MIOPS NT"

WayneF said:
Their write up seems to be an actual shutter mounted in front of the lens. It does not have to measure exposure timing (the flash does that), it only has to open quickly.
Click to expand...
Right, the camera is just in bulb mode.

And thanks for explaining a little more and providing the writeup.
 
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