Ikelite eTTL Circuitry

Hi,

I was just wondering if anyone could confirm for me the correct behaviour of the Ikelite eTTL circuitry?

In manual mode, after taking a shot it takes approximately 5 seconds before I can change the exposure level using the plus/minus buttons.

I was also wondering if there is any relationship between the screen review time and the enabling of the plus/minus buttons.

Thanks, Damien

Yes this is correct there is a pause after shooting and before being able to adjust the eTTL controler.

Also if you take another shot within this 5 seconds the second shot will normally be badly over exposed.

Don't know why but the Ikelite site does mention that this happens.

(However after comming from full manual strobe control eTTL is still great.)

Cheers,

Richard B.

Damien (and Richard B.)

I believe it is the eTTL circuit waiting for the camera meter to "time out". Then you can adjust EV in either TTL or manual mode.

Ike or other informed source at Ikelite can confirm this, but I think when I first tested eTTL and then eTTL2 (Canon circuitry) I asked and that was the answer.

I usually dial in -1.0 to -1.5 EV fr wide angle shooting getting about 90% + correct exposures.

Manual setting of flash outpput? Fugetta' 'bout it

Dave Haas

thanks for the confirmation!

David,

So you're saying that you always use the eTTL, and for wide angle use -1.0/-1.5 for wide angle shots.

If so, I expect this might work for me, as the only reason I have started to look at manual control is beacuse the forground in my WA shots are over exposed.

Thanks, damien

Damien,

I always dial in -1.0 to -1.5 EV for wide lens shooting. Shooting a mid-range zoom, maybe -1.0. For macro (which is a very rare occurence for me, not being a macro shooter these days) I might dial in -.5 EV if any.

I still shoot in manual mode for wide and mid-range zoom shooting, setting a shutter speed for background water color based on my experience and depth of water. Then I only have one parameter to adjust, f-stop. Reading a light meter in the viewfinder? Not me....I may glance at how far my manually chosen shutter speed and f-stop settings are, like minus 2/3 - 1.5 stops, knowing my strobe light will lighten my foreground subject. But actually metering the background light....Again, not these days.

You must still try and fill 1/2 - 2/3 of the frame with a main colorful subject for your strobe light to reflect off and get back to the camera. But eTTL2 works remarkably well if you practice, eliminating guessing at subject distances, adjusting strobe output manually, etc.

Good luck!

dhaas

Thanks again david, your help as always is much appeciated.

damien