Balancing Light from Dual Inons in sTTL

[DaveCT]

Hi,

I have just switched from years of using a single strobe setup to dual strobes with an Inon S-2000 and D-2000. The strobes are connected by their own fibres to the housing, slaved off the camera's internal flash. I shoot both Av and M modes, setting the flashes to sTTL when shooting Av. I am doing my first dives with this setup in the next couple of weeks.

With a single flash in sTTL I could vary the output via the compensation dial. I have been re-reading and re-reading the dense and cryptic Inon manuals, but I seem to gather that when both flashes are in sTTL it is not possible to adjust the left-right balance via the strobes' respective compensation dials. Can anyone verify this? I will be using the diffuser on the S2000, no diffuser on the D2000, so that will give some differential. Obviously, I can also vary balance by different aiming of the strobes. However, I would still like to understand the effect of a strobe's compensation dial when it is paired with other strobes, all in sTTL.

Thanks for any insight you can give,

Dave

 

[tripntx]

I'm curious and waiting to see the responses to your question. I just went to dual strobe setup as well recently. E-PL1 camera, PT-EP01 housing, ZEN dome, 7-14mm lens, D-2000 on left, and S-2000 on right. Have been only shooting in manual on camera with both strobes set to sTTL. Diffusers on both strobes. Have been turning the compensation down one click on D-2000 and up two clicks on S-2000. Also have the S-2000 maybe an inch closer to housing than D-2000, and I don't point the S-2000 as far off from straight ahead as I do the D-2000. Have only dove with this setup a couple of days so far this year, so I'm still trying to figure out how to properly set it up as well.

 

[bvanant]

Hi,

I have just switched from years of using a single strobe setup to dual strobes with an Inon S-2000 and D-2000. The strobes are connected by their own fibres to the housing, slaved off the camera's internal flash. I shoot both Av and M modes, setting the flashes to sTTL when shooting Av. I am doing my first dives with this setup in the next couple of weeks.

With a single flash in sTTL I could vary the output via the compensation dial. I have been re-reading and re-reading the dense and cryptic Inon manuals, but I seem to gather that when both flashes are in sTTL it is not possible to adjust the left-right balance via the strobes' respective compensation dials. Can anyone verify this? I will be using the diffuser on the S2000, no diffuser on the D2000, so that will give some differential. Obviously, I can also vary balance by different aiming of the strobes. However, I would still like to understand the effect of a strobe's compensation dial when it is paired with other strobes, all in sTTL.

Thanks for any insight you can give,

Dave

Which camera and housing?
Bill

 

[Ardy]

I too am interested in this thread. I used to have a TTL flash which I balanced with a manual flash and that worked well but it took me some time to get it right.

I have been doing my flash stuff manually for years and recently bought an Inon Z240 to go with my SnS 110a and I have been wondering about the same thing. I cannot dive until late May (major back operation) all my above water tests seems to show that it works OK but it is still nagging away at me. As we all know, get yourself underwater and it can all go t's up.

 

[DaveCT]

Hi Bill,

I have moved to a Canon G12 in a Fix housing.

Dave

 

[bvanant]

Hi Bill,

I have moved to a Canon G12 in a Fix housing.

Dave

I will shoot some pics with my system and post them later today.
Bill

 

[Tigershark44]

I was told by an expert that when the strobe is set to S-TTL, the 'normal' power setting is "B", with "A" for + (more light) or "C" for - (less light). In practice, it's easier to either offset the strobe that you want to throw less light (aiming slightly away from the subject), or back it off from the subject (I'm slaving the left strobe from the right, and they always fire at the same power unless I turn one off).