Fiber optic trigger - D7000 and INON Z240

I've had a number of 'old skool' people come to me refusing to accept the merits of fiber optic triggering. The usual argument is that electronic bulkheads are far quicker as you have to wait for the camera's flash to recharge between shots.

This series was taken with a D7000 with flash output turned down to 1/128, the camera's flash recharged in this case at least as fast as the strobe. I can't imagine myself going back to leaky 5 pin bulkheads anytime in the near future.

Please explain "flash output turned down to 1/128".

Please explain "flash output turned down to 1/128".

Put the flash of your D7000 in manual mode, then you can adjust the power of the flash, you will see the value Alex is talking about.

Awesome work! It's fantastic what you've done with a common subject!

After shooting for years with a Fuji E900, then -and still- with a Canon G11 triggering a INON D-2000 strobe,

then a D90 triggering electrically a DS-125 strobe i pulled the trigger and got a D7000 in a Hugyfot housing triggering 2 INON Z240 strobes optically.

I see no "real" difference in recycle time if the internal strobe output of the camera is set to the lowest level and i don't see also no differences in

image or illumination quality between optical or electrical triggered strobes, except the quality of the strobe and flash itself.

I never had any floodings of the electrical bulkhead, but i am sure that it would happen sometimes and it's my personal opinion that optical triggered strobes

give the same effect, but eliminate one point of troubles.

Chris

BTW: the images above are awesome

Thanks, yes, go to Flash control, choose Manual output and then select 1/128 power. The recycle time is pretty much instant. These 4 shots were all taken within less than 2 seconds.

I also made the fiberconversion with the D7000, and i am very happy with it

The only thing I still miss, is a remote slavesensor for optic triggering.

Put the flash of your D7000 in manual mode, then you can adjust the power of the flash, you will see the value Alex is talking about.

If I understand you are lowering the power of the camera's internal flash to increase recycle time, together with minimizing flash heat, while still generating enough flash power to trip off the strobes.

Is this correct?

and dont forget battery life of the camera okuma.

I changed from a 5DM2, with electric connections and Ike strobes, to a 7D with fibre optic connections and Inon strobes. With the 1/128 setting, the strobes are the ones needing time to recharge, while the internal flash seems to be more or less instant. Also, given that I have 128 strobings to do with the same battery consumption as for one full flash, the effect on camera battery life should be negligible. However, if ttl is of big value, the calculations obvioulsy changes dramatically. I have done some topside ttl shooting with external strobes controlled by the onboard flash, and recharging of the onboard flash was painfully slow. On the other hand, underwater with the Inons, ttl is just not happening for me!

/Bent

I changed from a 5DM2, with electric connections and Ike strobes, to a 7D with fibre optic connections and Inon strobes. With the 1/128 setting, the strobes are the ones needing time to recharge, while the internal flash seems to be more or less instant. Also, given that I have 128 strobings to do with the same battery consumption as for one full flash, the effect on camera battery life should be negligible. However, if ttl is of big value, the calculations obvioulsy changes dramatically. I have done some topside ttl shooting with external strobes controlled by the onboard flash, and recharging of the onboard flash was painfully slow. On the other hand, underwater with the Inons, ttl is just not happening for me!

 

/Bent

So just to check, if you turn down your flash to 1/128 as described, you will loose TTL function of the strobes.

So just to check, if you turn down your flash to 1/128 as described, you will loose TTL function of the strobes.

Yes, that is correct. The ttl of the strobes is dependent on the onboard flash being in ttl mode, and the 1/128th setting obviously is manual. If you want optically triggered ttl you will have to face the rather long charge times of the onboard flash (assuming that the ttl needs somewhat powerful strobe output of course).

regards

Bent

I'm new to this form and signed up to be able to ask for some assistance from this very knowledgable group. I have a 7D housed in a Nauticam with fiber optic z240 Inon strobes. I am very pleased with this set up, and upgraded from ikelite housing and d161 strobes while keeping my 7D almost 2 years ago now. I shoot with strobes set this way: Left knob to S-TTL, right knob to B (2.8) pointing up, and the preflash button out.

This works very good for me; however, I have lost photo opportunities from having to wait for the internal flash to recycle.

I understand the value of manually reducing the flash to 1/128 as we can quickly take sequential shots without having to wait for the builtin flash to recycle. I have tried reading the Inon manuals but can't figure out why poorly translated manuals accompany these excellent strobes.

Have done some test shots lowering the camera builtin flash, which lowers the inon strobe output. How must I set the knobs to pick up the strobe output; while leaving the internal flash on low? I tried moving the left knob to manual and no matter where the right knob is pointing, test shots come out the same- the right knob responds if the pre-flash button is locked in. Seems complicated.

How do you all set up your strobes?

Thank you for your comments.

Ricardo

Afaik using TTL on low internal flash power is not working well. I played with it for a bit, and couldnt get it to work right. For TTL you'd need a higher power output. I almost always use manual external strobe, and for that situation it's working well.

Afaik using TTL on low internal flash power is not working well. I played with it for a bit, and couldnt get it to work right. For TTL you'd need a higher power output. I almost always use manual external strobe, and for that situation it's working well.

Yes...

... TTL doesn't work if there's no TTL pre-flash, which is disabled on (manual) low-power settings. Both camera and strobe need to be set to TTL, or both to manual, which is when low power becomes effective if the strobes recycle time is fast enough!

Tim

Thank you for your feedback.

With camera built in flash set to manual; how do you adjust your strobes?

1 Left knob: Manual.

2 Preflash button pushed in and locked (off position).

3 Right knob: ? How do you set this knob?

I assume step 3 (adjusting the right knob) is where going manual gets to be like taking off the training wheels of the old bike. Do you match the f stops between camera and strobes right knob? Figure out gun number and do the calculations until you develope an eye for how to set the right knob depending on distance to subject?

I'm missing step 3

Thank you for your feedback.

With camera built in flash set to manual; how do you adjust your strobes?

1 Left knob: Manual.

2 Preflash button pushed in and locked (off position).

3 Right knob: ? How do you set this knob?

 

If with the right knob you are referring to the power setting of the strob, it's a matter of try and error method.

I assume step 3 (adjusting the right knob) is where going manual gets to be like taking off the training wheels of the old bike.

Exactly. :-)

"I understand the value of manually reducing the flash to 1/128 as we can quickly take sequential shots without having to wait for the builtin flash to recycle. I have tried reading the Inon manuals but can't figure out why poorly translated manuals accompany these excellent strobes."

Reef Photo has an instructive page on the Inon's if you haven't seen it you can find it here:

http://reefphoto.com/kb.php?id=7

Thank you all for sharing knowledge.

Sincerely,

Ricardo

Another solution:

http://wetpixel.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=44632

grtz, Hedwig.