So, I think I took Nemrod's advice ... but still more questions

[pinotscubajack]

I was ready to go for the new Olympus Tough 8000 and the PT-045 housing but didn't know if INON or anyone else supported it for wide angle so... I bought a 1030SW with the PT-043 housing, an INON 28AD base mount, INON 100 28AD wide angle lens and a D2000 strobe (with all the fo connections and cable). My questions are, 1) should I spring for the dome lens for the 28AD WA and 2) what settings should I use on the camera and on the strobe for best results ?

 

[Nemrod]

I will have to reply because I am sure anything with my call sign in it is ignored and will get no replies. But that is such a shame . Now, I don't think I told you to choose that camera over all others, just of the type you were looking at I provided some input that apparently guided your decision to some degree. Now, did I?

That camera should always provide a pre-flash, it is not user selectable. I think you will need to install the magnet into the little hole with the allen screw to tell the D2000 to expect some sort of pre-flash, the D2000 will take it from there.

Now that you have done that, paying heed to the warning in the manual to install or remove said magnet only --ONLY--when the strobe is OFF-- let's look at the next thing.

Option 1, your Oly has an auto mode and program etc. Just set the thing to auto, set your strobe to sTTL and then set the Oly flash to Forced. The D2000 should snap away happily, adjust flash exposure up or down with the plus or minus knob. This is the simulated TTL mode covered in the beginner manual for the D2000 (there are two manuals correct?)

Option 2, set Oly to auto, set Inon D2000 to External Auto, set Oly flash to auto, set the D2000 plus or minus knob to middle and see if it will fire and sync up when the Oly strobe fires, if so that is an alternate shooting mode.

You can install the Inon Clear Photo film but the deflector should stop most of the light from the camera strobe even without so I consider that optional--maybe--leave that to you.

For natural light, no strobe, set D2000 Off (you can leave it on), set Oly flash to OFF and shoot natural light, no strobe. If you want to force the strobe set strobe to ON and shoot.

Now, as I recently told somebody who was unGrateful, I am recalling this from memory at the moment so please filter my suggestions through your user manuals to make sure I am not leading you astray as I may sometimes get things jumbled a bit.

On the lens front, the dome converter makes the 100-28AD into a whole 'nuther kind of animal but it is expensive. I love that dome converter on any of the Inon 100 series lenses, however, in this case, it could be overkill for your rig. It is large, it is heavy. I think, JMO, you should go with the 100-28AD without the dome converter to begin with at least. I think you will be happy. You should see a FOV of around 100 degrees which is plenty to get some nice wide angle perspectives. (with the dome converter and the 100-28AD it could be as wide as 145 to 150 degrees!!!!!!! note that is diagonal and the result is a semi fisheye lens).

One more thing, many may not know this, the only NiMh battery currently approved that is easy to get for the Inon strobes is the Sanyo Eneloop, but, IMO, the Duracell Precharged, available at Wally World, is the same battery and should work just fine. Do not use other rechargeable NMh batteries in your Inon or it may overheat the strobe circuit.

Unlike the YS110a, the D2000 has an External Auto mode. The strobe calculates exposure, you can use this feature with your 1030 to provide up close fill while the camera will tend to expose more for the background (set camera to evaluative I think it is in the exposure menu if I recall). So, you can play around with it some like that, also if you get creative you can vary the 1030 exposure by biasing it plus or minus 2 stops within the auto program.

Let me know via PM if you have any other issues I may can help with since I am thinking to keep my knowledge more to myself given the recent unGrateful behaviors of certain entities.

So, in conclusion, good luck with it. And anyone who does not like my dry humor or writing style, KMR.

Sincerely,
N

 

[pinotscubajack]

Thanks Nemrod for all your help. You steered me in this direction by suggesting I look at the total system, camera, strobe and especially compatible wide angle lenses. I will also follow your suggestion and just start off with the INON 28AD 100UWL. I understand the dome converter will make the entire rig VERY heavy.

Thanks for the tips in setting up the strobe with the camera !!!

I sincerely appreciate your help, even though others seem to be UNGRATEFUL.

 

[Nemrod]

You are welcome. You know, as cameras go the 1030 and similar cameras are nothing super special aside from be built like little tanks but for years I shot with a Nikonos III and a Nikon FM in an Ikelite housing and for the most part the pictures I have gotten with the Oly are better. I guess I have become a digital convert. All of the capabilty of a film camera is lost if you never hit the right exposure and you are back home from a trip and it is to late to make that adjusmtent.

Post some pics sometime.

N

 

[Nemrod]

Whilst I was sleeping it occurred to me I told you wrong above.

In Option 1, use Program.

Where I said Evaluative exposure mode I meant to select the ESP mode (which is an evaluative mode). Your other option which I find worked with wide angle is to use the Spot mode.

When I said to put the magnet in the hole with the allen screw I should have said, do not put the magnet in, just install the allen screw without the magnet.

Sorry about that, like I said, I have five different point and shoots including a secret GXXXXX something and I got momentarily confused.

PM me your mailing address, I have a couple of sheets of instructions I copied from the internet that are no longer available that may be of some use to you, no big deal, just some information.

I have also used the UW Wide and UW Snap modes but frankly as of the last times I used it I did not. So, you can play with those on your own and see how you like them. I think for wide angle and for you might like the UW Wide 1. These can be found in the "scene" settings I think. Check and see if you have something similar, I believe you do.

You might also go to the white balance under menu and underwater set it to clouds rather than using the UW modes.

The Spot metering mode, as opposed to the evaluative ESP mode is also useful because you know what is being metered is in the center of the frame. Meter the object you wish to use to set exposure and then use a half press on the shutter, re-frame and fire.

Another trick with full auto cameras, slightly reposition the camera in relation to the light source to alter the exposure, example, tilting the camera up to open water will cause the foreground to underexpose, tilting the camera down will cause the background/water to underexpose slightly, try it and see.

Pre-flash digi cams, do not install magnet (example is your 1030)

No preflash cameras or for those where it can be turned off, install magnet (example is Canon 570/590/G10)

Remember, do not remove or install magnet while strobe is powered up, turn strobe off.

Sorry, thing is you just really have to play with these things to figure them out.

N

 

[PhilEllis]

Nemrod, I just stumbled in here and I have to take a moment and make a comment. I think this is the most useful set of posts I have seen from you on scubaboard. Keep up the good work.

Phil Ellis
Discount Scuba Gear at DiveSports.com - Buy Scuba Diving Equipment & Snorkeling Equipment

 

[pinotscubajack]

Thanks again Nemrod for your help !!

 

[fallingspeaker]

Ressurecting this thread, I've been reading around and I really like the info you have to share Nemrod.

May I ask (anyone out there) what options do 1030sw users have with super macro and no flash available? What steps or techniques are used in this particular case? For simplicity sake, assume I have a rig like the original poster.

Thanks again.