HSS Sync Issue on R6 Mark II with XPro-C and AD600 Pro - Black Bar bottom of image

[cyc101]

Hi everyone,

I’m encountering a couple of issues with my flash setup and could really use some help. The primary issue is a black bar at the bottom of the image when using High-Speed Sync (HSS), and I’ve also noticed that ETTL doesn’t work at all.

Here’s my setup:

Camera: Canon R6 Mark II
Trigger: Godox XPro-C
Flash: Godox AD600 Pro
Everything is up to date, including firmware for the camera, trigger, and flash. I’ve been testing primarily in manual mode since ETTL doesn’t work. Despite all configurations being correct, the sync issue persists.

What I’ve tried:

HSS Enabled: Confirmed on both the XPro-C and AD600 Pro.
Shutter Settings: Using Mechanical Shutter and Electronic First Curtain (not fully electronic).
Shutter Speeds: Shooting faster than 1/250s to activate HSS.
Channels and Groups: Verified match between the trigger and flash.
Manual Mode: Testing exclusively in manual since ETTL doesn’t work at all.
Even in manual mode, the black bar issue remains at the bottom of the image during HSS. I’m not sure if this is a compatibility issue with the R6 Mark II or a setup problem I’m missing.

Has anyone else had a similar experience with the R6 Mark II, XPro-C, and AD600 Pro? Any insights or fixes would be much appreciated!

Thanks in advance!

[shadowsports]

Greetings,

Let me ping our flash gurus.  

[deebatman316]

Godox speedlites set to E-TTL and HSS aren’t compatible they’ll cause exactly what the OP describes. This problem dates back to the original EOS R. So the fix is to use a Canon speedlite or another 3rd Party speedlite.

[cyc101]

Thanks for responding deebatman316, but is this also true when using Manual mode? From what I have read E-TTL is a problem with HSS but what about manual mode?

[deebatman316]

Your speedlite is NOT COMPATIBLE with the EOS R series when using E-TTL and HSS/ FP flash. This problem dates back to the original EOS R. The black bands are the shutter curtains. Those are visible because your flash is set past x-sync speed which is usually 1/200th or 1/250th sec. When a flash is set to HSS it pulses to avoid the shutter curtains from being visible. But at the cost of less power and distance. 

[deebatman316]

It also appears to be a problem with manual flash too. Especially with higher shutter speeds. To ensure the camera is working correctly use a Canon speedlite. If it doesn’t happen the 3rd Party speedlite is the problem. 

[renatolainho]

Hello deebatman! 

I'm having this annoying issue, while photographing macro subjects with both my Canon R5 and R6 and a godox TT685 flash in high speed sync mode sometimes I had banding on the photos, sometimes no! I think it depends on the shutter speed and also de background texture ( that makes it more or less notable ) for me I think it starts above 1/500 sync speed but I havent made tests yet, I came online and found this thread. After reading your replies, I will buy a canon Speedlite 430EX III-RT to fix this issue ( is this a good model for HSS and off camera flash?) It ruined me a few weeks of work because I was only reviewing the images on the camera and when I got to filtering stage on the computer I was super bummed to find this out.. Here there's an example! Flash at 1/4 power, HSS mode, 1/4000 shutter speed and ISO 1600  

Thanks in advance! 

[deebatman316]

The 430EX III-RT is a great flash for off camera use. You’ll need to use a Canon trigger such as the ST-E3-RT. Godox triggers are NOT COMPATIBLE with Canon’s wireless flash system. 

[renatolainho]

Hello! THanks for the reply! Just to make sure, if I use 430EX III-RT flash I will be able to do HSS without banding, correct? 

[deebatman316]

Yes.