canon S110 with dual INON D2000

[Alex@nder]

Hi Nemrod,

Got that. Thank you. I set up my system with new W bush set for my Ikelite housing having now 2 Inon D2000 Typ 4 and arms with each 3 clamps and around 70 cm length overall. Tried sTTL and works fine with Av and Tv and P mode. Best results with TTL on strobes not switched to low.
I will use these setting for CFWA photos I assume. Interestingly the camera's exposure is best in P.

In moving forward to more advanced technics I would like to operate the strobes in eAuto mode and realized there are differently prized diffusers. They have the same number of holes but the external auto one I bought has a black funnel behind a chromium ring leading to the exposure sensor on the strobe, the other one just a hole. Does this really make a difference?

Can I shoot the strobes in M with out setting the magnet? As the S110 is not pre-flashing in M the strobes should flash according to Manual set power at strobes? Is this too simplistic?

cheers and thanks for all your insights in advance. May I ask you why you are so knowledgeable about this subject - sounds like you are UW photograph pro....




Kind regards
Alexander

 

[Nemrod]

Hi Nemrod,

Got that. Thank you. I set up my system with new W bush set for my Ikelite housing having now 2 Inon D2000 Typ 4 and arms with each 3 clamps and around 70 cm length overall. Tried sTTL and works fine with Av and Tv and P mode. Best results with TTL on strobes not switched to low.
I will use these setting for CFWA photos I assume. Interestingly the camera's exposure is best in P.

In moving forward to more advanced technics I would like to operate the strobes in eAuto mode and realized there are differently prized diffusers. They have the same number of holes but the external auto one I bought has a black funnel behind a chromium ring leading to the exposure sensor on the strobe, the other one just a hole. Does this really make a difference?

Can I shoot the strobes in M with out setting the magnet? As the S110 is not pre-flashing in M the strobes should flash according to Manual set power at strobes? Is this too simplistic?

cheers and thanks for all your insights in advance. May I ask you why you are so knowledgeable about this subject - sounds like you are UW photograph pro....




Kind regards
Alexander

No I am not a professional, just an amateur like you. I have played with cameras since I was a child, studied some photography and have been an active diver since 1966. I have shot many rolls of film through my Nikonos and built my first underwater housing myself when I was still in high school in the school shop class.

Not being a smarty pants but concerning Canon and Inon, I read the instruction manuals and then tested the modes . I have had my Inon strobes now several years and have used them with several cameras. Also shot the Z and S types a little.

One useful test, you can test for positive sync yourself easily by assembling your rig, set your modes up and then facing a mirror at about ten feet, fire the assembled rig into the mirror. Then look at the image, do you see the Inon strobe flash? If not you have flash, pre-flash, sync mismatch.

Strobes fire for thousandths of a second, shutters are open for fractions of a second, just a bit of info.

Yes, you must either remove the diffuser or use the correct diffuser with the built in light shield when shooting in eAuto. The shield protects the strobe sensor from seeing reflected light from the back of the diffuser. You will have inconsistent results with the plain diffuser in eAuto.

Regarding this, see below, the answer is no:

Can I shoot the strobes in M with out setting the magnet? As the S110 is not pre-flashing in M the strobes should flash according to Manual set power at strobes? Is this too simplistic?

To shoot Manual Inon strobe with the Canon S in Manual exposure mode the magnet should be installed per the chart (see the lower row). However, the magnet switch is not applicable when the Inon D2000 is in sTTL. The switch position does not matter as it is ignored. Therefore it is possible to switch back and forth between sTTL mode with P/Av/Auto (as long as in Av the camera strobe is in Auto) on the camera and then switch to eAuto or Manual on the D2000 with magnet installed (magnet installed prior to your dive) and shoot the camera in Manual.

The magnet actuated ACC switch ON/OFF functions (is active) in all Inon D2000 modes except in sTTL where it is ignored (not active).

My camera other settings:

Safety Shift OFF
I-contrast in Auto
Safety FE OFF
Blink Detect OFF
Safety MF to OFF
All reset OFF

, the reason I made the chart was so I could avoid many complicated explanations. A picture is worth a thousand words and in this case, my chart is worth a thousand words. Use the chart. All typical (and useful) shooting combinations are covered.

It is possible to play additional tricks with the strobe and camera, for example, you can bias strobe exposure in sTTL by using the Canon S/G series strobe exposure +/- override.

You can use different power settings on the strobes and you can run one in sTTL and the other in Manual or eAuto. All sorts of things to cause shadows or eliminate shadows or cause odd lighting to accent the subject, beats me, I will leave that to you. It makes my head hurt.

BTW, installing the magnet into the magnetic switch turns the ACC circuit OFF. The OFF position expects no camera pre-flash. And to repeat myself, in sTTL the ACC circuit is always on regardless of the magnet switch position. The Inon D2000/S2000 defaults to ACC ON always in sTTL and therefore always expects and requires a pre-flash to function properly.

N

---------- Post added November 27th, 2013 at 11:35 PM ----------

Canon in Av mode, Canon Manual strobe setting, with dual Inon in eAuto set at f4, camera set at f6.0, exposure set -1&2/3 stops. I like taking pictures of sponges, fans, whips, I just like them, this is JPEG straight from camera:

N

 

[Alex@nder]

Hi,

Thanks for your insight. That is a awesome picture and I will test my eqipment in end of December in Sipadan. Hope to shot many pics.

Let's stay in touch. I am pritty sure I will have more questions to come. 🌊




Regards
Alex@nder