High-Speed Sync USA - Photography Terms & Glossary

Glossary Of Photography Terms [1]

High-Speed Sync High-Speed Sync (HSS) is a feature found in many external flash units and camera systems that allows photographers to synchronize their flash units with the camera's shutter at higher shutter speeds than the camera's maximum flash sync speed. Traditional flash synchronization typically limits the shutter speed to the camera's maximum sync speed, which can range from 1/125th to 1/250th of a second, depending on the camera model.

High-speed sync enables photographers to use flash at shutter speeds higher than the maximum sync speed, up to the camera's maximum shutter speed or even faster, allowing for greater control over ambient light and enabling creative lighting effects, such as freezing motion or using wide apertures in bright conditions. High-speed sync is particularly useful in outdoor portrait photography and action photography where high shutter speeds are required to capture fast-moving subjects while using flash illumination.