Figure 12-6. Slow sync
Rear-Curtain Sync
Rear-curtain sync is the reverse of Front-curtain sync (see
Figure 12-7). The flash waits to fire just before the rear
curtain starts to close. The entire shutter speed time is just
ending when the flash fires. This causes a ghosting effect for
moving subjects in higher ambient light with slow shutter
speeds. You press the Shutter-release button, the front curtain
opens, ambient light starts hitting the sensor, and the sensor
starts recording the subject. As the shutter is about to close,
the flash fires, exposing the subject at its current position. The
subject was fully exposed by the flash at the end of the shutter
speed time, so the ambient light had time to register the
subject before the flash fired, thereby making a blurred ghost
behind or after the well-exposed subject.
Figure 12-7. Rear-curtain sync
My Recommendation: I use Front-curtain sync for normal,
everyday flash. It balances ambient light with flash light.
Switch to Spot meter mode if you want extremely accurate
exposures of a particular subject.
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