Nemrod

I am sorry I have caused an argument. The sTTL mode when selected overrides the "bastard" switch /ACC cancel switch. The switch does nothing in sTTL (ACC) mode. When the strobe mode is selected to Manual mode the now active ACC switch must be properly selected for pre-flash or no pre-flash expected. The ACC switch does not select between two types of sTTL, one ACC and one not, but both utilizing the pre-flash for exposure control when the strobe is in sTTL mode.

Thank you for that explanation. I never could see that with several compacts I have tried with my Inon strobes. I had a film SLR that had off the film real time flash exposure, or at least I was thinking it did. But digital as you say, I cannot think of any. All digital use a pre-flash approach to TTL strobe exposure. I think, as you suggest, that the two positions on the mode dial are possibly then ACC-sTTL/sTTL and thus no longer a need for the switch and again explains why there are a correspondingly two Manual modes?

I agree, I do not think I said any different. I was discussing the sTTL mode of the strobe. Of course, yes, if the strobe is selected to Manual mode then the pre-flash/no pre-flash switch becomes effectively active.

An Inon strobe defaults to pre-flash regardless of the magnet or the switch. That switch does nothing as long as sTTL is selected on the mode dial. I suppose there are cameras that have real time TTL strobe exposure with no pre-flash. That is interesting that there are two TTL and two M modes?

True. The Retra are bigger, heavier and likely more $$. I am not sure how useful HSS is but I would like that option if only to play with but perhaps not a requirement. And I am an APS-C, M4:3, 1 inch type picture taker. No way I will ever go FF. Not UW or surface shooting. And I have 20 plus years old Inon strobes that still work. I was looking at the Weefine but reports are that some are flooding on first use. I figure Inon is good to go for reliability, the Retra, well, I have no idea but it seems they are a responsive company and would be able to support the strobes with service if and when needed. Which is a problem with Inon, service if needed in North America. Regarding the pre-flash button/knob, I would prefer that to a confusing learning mode that needs to be learned again every time the strobe is powered up or switching modes.

There is hope then. It looks good with some useful improvements. I do not see HSS so I guess that was too much to wish for. I am probably in for a set since I am a long time Inon user and speak Inon. However, I may just have to go take out a loan or a second mortgage or something and get some Retras though they are way overkill for my skill level. I like the extended knobs, the multiple selections for the modeling light and it appears the case has been extended to the rear in that tapered area. I wonder if there will also be a new full size D model, perhaps a D240? Maybe not looking in the right place but I do not see an e-sync available, optical only?

One thing I learned and it may not apply to other Alpha cameras with the UWT board (maybe only to mine?) is how to trick the camera to give me a little faster shutter sync. What I do, when I know I am setting up for a sun ball photo is to turn WL to Off and then set shutter speed to maximum 1/160. Then turn WL to On and the shutter speed will default to 1/200. It is not sticky so as soon as the camera is turned off if WL is On when the camera comes back on the shutter speed will drop to 1/125. With WL to On I cannot choose 1/160, to shoot at 1/160 I must turn WL to Off. And again, once set to 1/160 if I turn WL to On, the shutter will go from 1/160 to 1/200. With WL on the available shutter speeds are 1/125-1/200-1/250 and so on. If I select 1/250 the strobe no longer fires and if I go back down I must go all the way down to 1/125 to get strobe again with 1/125 being maximum sync speed available until I again select WL to Off. Did I mention that as much as I like my camera rig, I also hate it.

That I understand but on the camera that requires going into the menu and pushing buttons and if working two strobes that requires two adjustments rather than using a master controller on the trigger. It was just wishful thinking considering it costs $650 what would be another $100 to have a power dial on the converter. Just looking towards the future day I might jump to another system what I might would want other than not wanting another Sony Alpha.

Here is one thing I noticed in terms of why profiles are needed vs the on board flash (of the 6400 or similar). While trying to figure out why I have random fail to sync over the last five years I tried multiple different strobes and board switch settings. I found that if I use the Z240 setting with my D2000 or S2000 the photos would be under exposed. Same settings, using a Z240 the photos were more correctly exposed. Does the duration of the board LED pulse(s) change with the profile switch selector? When using different strobe optically triggered by the integral flash, we naturally make the adjustments that I found needed to use non-supported strobes or the incorrect profile intentionally selected on the board. Since my board(s) were purchased before the S220 I have found that using the S2000 profile works fine but tends to be slightly over exposed compared to my old D2000 and (borrowed) S2000 strobes. Adjustments need to be made either by ISO or within the camera flash exposure +/- to correct. If the OP were to purchase the new external TTL trigger what does he gain vs the older in housing board type? What is the advantage he would see? For me and my NA6400, when I want to shoot TTL I use the camera integral flash which works perfect, not an option for the A6700. When I want to shoot manual strobe, I use the UWT board and just accept that random photos will not sync, of course those are the ones with the shark or the whale or attack submarine, whatever never again opportunity occurs, but whatever😡. It is what it is. But never again a Sony, just saying. Not even sure I can blame the fail to sync randomly on Sony but I suspect that is where the issue is. What would be cool, for the external TTL trigger, what if it had a +/- dial on it?

Thanks, now I understand, I think. Thanks.

Interesting. The difference between 1/160 and 1/250 is surprising. Is that possibly due to ambient light when you did the test? I would have thought that all of the flash pulses would still be contained within an interval of 1/250 second?

I think I have a basic understanding of how HSS works, maybe not ;). My question, with the same strobe power setting and in manual mode, does the strobe exposure effectively attenuate more and more as the shutter speed is increased or is the attenuation the same. Say we go from 1/200 max X-sync speed to HSS at 1/250 and 1/500 and then to 1/1000?

Which adapter cable did you use please? BTW, the Nauticam aux battery originally would go to sleep. This was revised with a new connector that has some sort of chip (?) in it. Regardless, both of my booster batteries will run continuously charging the onboard battery and allow me to make up to four dives with little restriction. Usually during the fourth dive the booster becomes depleted and the camera goes to the onboard battery still fully charged. I know this because the camera starts to go to sleep rather than run continuous. I have made a third booster using this unit. The cover has to be removed. I have not used in underwater yet but it appears to function: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07JZCZSH9?ref=cm_sw_r_cso_sms_apin_dp_20AH8208SPJRT07YJC7F&ref_=cm_sw_r_cso_sms_apin_dp_20AH8208SPJRT07YJC7F&social_share=cm_sw_r_cso_sms_apin_dp_20AH8208SPJRT07YJC7F

You have me convinced and the strobe table listed in this forum agrees. But per that chart it has twice the UW weight also of the S220. The reliability is unproven and it is a manual only strobe and for me I shoot TTL a lot. And on the subject of reliability. With my Nikonos II I shot flash bulbs circa 1973. With my Nikonos III I shot Oceanic strobes for a decade or more before finishing with Nikon strobes and used both into the digital era trying to make them work with an Oly 5050 and then buying the set of D2000 strobes circa 2005. So that is 20 years on one set of strobes (and hopefully they have life yet). In other words, reliability is important to me because reliability equates to longevity. I do not have the expendable income to jump cameras, housings and strobes every year. These Weefine strobes could be great but I would like to see a year or two of use in the market before buying a set because they are not inexpensive strobes and they are from China, not Japan. Inon I would buy now if it existed. The video light, phooey, I would rather a modeling/focus light and HSS and/or sTTL. Of course, if I could have all for the same price, sure why not. But I do not even know how to make either of my camera systems do video, not a high priority. If I want video I just shoot it on a GoPro, maybe.

I think you underestimate the S220. Before I bought the S220s as a filler set until something comes along that is better and that I can afford, I had borrowed a set of Z240 strobes. This is because one of my ancient D2000 strobes had a malfunction (after being dropped one time too many) so a friend who was going home earlier than me lent me his Z240s. I am shooting nearly the same settings overall with the S220 strobes that I was with the borrowed Z2409 set and both are considerably stronger than my old D2000 set. The Weefine does look like a nice strobe, not saying it does not. I do not shoot video at all but still, I suppose the video light is a good addition as a back up light during night dives. Circular or not, that is a big jump from 17 to 22 regardless of the flash tube and it is not as if the S220 has a narrow beam exactly itself and the S220 really does not need a diffuser due to the dome lens. Maybe Weefine will offer a new strobe model with a little more power without becoming huge in both size and $ range. It is kinda expensive already without being proven reliability in the market.

The Weefine is an interesting strobe but it is GN 17 vs my current S220s at GN22 (for whatever those numbers are useful or not) and it is kind of expensive for an unproven brand. I guess I can give Inon a little more time and if nothing comes out from them or elsewhere I guess it will be some DS3 Duo strobes. Neutral in the water, GN33 and relatively compact. And somewhat affordable.

The problem with most of the strobes you mention @Architeuthis is that they are much different in buoyancy and size in the water and more $$$$$ with the exception of the YSD3 which like you I am dubious of them due to the poor reliability of the previous generation. The HF1 is just huge, heavy and negative in the water. For those of us shooting mid size rigs they seem awfully large in comparison to the camera/housing. I have an older D2000 (of a set of two purchased new around 2005?), which has the On/Off switch problem after being dropped. It has been at a well known repair place for nearly a year. I give up on it and got some S220 strobes to fill the gap until Inon releases the new ZXXX or I decide upon something else.

Is there any hope for this strobe in my remaining lifetime? I sure hope Inon is not going out of business? It has always been difficult getting repairs for Inon gear but the upside was that it never broke, thus never needed repairs, mostly.

Thanks, I had forgotten that. My WWL-1 has a Nauticam bayonet mount. I think it was added on, do not remember. It should zip right on the Z50 I would think.

David, cannot wait to see your new outfit at SD. JFYI and please anyone correct me if wrong. The only difference between the Nauticam WWL-1 and the Nauticam WWL-1B is the removable foam float collar on the WWL-1 and the integral aluminum float collar on the WWL-1B. Optically and in all dimensions not affected by the float collar, they are the same lens. The WWL-C is a different lens, more compact and is not the same optically. The WWL-1 lens assumes a 28mm and the WWL-C assumes a 24mm lens and both have zoom through capability. The WWL-C may not be as wide with some camera/lens combos?

I sort of like this concept for the new Canon R50 and the new little Nikon. Fixed port with water contact optics. But I do wish it had BBF and an additional auxiliary bulkhead port so it might be possible to have both a vacuum system and onboard charging. What is the flash sync speed for this R50? Looks like a nice outfit, hope it does good for you.

I use a Pelican Air for on the airline or in transit. But once at the dive site I use a Sam's Club bag, about $9. I have one that I have used for several years, even got rescued by a Bedouin gentleman in Egypt, I gave him more tip for finding my bag than it could be worth but he was so proud to have helped me!

Thanks for the brain drain. It hurts my head thinking about it sometimes. Thing is, I have two A6400 cameras widely separated in serial number. And UWT sent me a replacement with newer software way back, I mean, it is a now nearly a 5 yo camera and the same with the UWT trigger. None of them worked, not a different camera nor trigger. Beats me :(. I know one thing, this has put me off on (future) cameras that require an external $$$ trigger. At least with the A6400 I can sync off the built in flash which works perfectly, every time, all the time, just not super fast. And it eats my battery if I did not have a booster or onboard charging capability.

Thanks, it is none of those things, I wish it were that simple. The random loss of sync is unpredictable, random. It works perfect for a few shots, maybe twenty shots and then one or two do not sync, in the water or on my kitchen table. This in any camera mode, strobe mode, trigger mode with various strobes (S&S, D2000, S2000, S220, YS) and all sorts of cables (Inon, Divervision, Nauticam), with the trigger set to sTTL or M or anything in between. It syncs fine and then it does not. I thought at first when the camera wakes up after going to sleep but even with my booster battery and the camera never goes to sleep, same thing. Tried a different camera and three different UWT triggers. When it works it is great, but it is not reliable. I still like my camera and enjoy using it but next time it will not be a Sony though the above problem is not due to Sony (I think). Here are the irritating things about the Alpha cameras: 1. No native fisheye lens, zoom or prime. 2. No pre-flash cancel. 3. The 1/160 maximum sync.

I find the 16-50 kit lens works good enough for who and what it is for and especially when coupled with the WWL-1. However, if you can find a Sigma 19mm prime it is excellent with the WWL-1. As to triggers, perhaps there is some difference with the 6700 vs the 6400 but I have not been able to get the UWT trigger to sync reliably, mostly it does, sometimes it does not, random.