Multi-Strobe 580EX ll

[Mad Aussie]

Tonight I thought I'd have a play with the multi-strobe setting on my 580EX ll Speedlite Flash.
Again this is my 1st attempt at such a technique so I grabbed the user manual and read up a bit about the settings and grabbed some stuff and headed outside just after dark a few minutes ago.

Nothing fancy here ... just a test shot to see if I understood what I was doing really.

I hung an adjustable spanner ( called 'Shifters' here in Aussie ) from a shade sail we have and swung it.

I set the camera on 1 sec shutter and the flash mode to 'Multi' at 4 flashes at 4hz.

This is the result ....


I have an all night mountain bike race to shoot in a couple of weeks called the 'Dusk Till Dawn 12 hr' and I'm playing with different effects for that event. Hence this Multi-Strobic technique along with the 2nd Sync Flash and Light Painting I've tested and displayed in other threads. Should be fun.


Has anyone else played with this Multi-strobic technique?
If so, I'd love to see some shots.

[Ben H]

Ooh, never played with that mode. Looks like a fun idea...

Thanks for the tip...

[tomorrowstreasures]

i have had my nosed buried in the speedlite system book and am going to be experimenting with this tomorrow - some how i missed this thread tho... is it pretty user friendly? did you use m or ttl? if m - did you use formulas? are they accurate if you did?

[Mad Aussie]

This is the 'Multi' function.

When entering it via the 'mode' button you see 3 settings across the screen.

If I remember right ... they are the strength of the flash ... the number of flashes ... and the hz (flashes per second).

So for that photo of the spanner I had it set on whatever strength (maybe 1/64th say) and on 4 and then 4 hz because I wanted 4 bursts per second. Shutter speed 1 sec.

If I'd wanted say 2 bursts per second and 4 bursts altogether then I would have 4 bursts and a 2hz and set my shutter speed to 2 seconds. So in the first second I would gotten 2 bursts and in the 2nd second I would have gotten the next 2 bursts.

Warning though ... the book warns against doing more than 10 Multi bursts in a row as it can damage the unit. It needs a 15 min break to rest apparently.

[tomorrowstreasures]

i got that confused with more than one flash UNIT - not flashes on one unit. i will be playing with the multi UNITS tomorrow. guess i better hit the book again before playing. i can't remember what i am supposed to have the silly thing set to now. sigh.

[Mad Aussie]

Yep ... you are talking about using multiple strobe units where one is a master and the others are slaves.

[Marko]

I quite like this MA - nice play here. Next time maybe keep the bkgd pure black...just a thought.

[Mad Aussie]

I quite like this MA - nice play here. Next time maybe keep the bkgd pure black...just a thought.

I could have PP'ed it black if I wanted but really this was only about working out the multistrobe function.

I've used this in MTB event photography and sold several photos with this technique. One day I'll find another reason to use it.

[jjeling]

Thanks for the input MA. For some reason I have never thought about using them for applications and effects such as this. For some reason that just didn't register with me.
On a side note, its funn that you call that tool an adjustable spanner or a shifter. Here in the states we call them adjustable wrenches, or monkey wrenches. Hmmmmmm, wonder why? haha

[Mad Aussie]

In New Zealand they are generally referred to as 'Cresents' which was a popular brand for years over there I think and the obvious shape of the jaws.
Shifter is the most popular here in Aussie.

Monkey wrenches are different again over here.