geotrupede Posted June 1 Share #1 Posted June 1 Advertisement (gone after registration) Hi all, having fun with the profoto trigger (the pro one) and their A10 flash unit. however I am flighting against some inconsistencies in the exposure, during day with high speed synch (1/4000 just because it is possible) and at night. My quick fix is to adjust the flash power up and down with the wheel, retaining TTL, but was wondering if I did something wrong with the metering mode of the M11. Or for example if I had to lock the exposure value of something by half pressing the shutter (I never used auto in my life so all new here). My approach is, ensure that distance to subject is right (so that flash knows the distance), then use average center meter, fire. I should add that I am looking for effects so the background could be underexposed during the day, f4 or so and 1/4000 so that sky is dark and subject is lit, distance about 1m. sometimes it works fine, other times subject remain quite dark. the flash is aiming at the subject, first thing I checked 😉 does any of you have experience with the profoto system? any suggestions, links much appreciated!!! G> Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted June 1 Posted June 1 Hi geotrupede, Take a look here TTL / profoto. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
Sandokan Posted June 1 Share #2 Posted June 1 My preferred technique is to use ND filters on the camera and the normal sync speed, not HSS. Mainly because for most of my time, studio flashes did not have HSS controls with Leica. Good luck but I would guess the inconsistencies are with the multiple flashes required for HSS fading? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
geotrupede Posted June 1 Author Share #3 Posted June 1 could be / definitely there is a power reduction, but one would hope the system would compensate so no overexposure should happen which it does at times. hence my idea it could be to do with the metering system selected, maybe should use the matrix mode? the intended effect is to have the subject brighter than the background, exposed correctly, whilst keeping things a little darker behind. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robert Ardinger Posted June 1 Share #4 Posted June 1 Ran into this issue (off camera flash (Profoto A10 and A2), high shutter speed and RF trigger (Connect Pro) with my Q3 and came to the conclusion that it just won't reliably work well. In the course of sorting things out, did find this in the Q3 manual: "Studio flash systems may have a very long flash firing duration. It may therefore be advantageous to select a slower shutter speed than 1⁄200s when using such a system. The same applies for RF-controlled flash firing for so-called “off-camera” flashes, as the transmission time may cause a delay." I do not have an M11 which may act differently (different mechanical shutter) but did find a very similar statement in the M11 instruction book: " Studio flash systems may have a very long flash firing duration. It may therefore be advantageous to select a slower shutter speed than 1⁄180 s when using such a system. The same applies for RF-controlled flash firing for so-called “off-camera” flashes, as the transmission time may cause a delay” (pg 124 in the pdf copy I used). This is the link to the post about the Q3 but this might not be what you are seeing with the M11. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
geotrupede Posted June 2 Author Share #5 Posted June 2 thanks for the link and very good analysis. I run some more tests, the metering mode set to matrix seems to work best with TTL, night time is ok, when very near an object it can overexpose and if aiming at something not reflective (like water surface) it will cause the power to go to 10. but results are generally ok. I was pleased I could take AUTO away and play with the dial, to adjust, no TTL but practical enough. The idea being once the power is set, distance is retained one could go manual. For HSS, there is a reduction for sure, but I think with TTL the reduction is less than in the past, probably a firmware update has helped there. I will try some more tests with fast shutter. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ivohula Posted June 2 Share #6 Posted June 2 I believe you may asking too much of your A10 as it is only rated at about 80Ws; the HHS taxes the flash into a zone where even more than regular plain sync speed power is required for proper exposure shooting. Any light modifier will reduce output even more. You are asking the flash to out-power the sun. I quite often shoot day for night portraits outside by using a Profoto Connect Pro with a B3 now (750WS max). I set the ambient background exposure manually for the background, depending on how dark I would like it to be, at -1.5 to -3 EV, usually native ISO at 1/200 sec at f11 to f16. Then I let the flash expose TTL for the proper exposure which depends on the modifier and flash to subject distance. Works like a charm with my SL2, or Canon. Having some exposures dark usually means that the flash is not keeping up with the power demanded and the recycle time required to produce the light required. A powerful flash will produce the light light asked of it by the exposure system and will be recycled very quickly to have the power asked of it. A shoe mount flash generally has not the robustness to meet this power demand. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
kiwidad Posted June 2 Share #7 Posted June 2 Advertisement (gone after registration) On 6/1/2025 at 1:54 AM, geotrupede said: Hi all, having fun with the profoto trigger (the pro one) and their A10 flash unit. however I am flighting against some inconsistencies in the exposure, during day with high speed synch (1/4000 just because it is possible) and at night. My quick fix is to adjust the flash power up and down with the wheel, retaining TTL, but was wondering if I did something wrong with the metering mode of the M11. Or for example if I had to lock the exposure value of something by half pressing the shutter (I never used auto in my life so all new here). My approach is, ensure that distance to subject is right (so that flash knows the distance), then use average center meter, fire. I should add that I am looking for effects so the background could be underexposed during the day, f4 or so and 1/4000 so that sky is dark and subject is lit, distance about 1m. sometimes it works fine, other times subject remain quite dark. the flash is aiming at the subject, first thing I checked 😉 does any of you have experience with the profoto system? any suggestions, links much appreciated!!! G> I have never been impressed with any ttl. Figure out the setting in manual flash and use it or you will always get variances. The guy in black shirt and then guy in white shirt. Exposures will vary! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
geotrupede Posted June 3 Author Share #8 Posted June 3 except if you wish to use HSS, you need to use TTL mode. this applies also to the leica flashes. I have a SF58 which is ok, but there is no trigger for that. The only trigger is for the later model, which is a rather old nissin rebranded and huge. but I am told it works. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Photoworks Posted June 8 Share #9 Posted June 8 Just use an ND filter and get your shutter speed to sync speed. that you can be still in TTL. HSS is 1/4 of power of what the flash can do in TTL 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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