EOS R6 Mark II First-curtain vs second-curtain for 1/2000 or faster

[JCin]

Hello, I have a couple R6MKIIs that I've been using for portrait work. I usually shoot outdoors and with high speed sync. My shutter mode has been electronic 1st curtain. My shutter synchronization has been on second curtain. I shoot in manual mode and shoot faster shutter 1/2000, 1/3200 or so. According to the manual, if the shutter speed is 1/40 sec. or faster, first curtain will be applied automatically even if second-curtain is set. Should I just have the shutter on First-curtain? And the reason I'm thinking about this, is that I'm shooting an event indoors this weekend and will be using mostly on camera flash. My shutter speeds will be probably be under 1/250. Go with First-curtain shutter synchronization? Any other thoughts appreciated.

[Hazel_T · Accepted solution]

Hi JCin,

Setting the shutter sync to first curtain could be helpful just so the setting matches what you are using. With the shutter speeds you are using the camera is going to be doing first curtain synchronization whether you have it set to first or second curtain synchronization. The camera would only use second curtain synchronization if the shutter speed is set to 1/30 of a second or slower. 

[Hazel_T · Accepted solution]

Hi JCin,

Setting the shutter sync to first curtain could be helpful just so the setting matches what you are using. With the shutter speeds you are using the camera is going to be doing first curtain synchronization whether you have it set to first or second curtain synchronization. The camera would only use second curtain synchronization if the shutter speed is set to 1/30 of a second or slower. 

[p4pictures · Accepted solution]

The flash sync can either be 1st curtain, second curtain or HSS. You cannot have HSS with second curtain. As you found in the manual second curtain is actually only possible with slower shutter speeds, 1/30 and slower. If you set the flash sync to be second curtain then  use 1/200 the camera silently uses first curtain without changing the displayed second curtain you set. If your shutter speed goes below 1/40 then it uses second curtain sync. When you shoot at 1/2000 or 1/3200 then high speed sync is used which is not first or second curtain sync.

[JCin]

Thanks for replies, reassuring and then some.