PB PM said:
For extremely high shutter speeds they don't have much choice, the mechanical shutter would get in the way of the shot too much in the D3 at 1/16000s!

?? The specs show the fastest shutter is 1/8000 ??

Everybody always seems to forget that the D1/D1h/D1X has 1/500 sync too. I still love my D1X for it's 1/500s sync!

heartyfisher said:
Didn't think any current models used electronic shutters..

For extremely high shutter speeds they don't have much choice, the mechanical shutter would get in the way of the shot too much in the D3 at 1/16000s!

We keep the old D40 around for exactly the same reason. Things can get unpredictable exposure-wise at super high sync speeds because of flash duration (exposure needs to be at least as long as the flash duration to get the rated output), but it's a fun thing to have when you want to play with it... The 1/500 true sync speed of the older "DXX" series is really nice. D300 is close with 1/320 sec. - it may be FP trickery but it works great.

I'm pretty sure they dumped the old electronic shutter because of the way the system handled hot spots in the exposure. They don't just loose detail, they can become large, misshapen blobs. Take a picture with the sun in the frame and you'll see. My D300 is much better.

PB PM said:
Auto FP is iTTL metering, but there is a lot of power lost, vs. native 1/500s flash sync. The D70, D50 and D40 all used a combination of electronic and mechanical shutters in order to achieve the 1/500s flash sync, while later models do not use the electronic shutter till much higher shutter speeds are achieved.

Didn't think any current models used electronic shutters..

I have the D70 and I have fun using it flash synced at 1/8000 ! Its better than the FP Flash which needs the SB nikon flashes. ie you cant use studio light with FP flash .. unless they are all nikon SB Flashes.

Another nice thing about the D70 flash synced at 1/8000 of a second is that the whole frame is captured at 1/8000 of a second. while the FP synced at 1/8000 still takes 1/250 sec to complete.
One of the reasons I am keeping my D70 for many more years to come.

studio460 said:
Oh. Thanks, PB PM. So, "Auto FP" is like the old "FP," but at least you do get the benefit of i-TTL metering? I just wonder what changed in the newer bodies' shutter designs so that the max sync is limited to 1/250th. I mean, what engineering constraint, or trade-off "made" them give up 1/500th?

I think it was easier with the old CCDs to do that than it is with the new CMOS sensors.

Oh. Thanks, PB PM. So, "Auto FP" is like the old "FP," but at least you do get the benefit of i-TTL metering? I just wonder what changed in the newer bodies' shutter designs so that the max sync is limited to 1/250th. I mean, what engineering constraint, or trade-off "made" them give up 1/500th?

Auto FP is iTTL metering, but there is a lot of power lost, vs. native 1/500s flash sync. The D70, D50 and D40 all used a combination of electronic and mechanical shutters in order to achieve the 1/500s flash sync, while later models do not use the electronic shutter till much higher shutter speeds are achieved.

I didn't think any current Nikon body synched any higher than 1/250th, even when used with an SB-900. Nikon's previous "FP HIgh-Speed" sync mode used to be non-TTL and completely manual (as well as being woefully inefficient with your flash power). Is Nikon's so-called "Auto FP," TTL-controlled?

Actually you can sync higher than 1/250th of a sec. but you gotta use the Nikon CLS if I am not mistaken.

One of the best things about my old Nikon D70 body was its 1/500th of a second flash-synch speed. High-speed, flash-synch is an invaluable feature for easily lowering the contrast ratio on your subjects in bright daylight. Why do none of Nikon's current bodies synch at greater than 1/250th?