Is there a flash synch delay gizmo for leaf shutters?

I'd like to use a newer Mamiya 6 with off-camera studio electronic flash and a long exposure for ambient light to cause a dark outline around a moving subject. I'd also like the flash to simulate the effect of a rear curtain focal-plane shutter flash synch freezing the action towards the end of the exposure rather than the point where the leaf shutter is first fully open. I think the ambient exposure would be on the order of 1 to 1/4 second.

Is there some sort of commercially available gizmo that would allow me to do this? :confused:

Joe

Ask the subject to move backwards then you can use front curtain sync

A pocketwizard might be your best all 'round solution- I think they have an interval feature that allows you to pop the flash on delay even if you don't have rear curtain sync, but you'd need to dig into their literature or call.

Failing that, a small electronic delay shouldn't be too hard to construct. How much is it worth to ya!

But if you're doing ~1 sec exposures then why not just pop the flash by hand?

Aha, thought so, here is the thing on the pocketwizard....

http://www.pocketwizard.com/HTML/opess/na_rear_curtain_sync.asp

I used to do stuff like that in a very dimly-lit studio, camera shutter locked open on 'B' with a locking cable release, fire the flash with my flashmeter and a pc cord

I don't think there is anything commercially available though I saw an article on the Rochester Institute of Technology website for a do-it-yourself project. The idea was to take a flash hot shoe with sync attachment, then add some circuitry so it worked in reverse. Basically the default state would be closed circuit, so attaching the camera flash would fire it, but then it would set to off. The shutter would open the circuit when it fired, and when the shutter started to close, the sync connection would change state and fire the flash. When I read through it, there was not an indication that it worked exactly like rear curtain sync, though it was enough delay to not work like a curtain opening sync. You might try searching through the DIY articles over at RIT.edu to see if they still have it posted.

There are some of the more expensive power packs that allow setting delayed flash. I think you might find that also on some monolights.

The only delay flash I know about is the Nikon SB-26, which has a delay setting on slave sync. Unfortunately you need another flash to go off to fire an SB-26 on delay. You could do that with a very low power initial flash, then use the SB-26 on delay slave sync to simulate rear curtain flash. While not the same thing, the effect is similar in the results.

Ciao!

Gordon Moat Photography

rear sync

If I where you I will try one of the following
easy one - use a nikon camera F 4 or newer with a sb 24 or newer they have rear curtain sync
that way the flash will go of on a delay if you are using a paker keep it open until flash trips
the hard way - you will have to mod a Packard shutter gule a small thin wire to the blades so the contact is made on the closing face ( before is close of course ) and rig that to a pc sync and connect you ligh to it a small flash can trip other lights
hoe this helps

I would just pop the flash manually. If necessary to get the timing right, you can stop down to lengthen the exposure time.

There are plenty of ways to rig a time delay if you are electronically inclined. Go to the library and check out some electronics textbooks to learn how to construct delay units that will be triggered by the camera. You can make them adjustable or fixed. You can even buy pre-made delay units from a decent electronics store. You just have to get one that it appropriately rated to 1. be activated by the camera, and 2. trigger the actual flash after the delay.

However, I think doing it manually is easier, cheaper, and close enough.

2F/2F

Hmmm. $300 for that PocketWizard thing. Maybe I'll just duct-tape two cable releases together but offset slightly and have one close the flash circuit.

Um, Joe, if you're going to go that route there are dual cable releases with at least one of the cables adjustable. I've had an Olympus (used on Nikons, of course) for over 30 years.

Well yeah it'd be silly to buy a wizard just for this purpose, but they do many other interesting things. Commercial sports shooters adore them. So if you know a sports shooter, chances are he/she has one or two to loan.

I know this is a bit off topic, since the OP is specifically asking about the Mamiya 6 which has a leaf shutter. To that specific request, I cannot give a reasonable answer. Perhaps the Pocket Wizard is the best solution, but I'd call and ask if the delay mechanism on the device is suitable for what you'd want to do before spending ~$200 for the thing.

For any other folks interested in doing something like this on the real cheap, I can offer some help. Rear curtain sync works with my very old and battered Nikon N90s, and it will work with ANY flash unit. I use it with an equally battered Vivtar 283 and the rear sync works like a charm. Set the body to trigger the sync in rear curtain mode and you are done. These bodies can be had on the used market for very little money. If you already have Nikon mount lenses, you are good to go.