Inon S-2000 Magnet with TG5

[cjibber]

Hi,

I have recently purchased an S-2000 and will be using it in a couple of weeks time with my TG5. I know this subject has been discussed a lot already both on this forum and on other sites, and there is a lot of information about it in various places but I am still a bit confused about whether or not I should use the magnet.

I am fairly sure that it is not necessary when using STTL mode as the TG5 has a pre-flash. Everything I have read seems to agree about this and this will be my starting point!

What I am unsure about is whether or not it should be used if I want to try manual mode. Some things I have read seem to imply that it should always be used when using manual mode. Other sites seem to imply that it is not necessary at all with the TG5 regardless of what mode I am using. I do have some knowledge of using Canon cameras in full manual mode (without a strobe) but this area is all a bit new to me!

I would also be interested to know exactly what the magnet does. i.e. what does it actually change in the strobe functionality. Again I do appreciate that this information is already out there somewhere but after a lot of searching and reading I am not getting any closer to fully understanding how this works.

Thanks in advance!

 

[Peter Bomberg]

I will admit I am oversimplifying (the Inon manual has much more details) but in essence insert the magnet and screw to turn off the pre-flash.

I am doing the reverse of you and I turn off the pre-flash on the camera and therefore insert the magnet, in order to be certain the strobes only fire on the main flash. The one case I would see this being an issue is when it's completely dark as the S-2000 dont have a focus light (but I use my dive light or the video light at low) to give me focus lighting.

My understanding is there is no benefit of pre-flash for dive photography and a bunch of downsides (drains battery, warms up the housing, strobe synch, etc.)

 

[cjibber]

I will admit I am oversimplifying (the Inon manual has much more details) but in essence insert the magnet and screw to turn off the pre-flash.

I am doing the reverse of you and I turn off the pre-flash on the camera and therefore insert the magnet, in order to be certain the strobes only fire on the main flash. The one case I would see this being an issue is when it's completely dark as the S-2000 dont have a focus light (but I use my dive light or the video light at low) to give me focus lighting.

My understanding is there is no benefit of pre-flash for dive photography and a bunch of downsides (drains battery, warms up the housing, strobe synch, etc.)

If you turn off the pre-flash on the camera, why do you need to use the magnet? If there is no pre-flash from the camera then the strobe will only fire on the main flash anyway? I think I may be missing something here but this is the bit that I can not get my head around!

 

[Peter Bomberg]

you are correct, you technically don't need the magnet if you turn it off, I just like the precaution if the setting changes on the camera (has happened when I went to the built in settings rather than my custom ones).

 

[bvanant]

The magnet changes how the strobe behaves. If the magnet is not in, the strobe expects a pre-flash and will fire on the second flash from the camera. If the magnet is in, the strobe will fire on the first flash from the camera. In this case, if the camera has a pre-flash then the strobe will fire on the pre-flash and so be out of sync with the camera shutter.
In TTL mode of course, the strobe needs the pre-flash so the magnet should be out.
Here is a detailed discussion
Setting the Inon S-2000 with Your Camera | Mozaik UW

Bill

 

[cjibber]

If the magnet is not in, the strobe expects a pre-flash and will fire on the second flash from the camera. If the magnet is in, the strobe will fire on the first flash from the camera.

I think that was the bit I was missing! It makes more sense now.

Thanks for the replies

 

[cjibber]

So... if I understand this correctly......

If I want to use the strobe in manual mode, I have two options
1) leave the camera flash on fill in mode and leave the magnet out. This means that there will be a pre-flash and the strobe will fire on the second flash.
2) Change the camera to manual flash mode and put the magnet in. No pre-flash from the camera so the strobe will fire correctly with the camera.

I understand that the main advantage of option 2) is battery saving and the other reasons listed above but there will be no difference in the lighting of the photo. Is this correct or am I missing something else?

 

[bvanant]

The two scenarios should be comparable, but if you are using the camera in fill mode you have the option of using TTL. I recommend going manual/manual if the TG5 can run that way.
Bill

 

[Peter Bomberg]

The two scenarios should be comparable, but if you are using the camera in fill mode you have the option of using TTL. I recommend going manual/manual if the TG5 can run that way.
Bill

Thanks Bill, the TG5 can run full manual.

One of the main reasons (from my very limited knowledge) to run in full manual is you can set the strobes to a very low power 1/64 (which will fire the strobes but preserve battery and reduce cycle times) the downside is you cant use TTL but have to run the strobe's manually (I am trying to learn this aspect so often swap to fill and STTL but the TG5 makes it easy as you can create a custom mode and swap to stock A mode when you give up

 

[cjibber]

Again, thanks for the replies.

I think I am getting there!