Inon Z-240 Issue with TTL

[bobf]

I wish I had advice other than to say contact Heinrich. They should have the answer. BTW, anyone have a website for them? I did a quick search, and did not see one.

Here ya go, Ron:

http://www.heinrichsweikamp.net/blitz/indexe.htm

Matthias Heinrichs is already aware of this thread.

He has conducted his own tests with a Z240 and they passed. He sees no reason why the system should not be working properly with an Oly-PT-N replacement bulkhead.

A strobe's compatibility with a HeinrichsWeikamp product will not make his strobe list or the Strobefinder's Database without Matthias first testing for confirmation. Nothing is ever assumed.

Matthias also mentioned to me.........

a) the isolation plate must not be installed
b) Strobe must be set to S-TTL, right dial to 12 O'clock (Actually, the right dial has no influence to the wired-TTL mode at all)
c) optical sensor must be covered with the cap

The isolation plate is one factor that I have not seen mentioned in any of the posts so far.

hth,
b

 

[RonFrank]

Please contact us directly using info@ heinrichsweikamp.com - we're looking forward to help you.

regards,
Matthias

Gotta love the vendors who frequent the boards!

 

[RonFrank]

Here ya go, Ron:

http://www.heinrichsweikamp.net/blitz/indexe.htm

Matthias Heinrichs is already aware of this thread.

He has conducted his own tests with a Z240 and they passed. He sees no reason why the system should not be working properly with an Oly-PT-N replacement bulkhead.

A strobe's compatibility with a HeinrichsWeikamp product will not make his strobe list or the Strobefinder's Database without Matthias first testing for confirmation. Nothing is ever assumed.

Matthias also mentioned to me.........

a) the isolation plate must not be installed
b) Strobe must be set to S-TTL, right dial to 12 O'clock (Actually, the right dial has no influence to the wired-TTL mode at all)
c) optical sensor must be covered with the cap

The isolation plate is one factor that I have not seen mentioned in any of the posts so far.

hth,
b

Thanks Bob!

Now, can you turn my SS200 into a DS200!

 

[rjsimp]

I'm guessing the reason that you are blowing out objects wide open is that the strobes are at the minimum output. You can't reduce the strobe power beyond the minimum!

UW this should not be an issue as the GN is reduced.

On the other issue, contact H/W and discuss this with them.

These strobes and the circuitry are so proprietary that only one with very detailed knowledge about the exact setup you are using may have the answers. So discuss this with heinrich and see what they have to say.

I know I wasn't at the lowest setting for the strobe.. In manual I was able to easily set it to expose the picture correctly..

I plan on contacting them and seeing what they have to say since I know the Sea & Sea TTL adapter uses some form of this and it seems to control the power of the strobes pretty well wheras the one for the olympus sp-350 is flat on its flash power (no change in output in TTL mode).

 

[rjsimp]

Well as long the offers you some sort of validation I guess we can close the thread!

So care to share your experience with the D200, the SP-350, the Heinrichs bulkhead, or the Inon 240??

RJSIMP,

Care to show us some photo's from the D200 that appears to be working within a closer aperture range? Wide open, full stopped, and something in the middle seems to be blown out wide open (likely the strobe is a minimum output), still a bit blow out at F11, and very slightly underexposed at f22 (likely the strobe is at full power which is not enough). Shooting from f5.6 to F11 should yield the same exposure.

Actually you say it's working which is good enough for me, but the photo's really don't support that.

I wish I had advice other than to say contact Heinrich. They should have the answer. BTW, anyone have a website for them? I did a quick search, and did not see one.

Well, your right about the over/under exposure. I say it is "working" because it is alterning the output of the strobe simply by changing the F-stop on the camera. It works well enough to make a decent picture without fiddling with the power. It may not give you the optimal exposure but that is a LOT to do with where I have the spot meter pointed. It was a very dark room when I took the shots (almost night dive darkness). If the flash had not changed its power output, the wide open fstop would be blown to bits. The F22 picture was close to a full dump if not a full dump as you could clearly hear the strobe go through the recycle.

I'll be posting some more up here. To compare to iTTL I also did a series of shots with the SB-800 and it really is cool what it can do even on the full range of F-Stops. I'll post those also as I get this all squared away to where I can run a series of tests on the same subject again.

 

[rjsimp]

Here ya go, Ron:

http://www.heinrichsweikamp.net/blitz/indexe.htm

Matthias Heinrichs is already aware of this thread.

He has conducted his own tests with a Z240 and they passed. He sees no reason why the system should not be working properly with an Oly-PT-N replacement bulkhead.

A strobe's compatibility with a HeinrichsWeikamp product will not make his strobe list or the Strobefinder's Database without Matthias first testing for confirmation. Nothing is ever assumed.

Matthias also mentioned to me.........

a) the isolation plate must not be installed
b) Strobe must be set to S-TTL, right dial to 12 O'clock (Actually, the right dial has no influence to the wired-TTL mode at all)
c) optical sensor must be covered with the cap

The isolation plate is one factor that I have not seen mentioned in any of the posts so far.

hth,
b

Okay, what IS the isolation plate specifically so I know exactly what you are referring to. I have been to their site many times on this issue to read through everything. I don't remember seeing something about "isolation plate" but that doesn't mean I couldn't have missed it

 

[rjsimp]

Okay, I just finished several shots with both the YS-90 strobe and the Z-240 using the olympus SP-350. All the shots in this comparison are with the SP-350 except the last row, they are on my D200 with the Z-240 and Sea & Sea TTL adapter to show that TTL does in fact work with the Inon strobe.

From the tests though, the Inon strobe doesn't even look like the power ever changes no matter what settings I choose. They look the same for the most part. The YS-90 however does a very good job considering it is a point and shoot and the SP-350's own internal TTL isn't much more consistent.

 

[alcina]

Wow - what a lot of great feedback in here.

And your test is great

Wish it was an easy answer so everything would work properly now

 

[f3nikon]

Well as long the offers you some sort of validation I guess we can close the thread!
QUOTE]

No validation needed, I just wanted to help everyone save some money. In answer to your question about the preflash use on Ikelite strobes, I called Ikelite myself, they said NONE of their strobes can fire a preflash like your Nikon SB=800.

 

[bobf]

Okay, what IS the isolation plate specifically so I know exactly what you are referring to. I have been to their site many times on this issue to read through everything. I don't remember seeing something about "isolation plate" but that doesn't mean I couldn't have missed it

Perhaps I should have typed "insulation" plate and not "isolation" plate in my previous post. Sorry............

The insulation plate is discussed in the quick start guide:
http://www.inonamerica.com/content/docs/Z-240 strobe settings - Quick StartLT60812.pdf

Not sure yet what exactly the TTL insulation plate is insulating (or isolating). I believe you should have received a pair of TTL insulation plates with your strobe according to the InonAmerica web site:
http://www.inonamerica.com/products.php?product_id=272&pagenum=1&prodcat=1&subcat=2

b