Mike Last – Hypersync with the broncolor scoro 3200

by broncolor Canada · Published February 6, 2013 · Updated September 7, 2017

Put simply, the Broncolor Scoro is the Bugatti Veyron of power packs. An incredible feat of engineering, it contains more features than any other power pack on the market (speed cycling, intervals, delays). One impressive feature is the ability to control flash duration, right down to the specific T0.1 measurement. While the Scoro is designed to freeze action with exceptionally short flash durations, I wondered if that ability to control them might work in the opposite direction, to lengthen them for Hypersync.

If you’re unfamiliar with Hypersync (or Over-Drive Sync as my preferred trigger, the Phottix Odin refers to it), it’s essentially the opposite of action freezing flash durations. Some great diagrams can be found in an article by Fabio Gloor on the Broncolor blog. Instead of the usual 1/250 camera sync speed, with the 1/1000+ flash duration popping for a split second in the exposure, the duration of the flash is lengthened to beyond the traditional sync speed and the camera shutter speed is pushed to 1/1000 and beyond. The benefit? When used outdoors, it becomes incredibly easy to knock down ambient light and get dark skies without the use of ND filters. This works well on blue sky days or when attempting to pull off some shallow depth of field with f1.4 lenses.

Nikon D800, Sigma 35mm f1.4 Art, Phottix Odin, Broncolor Scoro S, Broncolor Pulso G, Broncolor Unilite. 1/1600 f1.6 ISO100.

On the Scoro S pack, there are options for ‘OPT’ and ‘MIN’. These represent ‘Optimal Colour Output’ and ‘Minimum Flash Duration’. However, when you’re working with Hypersync, long flash durations are ideal to cover the full sensor as the shutter moves across the sensor plane. The minimum flash duration of one head at 5.8 power is 1/4000, and the optimal is 1/1230. By diving into the T0.1 menu on the Scoro, you’re able to dial that right down to a lengthy 1/100.

In testing different combinations and settings, I found full sync was achievable with the Phottix Odin’s as long as the Scoro’s total power was kept above 4.1, which results in a slowest possible duration of 1/350. At the maximum 10.0 power level, a full 3200 w/s, the longest possible duration is 1/215, making full sync up to 1/8000 of a second fully attainable.


1/250 @ f1.6	1/500 @ f1.6	1/1000 @ f1.6


1/4000 @ f1.6	1/8000 @ f1.6

Hypersync does have it’s drawbacks though. When capturing only a small segment of the flash curve, you give up power from the flash. With every full stop decrease in shutter speed, approximately a stop of light is lost from the flashes at the same time. This makes sense as you’re using it more like a continuous light than a proper flash.