Inon D2000 type3 strobe with Fuji F31

Hi all,

I'm relatively new to UW photography (3 years or so) and I've always taken my photos with the internal flash but I'm planning to buy a stroke for my Fuji Finepix F31. My choice would be the Inon D2000 type strobe. Is this a good choice for this camera?

How do I mount the strobe to my camera? I've found a webshop that sells several different packages where arms etc are included but I have absolutely no idea which one to choose and wich one does doesn't fit on my Fuji F31 housing.

I would really appreciate it if anyone could help me with this complex matter.

This are the different bundles:

http://www.digital-dive.de/index.php/cat/c...-Alusystem.html

http://www.digital-dive.de/index.php/cat/c...-Fanta-fle.html

http://www.digital-dive.de/index.php/cat/c...undle-ULCS.html

I have a F30 in a fuji housing (same one used for F31).

I added an Inon D2000 strobe. I think this is the best choice for optically fired strobes. You can use it manual or the STTL function. I mostly used STTL and it works great. Really nice. I recently did a week in Kona on the Agressor and I was very happy with my F30/D2000 combination.

I use this tray and arm:

http://www.scuba.com/scuba-gear-540/068293...Single-Set.html

It was donated to me by my brother-in-law when he upgraded to DSLR. It works fine and is very small and compact. I do wish sometimes that I had a handle to hold on to. For that reason, I'd choose either your first or last choice in your list.

Regarding your list of choices, they will all work. Only thing I'd look into is how the optical cable attaches to the camera housing. I have the inon mount base because I also have Inon add on lenses (165AD fisheye and I'm going to add the 165AD close up lense).

The mount base has a provision for the optical cord. This is the mount base:

http://www.inonamerica.com/products.php?pr...10&subcat=1

almost forgot you also need this if you go with the mount base:

http://www.inonamerica.com/products.php?pr...=4&subcat=1

You don't need the mount base and the optical setup like this. But if you're going to use add on lenses, then it makes sense.

If you notice, the ulcs option you listed has an optical cable with a velcro setup which will do the job. The other bundles you list say optical cable, but check that there is a way to attach to the camera (like the velcro setup). The big advantage to inon setup is that you are also provided with a cover for the internal flash so none of the internal flashes light gets out and causes backscatter or the exposure to be off.

You could order this:

http://www.inonamerica.com/products.php?pr...=6&subcat=1

and hook it up to your camera.

It's not necessary, but it will help in certain situations.

So, after all that, I'd just order option number 3 you listed. It has everything you need and will fit.

Hi Chris,

Very useful post (for me) as I am just about to buy an Inon strobe to work with my Fuji F30.

I tried to use old SB-105 with H-W converter at first, but found it unreliable without a modelling light (strobe did not fire without perfect focus). A strobe with a modelling light might do the trick, plus I hope the TTL will work better. I am mostly interested in macro (I have successfully used the Inon lens mount for F30 and the macro lens for close-ups with the on-board flash).

I am curious what settings you would use with this camera and this strobe, typically.

Would you use the camera in the A/S mode, forced flash?

Any suggestions would be much appreciated.

Robert Z

Christchurch

New Zealand

Hi Robert,

I mostly use A/S mode with forced flash.

It depends on what I'm shooting and lighting conditions as to which I choose. I normally use S mode with 1/125 shutter speed. This will normally chose f 2.8, but if more light it will sometimes pick f4 or f5.6.

If shooting fish, I will always use S mode because in A mode it will chose 1/60 shutter speed most times which results in blurry fish.

If shooting the reef or wide angle, I'll use A mode, escpecially if looking up and the sun is bright.

If I'm shallow and shooting a wide scene, sometimes I switch into the built in underwater mode. This works quite well. It turns off the flash, and gives pretty decent results.

I currently have the UFL-165AD fisheye lense, which I like. I intend to get the UCL-165AD macro lense also.

My wife and I were in New Zealand in November 2006 and spent a few days in Christchurch.

We spent 2 weeks on the south island and it was fantastic.

Chris

Hi Robert,

I mostly use A/S mode with forced flash.

It depends on what I'm shooting and lighting conditions as to which I choose. I normally use S mode with 1/125 shutter speed. This will normally chose f 2.8, but if more light it will sometimes pick f4 or f5.6.

If shooting fish, I will always use S mode because in A mode it will chose 1/60 shutter speed most times which results in blurry fish.

If shooting the reef or wide angle, I'll use A mode, escpecially if looking up and the sun is bright.

 

If I'm shallow and shooting a wide scene, sometimes I switch into the built in underwater mode. This works quite well. It turns off the flash, and gives pretty decent results.

 

I currently have the UFL-165AD fisheye lense, which I like. I intend to get the UCL-165AD macro lense also.

 

My wife and I were in New Zealand in November 2006 and spent a few days in Christchurch.

We spent 2 weeks on the south island and it was fantastic.

 

Chris

Thanks for your prompt reply. It is interesting that you use the S mode; possibly this is what I should have used to avoid the blurring. If the f2.8 is selected by the camera, does it give you sufficient depth of field? I know it is not such a problem with digicams as opposed to SLRs but maybe we are not talking about macro (where DOF would be critical).

Originally I was going to get the Inon D-2000, but after talking to the shop staff (Sea Optics in Adelaide, South Australia) it may be that Z-240 will be a better choice as it allows a cable connection to the Nikonos socket. I still have my Nikonos V with a 20mm lens, and an old Nikon F60 (known also as N60) in a Subal housing, and buying the Z-240 wouls allow me to sell off the aging Nikon SB-105 strobe which is still popular on ebay. Apparently both the D-2000 and the Z-240 are identical except for the extra connectivity for the strobe cord - according to the same shop.

I was a bit confused by some of the posts where people spoke of using the Inon strobes with the additional TTL converters - I thought the Inons (either of the above) would provide TTL exposure? What was your experience of TTL with your setup, depending of course on choice of subjects?

Yes, Christchurch and the South Island are very pretty. We are lucky to have the mountains and the ocean so near. However, you must not forget about a spectacular dive site in New Zealand, that is the Poor Knights Islands off Northland. Jacques Cousteau named it the best temperate diving in the world when he visited it in his Calypso many years ago. It still is superb.

Robert Z

Robert,

Here is a sample of my photos from Hawaii:

http://picasaweb.google.com/c65leblanc/KonaHawaii#

When I looked at this I was surprised to see the F-stop with lots of 3.2, 5.0 along with the 2.8.

You can see that DOF is generally ok. This camera is not a DSLR and it shows in the pics, but for what it is it takes pretty good shots.

Most of these shots were taken with the inon fisheye lense.

In your situation, I would definitely get the Z240. It is more powerful than the D2000. Another good thing is that it comes with a variety of diffusers. I had to buy a diffuser separately.

The STTL mode was correct at least 80% of the time. I was impressed with it. I usually had it set on sttl-low. I would sometimes further change the exposure a notch or two.

There is no reason to use a further converter for the inon sttl. STTL is the reason to buy the inon for use with small cameras which aren't hard wired. If you're not going to use that function, there are cheaper strobes out there, but the sttl is well worth it.

I hope that covers what you were interested in.

Feel free to ask more questions.

Chris

Thanks Chris, all of those details were very useful.

The only reason I was dithering about the choice between the S-2000 and Z-240 is the fact that even the D-2000 can be used with a modern DSLR and optic fibre link, eliminating the need for an electrical connection via sync cord. This became a choice of "backward compatibility" with Z-240 or "forward compatibility", of sorts, with the D-2000. I got completely stuck in the middle on that and could not progress with a decision.

I presume that - apart from the bigger GN and the 'old-fashioned' sync cord capability, the strobes are pretty much identical. There is a lot of stuff (reviews) written up on the web about the D-2000, but relatively little about the Z-240.

Regards

Robert Z

Christchurch

Robert,

I almost bought the Z240 simply because it came with the diffusers. If you price out all the diffusers, then it's not that much different than the D2000 plus diffusers, but I only wanted the -0.5 white diffuser, so that's what I got. The extra power of the Z240 would be nice also.

It is my understanding that the sttl circuit is identical between the 2 strobes. Most folks who buy the 240 are using it with DSLRs but there are some using it with Point & shoots. I haven't heard anyone having a problem, it pretty much is a D2000 with more power.

At the time I got the D2000, I didn't plan on upgrading to DSLR because I also like to use the video mode. Now that the D90 is out, I might change my mind and kind of wish I had gotten the Z240 so it would be easier if I do upgrade. But, oh well. If I decide to do that, D2000s sell well in the used market.

Chris

You are right about the video mode of F30 (if that's what you meant). Before coming up onto the deck from a dive at Poor Knights last February (summer here) I just leant the side of the camera housing against the side of the ladder (it was calm at the time, no surge or swell) and pressed the shutter in the video mode. The usual school of fish hanging out below the boat was captured perfectly well in diffused ambient light. I have never posted it (as I would not know where), but it remains a proof of the video abilities of this pocket rocket.

Depending on the housing choice, you would still be able to use D-2000 with a Nikon D90, I think. If I recall, Nexus housings are set up for optic fibre:

http://www.seaoptics.com.au/products/stb/inond2000.html

for previous Nikon models, so I suspect the same will apply to the D90, fingers crossed.

Pretty much decided on the Z-240 and appreciate all comments received.

Regards

Robert Z

Christchurch

Yes, I was referring to the movie mode.

Go here:

http://www.johnspierce.com/

to see a video I shot wth the F30 in hawaii. Scroll down just a tad to see the manta video.

This is my brother-in-law's site. He shoots a D70 in an ikelite housing with a DS125

The F30 is a pocket rocket. It does amazing things for it's size.