How To Use The HSS Feature on The Godox AD200 Pro
- Mike Crompton
- Tutorials
- 27 Oct 2023
- 860views
High-Speed Sync (HSS) is a valuable feature in photography, particularly when capturing fast-moving subjects or shooting in bright conditions where you need to use a wide aperture. The Godox AD200 Pro is a popular flash unit known for its versatility and HSS capabilities. In this tutorial, I'll guide you through setting up and using the HSS feature on the AD200 Pro with your camera to capture crisp images of fast-moving subjects.
1. Understanding High-Speed Sync (HSS):
Before we dive into the setup process, let's understand what HSS is and why it's useful. Traditional flash sync speed is limited by your camera's shutter speed, usually around 1/200 to 1/250 seconds. However, in situations where you need to use faster shutter speeds to freeze motion or achieve a specific creative effect, HSS allows you to synchronize your flash with much higher shutter speeds, such as 1/1000 or even 1/8000 seconds.
2. Equipment Needed:
- Godox AD200 Pro flash unit
- Camera with HSS capability (most modern DSLRs and mirrorless cameras support this feature)
- Appropriate Godox trigger (such as the Godox XPro or X2T series)
3. Setting Up the AD200 Pro:
- Power on your AD200 Pro flash unit.
- Press the "Mode" button until you reach the "HSS" mode. You may need to press it multiple times to cycle through the modes.
- Adjust the power output and other settings as needed using the control dial and buttons on the flash unit.
4. Setting Up Your Camera:
- Attach your Godox trigger to the hot shoe of your camera.
- Turn on your camera and set it to Manual (M) mode.
- Dial in your desired shutter speed. Remember, with HSS, you can use shutter speeds higher than your camera's native sync speed.
- Set your aperture and ISO to achieve the desired exposure.
- Ensure that your camera's flash settings are set to allow for HSS. This varies depending on the camera model, so consult your camera's manual if needed.
5. Synchronizing the Flash and Camera:
- Make sure your Godox trigger is turned on and properly synced with your AD200 Pro flash unit.
- Half-press the camera's shutter button to activate the autofocus and metering.
- Fully press the shutter button to take the shot.
6. Tips for Capturing Fast-Moving Subjects with HSS:
- Use a fast shutter speed to freeze motion effectively.
- Consider using continuous shooting mode to capture a sequence of images.
- Pay attention to your flash-to-subject distance to ensure proper exposure.
- Experiment with different angles and compositions to add dynamism to your shots.
7. Troubleshooting:
- If you encounter issues with HSS not working properly, ensure that both your flash unit and camera are set to HSS mode and that your trigger is properly connected and synced.
- Check your camera's settings to confirm that HSS is enabled.
8. Practice and Experimentation:
Like any photography technique, mastering HSS with the AD200 Pro requires practice and experimentation. Take the time to familiarize yourself with the equipment and explore its capabilities in different shooting scenarios.
By following these steps and practicing regularly, you'll be able to harness the power of HSS with the Godox AD200 Pro to capture stunning images of fast-moving subjects with ease.
For those of you who prefer to watch and learn as opposed to reading, we've searched YouTube and included a video tutorial below which we think is the most useful, special thanks to Touch Life Studio for taking the time to post ausch a detailed video tutrorial.