HSS Flash vs ND Filter | Take and Make Great Photography with Gavin Hoey

Long before we had high-speed sync (HSS) flash there were neutral density (ND) filters which achieved the same results but in a very different way. If your goal is to shoot shallow depth of field portraits on location during the day, then photographer Gavin Hoey has all the information you need to choose which technique will work best for you.

Gavin takes the same set of photos at the same location, twice. First-off he shoots with a 3 stop ND filter (and a 5 stop ND filter) to control the ambient light and keep it within in the flash sync speed limit of his Olympus camera. Then Gavin repeats the shoot using HSS flash and fast shutter speed. After the shoot, Gavin compares both sets of images and reviews his experience shooting old school ND against working with high tech HSS.

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✘ PRODUCTS USED:

Flashpoint Xplor400 Pro

Flashpoint R2 Pro Transmitter

Glow ParaPop 38"

Gobe ND8 - 3 Stop ND Filter

Gobe ND32 - 5 Stop ND Filter

Olympus E-M1 Mark iii

Olympus M.Zuiko 45mm f/1.2

#hss #ndfilter #adorama

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0:00 Intro
1:11 Exposure Settings for ND filter
3:50 ND Filter - Shoot No.2
5:23 Exposure Settings for HSS flash
7:53 HSS flash – Shoot No.2
9:19 Edit and review
10:07 Outro and Subscribe

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Model Jade Lyon

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THANKS SO MUCH FOR WATCHING!

[kennethpreston]

Thank you for proving HHS is a convenience not a necessity. Thanks to YouTube many photographers don't realize you can actually take pictures outdoors with flash and having them turn out beautiful.

[jasonchuc]

Mr. Gavin Hoey, you did it again!
Another great tutorial video.

[ayugboblessing]

This has to be the simplest and the most explanatory video on HSS vs ND FILTER. thank you, Gavin Hoey and Adorama.

[michaelfranzyshen]

This video inspired me to take up wood-chopping. Seriously, great video on HSS!

[hazybrain]

Probably noted here already, but High speed sync really eats your battery power, so you'll get a lot more shooting with the ND filter - worth bearing in mind. Great tutorial - as always !

[dunnymonster]

Always a joy to watch Gavin at work. 😊👍

[richardmendoza]

I never even knew about using an ND filter with flash until recently, so this was quite an informatiive video. I've been practicing more with HSS, & find it quite versatile. With that said, there's always other uses for the ND, so I think I'll pick one up in the near future & play around with it, too. Thanks!

[mannydelossantosproduction]

Perfect timing. Just used a variable ND filter for the first time to take sunset portraits at a sunflower field using off camera flash. Was pleasantly surprised 🙏

[minimcune]

Gavin Hoey must be protected at all costs. What a helpful gem of a human.

[iainblacklockphotography]

I really must remember the TCM option on the trigger. Quite handy for initial tests. Great video as always Gavin

[marksilvester]

Using a strobe in HSS mode will significantly reduce flash output, about half, if you need the flash’s full power ND filters are best.

[Undel]

It’s unfair that we can just like once. Gavin, your videos deserve more than one like!

[BrettDownen]

The Ted Lasso of photography. Great tutorial, thanks for the side by side comparisons!

[basharhijjawy]

Gavin, thank you so much for yet another great video and toturial.
From your closing line, you said that using a mirrorless camera made it easy to use the ND filter because of the intelligent EVF. This means that using the filter with a DSLR will not be so easy as it will be hard to focus and even compose. So as a DSLR user I think HSS Flash is the answer for me.

[BoothKatesPhotography]

Gavin and Jade flash brilliance by filtering the to you both!

[mywildlifestories]

Lovely Gavin. Always admire your work.

[darrindelaporte]

Thanks Gavin! Excellent break down of the processes. May be a good idea to cover the disadvantages of HSS such as limited distance due to power consumption as well as flash overheating issues with multiple shots. The ND filter would not make the flash overheat as much and you will have a longer distance if necessary for the flash to reach. Thanks again.

[erroljs]

4:55 That's not luck, it's experience 😊

[kingsamvisuals]

That bokeh is stunning. Such lovely rendering

[bruceprichard]

Another excellent and informative video Gavin, well done