Settings for Nikon D7000 and Inon Z240

I've fallen foul of the infamous Z240 user manual which appears to have been written by someone who wants to impress with his level of knowledge rather than actually inform people! If I'd known the manual was that bad I might not of bought the product, but from what I've read it is a very good product with an awful manual.

Anyway, it's turned my brain to mush and I figured it would be much easier to ask on here from those with the knowledge.

I've found a couple of pages online, but whilst a huge improvement on the god-awful Inon manual they don't answer all my questions. So here goes:

I have a single Z240 with sea and sea nikonos type 5 pin cable attached to a Nimar housing (I got it 2nd hand and it was probably a mistake).

I cannot use an optical setup as the housing does not allow the nikon pop-up flash to deploy.

1/ I 'think' I'm restricted to using manual and auto modes with this setup?

2/ There is an installation plate to go over the housing side 5 pin connection. The manual states that some high end cameras do not need this plate, but I can't find anywhere which states which cameras. Do I need it with a D7000? I think I do as I'm restricted to manual, full and auto modes.

3/ What is the difference between auto and manual modes? As a beginner (this is my 1st setup) so which will be easier for me to get used to?

4/ can I actually use any of the other modes?

5/ If I wanted TTL I'm guessing I'd need some form of convertor? If so which is best? (though I'll likely just change to a different housing down the line that allows sttl)

Is there any other advice folks can offer for use of my setup?

Thanks in advance.

Hi skir67

Yep, the Icon manual is infamously difficult. But happily the product is excellent and I doubt you'll be unhappy with it once you have it up and running.

I don't know that housing but I would bet that you can only use the strobe in Manual mode. So you'd set the left hand dial to M (on the strobe) and then vary the output with the right hand dial. It'll all be a bit trial-and-error to start with.

I don't think you need that plate to cover the 5-pin connection but others who know the D7000 setup may chip-in. If you set the Inon to M that shouldn't be an issue.

TTL. Yep, you'd need a convertor. There are a few around. Have a look at the Turtle TTL for Nikon.

http://trt-electronics.com

Hope this helps a bit. I'm sure others will contribute.

I think the biggest loss for me is ttl, with the current housing. I bought it before I'd really got enough knowledge on what I needed. But I'm happy to learn to use it in manual mode. When I got my first decent camera I used it only in manual mode for a long time and have only fairly recently started to use AP and SP modes.

There's going to be a fair bit of trial and error whilst I learn how to expose properly with the strobe. I think I will start off with quite a lot of static subjects!

That turtle unit looks very interesting, I was unaware of it. Thanks for the link.

My worry with the plate is that if I don't install it and I need it I may fry the strobes electrics!

One other question, which is unrelated: The view through my housing viewfinder is to my mind more or less unusable. Everything is so small and I can't imagine I will be able to get even remotely close enough with a mask on. Am I using the viewer incorrectly or is this just a limitation that all housings have? I've only had the housing on a dive once so far (and that was really just a test as I hadn't purchased a strobe then) and just used it in live view.

If your housing allows fiber optic connections there is a possibility that you can shoot TTL with your camera's pop up flash and your Ion Z240's.

I do not believe the pop up flash has to be fully extended to work and is worth a try.

Also here is a link to Reef Photos guide on the Z240's: http://reefphoto.com/kb.php?id=7

Elmer

SKIR67:

If you identify your housing, you will probably get more responses!

SKIR67:

If you identify your housing, you will probably get more responses!

I did. Nimar housing for a D7000.

If your housing allows fiber optic connections there is a possibility that you can shoot TTL with your camera's pop up flash and your Ion Z240's.

I do not believe the pop up flash has to be fully extended to work and is worth a try.

 

Also here is a link to Reef Photos guide on the Z240's: http://reefphoto.com/kb.php?id=7

 

Elmer

Thanks, the reef article was one of the ones I'd seen, but it's a useful reference .

I can't use optical connections as the popup won't come up enough to flash. The housing is not high enough to allow it to open sadly. I think it was only designed to work with nikonos type cables.

However as timg pointed out there is a unit which could work wirelessly teamed up with an inon wireless mirror kit I think. Though Inon (unsurprisingly) only relate the use of there mirror with their accessories so not sure if the mirror could be used with different arms and connectors. Though I'm thinking its got to just be a 'line of sight' issue.

But, there must be some disadvantages to using wireless connectivity?

Hi again skir67

Just to clarify: my understanding of the Turtle is that it is connected on the camera hot shoe.

You then connect the Turtle-provided leads from the Turtle to the housing's internal fibre optic ports which are (or should be!) transparent. External leads then connect the exterior of the fibre optic port to the strobe. This is easy and quick to set up on the Inon Z240 especially if you get the Inon fibre optic cables for the Z240. One end screws over the Inon slave sensor - the other pushes into the housing fibre port with push-in rubber plugs.

When you fire the camera shutter, this activates the Turtle which, in turn, fires its "flash" down the fibre optics links activating the Inons.

So, using the Turtle, you need three things: the Turtle and the cables that come with it; I'd suggest Inon fibre optic cables for the Z240; and a pair of rubber plugs to fit into the housing port (if that is what the Nimar needs) in which you push the other end of the Inon fibre cable.

I use a similar link-up on my Subal/Nikon D800 (although not the Turtle). It works really well: easy to set-up, easy to disconnect, swap around, mess about with......

My housing does not have ports for fibre optic connections, but the turtle website suggests it can be used wirelessly which would in theory work as my housing is transparent. The housing is this: http://www.nimar.it/en/d-slr/273-housing-nikon-d7000-body.html

Does anyone have any advice on the ttl plate between the housing sync connector and the cable?

Yeah, I saw the passing reference to the wireless operation of the Turtle. I've never heard of anyone using wireless underwater - and wonder how it would work in salt water conditions. But maybe someone can chip-in with their views.

yes, as I'm new to all of this, the wireless capability has me intrigued, of course it might be nearly useless in a real world scenario.

I 'think' I've answered my own question on the ttl plate. The plate only has 3 holes for pins and and of course my plug has five pins so it does not fit, as simple as that I guess. I couldn't see the wood for the trees (well the manual in this case).

yes, as I'm new to all of this, the wireless capability has me intrigued, of course it might be nearly useless in a real world scenario.

 

 

Yeah, I think you might be right there....... but the way I read (re-read) the Turtle stuff made me think there was a way of getting the Turtle output to the fibre optic cables using one of the supplied components.

 

Yeah, I think you might be right there....... but the way I read (re-read) the Turtle stuff made me think there was a way of getting the Turtle output to the fibre optic cables using one of the supplied components.

maybe, but I'd have to have the housing modified to take them and I'm not sure that's even possible.

scratch the above comment, further investigation found this on the trttl website:

Yes, of-course, because we can give you a special plastic window for the old housing which is like an electronic connector, but contains an LED at the dry side and a normal optical hole in the wet side. This way you can connect the fiber optic cable to this special port.

Yeah, that's what I was referring to. Sounds promising.

However it still looks like you have to have a hole cut in the housing to take it. Plus the entire cost would have me on the way towards a better overall housing. The ergonomics are not very good on my current one and it does not give access to all of the camera controls. My biggest gripe is the inability to use the ae-l/af-l button which I normally use for back button focusing.

Also I cannot change the focus mode button.

I'll probably use this housing in the interim and then try and get a decent second hand unit. I like the look of the nauticam housing.

Yeah, based on your other post about the problems with a small viewfinder, it might be a good idea to start looking for something else and maybe not invest too much (or anything) on your current housing. There are plenty of Nauticam users on WP and you may well be able to find a good second hand deal in the Classifieds.

The screens on the D7xxx are relatively small compared to, say, the D8xx series but, as you say, you can add a viewfinder - 180 or 45 degree. And these do make a significant difference. Which one is a slight personal preference. The 45 degree ones are slightly harder to get the hang of - but, I think, are brilliant for macro shooting; and a little trickier for mid-water fish shots. I wouldn't hesitate to buy one again for my system (although they are generally transferable from one manufacturer's housing to another - and sometimes slightly wider than that with adaptors).

Skir67,

Rather then investing the funds into modifying your current housing to accept the Turtle and fiber optics why not do as Tim suggests and pick up a used D7000 housing that allows the pop up flash and fiber optic cables? I am sure you could pick up a good high quality aluminum housing for not much more than the cost of the Turtle and your current housing being modified.

Elmer

yes, pretty much what I said above. I'm going to keep an eye out for a Nauticam I think. They seem to have all the features I want and in fact there is one in the classifieds at the moment that I'm following up on. That would give me a good housing and then at a later stage when funds allow and I've learnt more I can invest in a second strobe and some form of additional viewfinder if I find (no pun intended) I need it.

Any ideas on what the view is like on a Nauticam housing? I appreciate it will also depend on the camera being used, but what are they like generally?

The TRTL comes with an optical board that can be used with existing optical ports on a housing. If your housing does not have optical ports, the TRTL cannot be used as an optical trigger.

Wireless triggering does not work (yet). Radio does not travel well through water, however there are solutions being worked on. I would not wait for this to be a reality though, as you may be waiting some time!

That leaves you with electrical sync-via the Nikonos 5 pin connection. This will do fine. Set your camera into manual flash mode and put the Z240 into manual with the magnet pre-flash cancellation button locked in. Most people find that TTL is somewhat limiting underwater.

Other brands of housing will likely offer flash triggering via fire optic, using the camera's pop up flash. Whilst this will give you TTL, the recycle time of the camera's flash will limit shooting speed and battery life!

You could fit an electro optical converter that takes the electrical signal from the camera's hotshot and converts into an optical trigger. This the best of both worlds and after market versions are available. If you search these forums, there is lots of chat about them.

All solutions have pros and cons!