S2 Pro TTL Mode Problem

I’ve had problems with my S2 from day one using it in TTL mode. It’s good news and bad news that other owners are experiencing the same problem of inconsistence exposer using their cameras in the TTL mode. I’ve been following this thread at s2pro.com, check it out.

I’d like to hear from other owners if their having the same problem with their camera ?

Marc

http://www.s2pro.com/forums/showthread.php...p?threadid=1994

What housing and strobes are you using?

Regards,

Escalar

Marc - How does the camera perform if you set it on "M", choose a shutter speed, and then let the strobe's TTL determine the amount of light dumped per F-stop?

I only ask because virtually all totally automatic TTL (program mode) systems I've used, from the Nikonos RS through the F5 and F100, do poorly letting the camera do it all underwater. But choosing a shutter speed appropriate for depth/ambient light/subject motion; and then choosing an aperture for the strobe-to-subject distance would generally get me in the TTL strobe ballpark.

Having said that, I did read the thread you referenced and there is apparently something going on with the programmed TTL on the S2 since the problems exist topside with various strobes and multiple shooters. For underwater it may not matter so much if the manual shutter speed/TTL strobe system works for you.

I'd be curious to hear more from your testing.

Steve

I made the housing myself, and I’ve been using a SB 105 underwater. I recently bought a SB 104

but have not used it underwater yet. Above water I use a SB 28

I have not tried any other method of operation besides TTL till now. The S2 is limited to a 125 th maximum second sync speed. I usually set my camera to aperture priority to get as much depth of field as possible while doing macro.

When appropriate, I’ll shoot wide angle and meter the ambient light and set the strobe to match.

I can only say from my personal experience that I’ve owned other digital cameras such as the Nikon 900, 950, and the 990 that were much better performers when used in TTL mode.

Marc

Marc,

I suggest you read Thom Hogan's article about AF and TTL sensor maintenance. It is possible that your sensors got bumped out of alignment.

If the TTL sensor(s) is metering off a portion of the frame that is off the frame or in the wrong spot, then the flash exposure will be incorrect. So check out the article - and maybe it's time your camera took a trip to a Fuji service center. I know you do a lot of beach dives - that's I'm putting my money on that one.

If you're shooting macro in Aperture Priority, then chances are you camera is selecting 1/60th for your shutter speed. Unless you're in a REALLY bright location and you're setting your aperture at f16 or f22 then that's what you will get. The lowest shutterspeed the camera will allow with "regular" flash in 1/60th. For information, if you set the flash in slow or rear curtain sync, the exposure meters may choose MUCH slower shutterspeeds.

So another factor is that at 1/60th it just might not be possible to get to get good exposures under your conditions.

For macro where most or all of the frame is lit by flash I shoot in manual and set my shutterspeed at 1/125th.

Cheers

James