z240 full power on fibre optics

Hi guys, just wanna make some queries here. I recently went on a trip and found that the light from my strobes didn't get registered on the images whenever I set past f8 or full power. Anyone know why ? I am using a pair of z240s on manual mode with fibre optics.

Hi guys, just wanna make some queries here. I recently went on a trip and found that the light from my strobes didn't get registered on the images whenever I set past f8 or full power. Anyone know why ? I am using a pair of z240s on manual mode with fibre optics.

Which camera/housing?

Bill

Pre-flash controlling, push-in switch - in or out? Likely to be the cause.

Alex

This is used in an aquatica housing with the d7000 on a pair of z240s. Preflash is out. I was shooting at about f11,1/200s earlier with strobe at about f5.6. When I step down to lower f stops such as f16, I tried to increase the strobe output to f11 or full power and it did not light up the images. Hence, I am abit confused as to what happen.

I had also tried at home yesterday. This was the setting used.

Camera: 1/250, f20

Strobes: f8,f11, full power

With the camera settings fixed, I varied the strobe output. At f8, the picture was iluminated. However, at f11 and full power, the whole picture was dark. The preflash knob was lifted off and not depressed.

Wonder what cld be the cause ?

If you want to shoot using the manual powers on the strobe (f8, f11, Full etc) I would put the camera's flash on manual too. Otherwise it will still fire a pre-flash and the strobe will fire one too.

Which means when you use bigger strobe flash powers there will be insufficient time for the strobe to recharge before the main flash is needed.

This would explain why it can cope at f8 (on the strobe) and not f/11.

Go to Custom Setting e3 and change the camera from TTL to M and the power to 1/128th. Then re-test. I'd also push the pre-flash plugs in on the strobes, but I don't think this is essential.

Alex

As long as you have your strobe set up the right way there should be no need to go to manual mode flash on your camera. Between my wife and I we've successfully shot Canon 20D, 40D, 450D, 50D and 7D with the Z240 in manual mode with the camera's flash in ETTL mode (except for the 7D this is the only flash mode available in the cameras mentioned). I think that you may have your dial settings on the Z240 set wrong. Please advise what you have both the left and right dials set to for each of the powers mentioned and what mode you are trying to shoot in, manual or sTTL.

With the camera's flash set to ETTL mode and the ACC switch out the left hand dial should be set to "Full" and the setting on the right hand dial has no effect. For lower powers the left hand dial should be set to "M -0.5 > -6" and the right hand dial set to the reduced power desired (f11 corresponds to -0.5 stop down from full power, f8 corresponds to -1.5 stops from full power, etc)

If you're shooting sTTL mode the left hand dial should be on sTTL and the right had dial should be pointing straight up at the yellow "B". Adjusting the right hand dial clockwise/anti clockwise from this position will adjust the power down/up.

When shooting in air at larger apertures in sTTL mode with the strobes close to the subject the sTTL mode may work correctly resulting in an under exposed image. In this case set the left hand dial to "Low". I believe this may be the cause of your problem.

Hi Alex, its currently on CMD mode fr the popup flash. I will try setting it to M and see how it goes. But why will this matter on fibre ?? Shldnt it be as long as the light sensitive device at the base of the strobe detect a flash, the strobe will just fire ? Pardon my ignorance.

Hi Gudge, the strobes were on M and FULL mode, hence the f8,f11 and power. I am not sure abt the system, so I cannot really answer you much. But I will try the settings again.

Hi Alex, its currently on CMD mode fr the popup flash. I will try setting it to M and see how it goes. But why will this matter on fibre ?? Shldnt it be as long as the light sensitive device at the base of the strobe detect a flash, the strobe will just fire ? Pardon my ignorance.

My thought was, that if the camera is firing a pre-flash then it was draining the charge in the capacitor before the main flash was needed (all this happening too fast to see). You got away with two flashes from the capacitor at low power settings, but as you increased the power - so there wasn't enough capacitor capacity for two flashes in such a short space of time.

Alex

Commander is the problem I think. The Z-240 can theoretically still fire a full power flash after a pre flash when the ACC mode is set correctly, and the left dial is set to full. IOW, you should get the same amount of flash power from both:

Internal Flash at I-TTL, External Flash at Full, Magnet Up

Internal Flash at M 1/128, External Flash to Full, Magnet Down

You haven't done something silly, like turn the knob clockwise? It is part of the Inon's charm that the knob works backwards in manual mode...

... and starts at a different place.

Tim