Coolpix 8800 and studio flash

I've just purchased a coolpix 8800 and would like to link it via an infrared
device to a multifash studio set up (Elinchrom). I have been unable to find
reference in the manual to any recommended camera setting (it's probably me
that has missed it) for off camera flash. I own a flash meter and can
establish a recommended aperture, but I would welcome a recommendation as to
the speed to select.

 

As far as connecting the flash to the camera, you need something like a
Wein safesync available from B&H. As far as the settings, I would set
the shutter at 1/100 sec and the aperture as given from the flash meter
as a starter.Check the histogram for fine tuning the apertrure.

 

read the part vin your manual ablout shutter speed and flash.
with studio lighting you would usdually set it
to 1/125 or higher, as directed by your manual.

 

If only the manual contained information about studio lighting, sigh! That's
why I asked the question, the manual fails to offer that information.

 

good answer.
usually, if the flash is the lighting, then set the shutter
to the highest value that your camera will sync to external flash.

if you are mixing lighting, then set the camera
to put the available light where you want it in the exposure,
and then set the flash to the right fill in values.

set the shutter speed less than the sync speed,
and the f-stop to correctly expose the available light.

set the strobe power to match the f-stop.

 

Though I know all of that (thanks anyway, you did not know that have worked
in a studio on and off for a number of years) I was not clear on the sync
speed for the coolpix 8800. If I think about it, then any speed that fails
to record most of the ambiant light will do with a digital camera (though
not with a dSLR). If I set the speed to 1/250 and the f stop to the flash
heads all should work, or am I still being thick?
Regards David

 

does your camera sync to 1/250 second, or to 1/125?

try it.
if only part of the frame is exposed,
your shutter speed is too high.