optical slave TTL with Digicams

Hi,

I was wondering if anybody has tried or uses "optical slave TTL" with a digicam.

As I still use a Nikonos and housed film SLR I could only try this with an old Olympus digicam (1,3MP - wow).

I have no optical cable for the Inon Z220 so I put some paper in order to block the internal strobe. It's just triggering the Inon's optical Sensor.

I've tried several exposure situations and the copying of the internal pre and mainflash output duration worked 100%.

It doesn't work with DSLR of course due to the modulated preflash with my 10D for example. But I just wondered if digicam shooters do use this feature? In other words, is the Z220 maybe a good choice over the D-180 for digicams?

Thank you,

Julian

My understanding of how the Z220 works is that the camera flash will trigger it, but it won't turn itself off when the trigger turns off. In the manual, the instruction for use with a preflash is the turn the power up to no more than 1/2. I think if it was on full, it would dump all the power with the preflash and have nothing left for the real thing.

yes, in manual mode (optical slave) the strobe will output the selected power. If it is 1/2 or 1, to much energy is dumped with the preflash and the main flash will be to short or even not fire.

But when selecting TTL instead of a manual power setting the Z220 copies the burning duration of the master flash, including pre- and mainflash.

As I understand it is doing the same thing like the optical TTL slave adapters.

No matter what I have tried (macro, long distance, dark room, bright sunlight, ....) the flash exposure with this old Olympus was correct.

Julian

But when selecting TTL instead of a manual power setting the Z220 copies the burning duration of the master flash, including pre- and mainflash.

 

As I understand it is doing the same thing like the optical TTL slave adapters.

 

No matter what I have tried (macro, long distance, dark room, bright sunlight, ....) the flash exposure with this old Olympus was correct.

 

Julian

I'm surprised they didn't advertise this feature, and that as far as I know, no one has tried it. This type of TTL is still limited. I think Ike pointed out once that the camera flash only has enough power to stay on for a short time compared to the strobe, so when that cuts out the strobe turns off, and you can't make use of the full power of the strobe.

Yes, manufactures like Sea&Sea and Inon promote their Auto-Strobes for digicams. I would prefer the optical TTL triggering if it works as it does with the above setup.

Sounds reasonable that the internal flash limits the external flash's burning duration so that max power is not possible.

But wouldn't that also apply to the slave adapters like the Digital Adapter from Matthias Heinrichs and so on?

Julian

Sounds reasonable that the internal flash limits the external flash's burning duration so that max power is not possible.

But wouldn't that also apply to the slave adapters like the Digital Adapter from Matthias Heinrichs and so on?

 

Julian

It seems likely it would. The Inon D-180 and S&S auto uses a sensor in the strobe and is not dependent on the duration of the trigger flash. I tried the D-180 on auto for awhile and decided I rather shoot on manual.

I didn't like auto strobes (with independent measuring system and settable aperture) even when they were still popular with film (must be 20 years ago??) ;-).

Jeff Farris (sharpdiver here I think) once wanted a Z-220 that would TTL Slave off of his D-180, allowing him to use auto flash with both strobes for situations in which it worked well, but to manually bump the intensity on the z220 when he needed the punch.

I don't know if he evaluated that this didn't work, or if someone at Inon told him this wouldn't work, but the official word was this wouldn't work. Inon did modify a Z-220 to have a TTL Slave feature for him, but my understanding was it wasn't a standard feature.

In my opinion, it should be, since it is on its competition. Mark Rupert should be able to provide more information.

Ryan

I tried the experiment with my DRebel and Canon S410 and got very over exposed pics. May be due to differences in how these TTL's operate.

I've tried it with my 10D as well when I got the strobe.

But this wouldn't work with a E-TTL DSLR due to the modulated and not steady preflash.

So it may only work with some digicams.

I will buy some "carry-around" digicam soon. Most probably the Canon S60. As I only would need the the housing for it to have a backup camera I will of course try with the Z220.

Julian

I've tried it with my 10D as well when I got the strobe.

But this wouldn't work with a E-TTL DSLR due to the modulated and not steady preflash.

 

So it may only work with some digicams.

 

I will buy some "carry-around" digicam soon. Most probably the Canon S60. As I only would need the the housing for it to have a backup camera I will of course try with the Z220.

 

Julian

Since it does not work with the 10D, 300D, and S410, it's unlikely to work with the S60.

Is the S410 some kind of IXUS? I guess Naming is different in Europe.

If yes it is likely it wouldn't work with the S60 as well.

But the 10D or 300D are different. The preflash is more like a stroboscop flash which is never completely dark between the peaks. That's a problem which the E-TTL-converters have to deal with as an amphibic strobe only sends steady flashes. no modulated flashes.

Julian

Is the S410 some kind of IXUS? I guess Naming is different in Europe.

If yes it is likely it wouldn't work with the S60 as well.

 

 

Julian

I think the S410 is the same as S400 and Digital Elph. This one:

http://www.digideep.com/product.php?pType=...a&mID=7&pID=837

yes, the european ixus.

I will let you know if it works with the S60.

You don't have your 5050/5060 anymore to try?

yes, the european ixus.

 

I will let you know if it works with the S60.

You don't have your 5050/5060 anymore to try?

No. I've sold it.

I had same question some time ago.

And got solution at:

http://www.muenster.de/~matthias/blitz/indexe.htm

I ordered a digital-adapter and works very, very well. I'm using with S&S gear, but new version will be ready to trigger fully ttl Inon strobes.

If you want to see some examples with a S-45 + digital TTL adapter, see my web page here. Not amazing shots, just point and shot (thanks to TTL adapter!)

http://www.pbase.com/danielrico/underwater_photography

Regards

knowing the digital adapter from Matthias I was wondering if the Inon Z-220 does the same in optical slave TTL mode. It does with my old spycam and someone with an Olympus 5060 told me it worked with his camera as well. just an optical cable.

Julian