canon S90 and INON D-2000 overexposure !

[marmagi]

Hello,

I have being using INON D-2000 for many years with my past canon compacts and never had any problems, took many nice pics

recently I got the canon S90 with underwater case WP-DC35 and use INON AD lenses and INON D-2000 strobe

I am having continues overexposed pics no matter how I set S90 and D-2000

I have tried S90 in AUTO, P, in SCN underwater, in TV 1/125, in AV F4 or F5.6

tried ISO in AUTO, 80 and 100

I have tried the D-2000 in AUTO, TTL and TTL-low

no matter what I keep getting continues overexposed pics

if I am closer to surface and get light from surface is even worst overexposure, but I keep getting overexposure also deep ( 30mt / 90 ft )

off course if I set EV compensation light on D-2000 I can manage at a point to get underexposure, but its a big mess every pic keep turning EV compensation knob of D-2000

what am I doing wrong?

another strange thing I have noticed when I use S90 in AV F4 or F5.6

why why why set speed by S90 is always fixed 1/60th ? shouldnt it change so S90 adapts to compesate for scene and flash light? why is always 1/60th fixed !

I have being using exposure compensation -1 2/3 and it isnt enought I even set it to -2 its a little better but still not enought

AWB I have used auto and cloudy, what you recommend me?

Metering mode: I have tried evaluative and center weighted, evalutive gives little better results, which one should be used?

i-contrast should I use it in AUTO?

what is the difference between S90 in AUTO or P mode?

should I use any flash exposure compensation? I guess is useless right? because the S90 flash is only used to trigger the D-2000 right?

somewhere in the menu there is flash mode setting AUTO or MANUAL which one should I use?

Excuse me in advance for so much asking, hope I find my solution

thanks

Mario

 

[Nemrod]

what am I doing wrong?

Apparently everything.

I have answered you before in great detail.

A. Yes, camera flash compensation will work in Av/Tv/Program/Auto if the D2000 is set in sTTL and it will extend another two full stops your ability to control the D2000.

B. If you are shooting the D2000 in sTTL the camera strobe needs to be set in Auto.

C. If you are shooting the D2000 in EA mode then you can set the camera strobe to Manual and set to lowest power and match F stop to suit with the knob on the D2000 to the camera aperture.

D. If the camera is operating in any "Auto" type mode such as Av/Tv/Program/Auto simply setting a different F stop or shutter speed does nothing to the exposure because the camera simply compensates with the other variable to get the exposure it thinks is correct, perhaps you should go to MANUAL exposure mode on the camera and Manual exposure on the D2000.

E. You never post photos so it is really hard for people to diagnose your issues.

F. A good library book on basic photography would be very useful to you

G. Set the ISO on the camera to 100. That is what the strobe is calibrated for.

H. Auto is a set program, Program allows you to program certain aspects of the camera's operation, read your instruction manual under Program.

I. It sounds like to me you and the S90 are not a match made in Heaven, perhaps you should go back to the Canon cameras you had no difficulty with in the past years.

J. Use RAW, use your Canon software for WB.

K. I-contrast is largely a gimmick.

L. Metering mode? You answered your own question, use the one that works best for you.

M.

N

 

[marmagi]

thanks for your help,

you didnt explain me why I am getting this strange behaviour of the S90, what am I setting wrong?:

when I use S90 in AV F4 or F5.6 and the D-2000 in either ttl, sttl or auto

why set speed by S90 is always fixed 1/60th ? shouldnt it change so S90 adapts to compesate for scene and flash light? why is always 1/60th fixed !

attached some sample pics:

 

[marmagi]

here is another example

 

[Nemrod]

Look, if you want to control the camera put it in Manual. If you keep doing the same things over and over you should expect the same result, keep doing what you have been doing.

For whatever reason, ask Canon, the engineers that designed the software for their cameras, in Auto modes (Av/Auto/Program) the program highly favors 1/60th second and the camera exposure system just increases or decreases the flash output to compensate the exposure if the scene is darker or lighter--ONLY----increasing shutter speed when the scene is very bright and flash is down to the lowest output or vice versa.

Why don't you just put the camera in Manual mode and the D2000 in either Manual or External Auto?

BTW, maximum flash sync speed is 1/500 and in Manual you can get that if you desire.

If you wanted an Auto only camera then you have purchased the wrong camera because the S90 expects that you want to control the photographic outcome. You were told a long time ago by several people including me that the Auto exposure programs on the S90 were not especially great. You asked why then, you were told to use Manual then. That was like 6 or 8 months ago. Did you not try Manual exposure? You never said?

Yes, I agree, your photos are over exposed, use Manual control and set your own settings, take some photos, review the LCD and adjust to suit your tastes.

Why ask why, why not just use Manual like everybody has told you? I am confused?

N

 

[Nemrod]

I highly recommend you set the S90 to Manual exposure mode, set the D2000 to EA mode. Match the f stop of the camera to the power knob on the strobe--as a beginning point. Set your shutter speed to get a lighter or darker background (slower shutter speeds <----- light blue, blue, deep blue, black------> faster shutter speeds) and set your f stop for your foreground/subject exposure and of course your strobe.

That is how it is done, thirty years ago, twenty years ago, ten years ago, now, that is the basic rule. Do it.

Manual, manual, manual, manual, set the camera to manual please. Thank you. Report back, I am going to take a drink of tequila and hit some Valium.

N

 

[marmagi]

Nemrod,

you are very kind thanks a lot and sorry so much bothering promise I will try manual manual manual, let me make sure how to try it

set S90 in fully manual M, can I put the flash of S90 to on

i'll start with fstop of S90 and D-2000 same lets say F4

to have D-2000 in EA mode I set left knob in sttl or sttl-low?

thanks

Mario

 

[Peter Guy]

Nemrod -- I'm now very sorry to say but you have me confused and I hope you'll be so kind as to help me out with my D2000.

There are two "exposure" knobs on the back of the unit -- the one on the left is the power switch while the one on the right is the exposure switch.

I'm an sTTL user (at least I think I am!) and have used the following settings with what, to me, has been generally good success:

Left switch -- set to "Low" (sTTL)

Right switch -- set to "2.8"/B/Super S-TTL

It has been my belief that using these settings has put the D2000 in the TTL mode which has worked with my Canon S80 and appears to now work with my Olympus E-PL1.

Cameras, btw, were generally set in AV mode.

Or am I just fooling myself?

 

[Nemrod]

Nemrod,

you are very kind thanks a lot and sorry so much bothering promise I will try manual manual manual, let me make sure how to try it

set S90 in fully manual M, can I put the flash of S90 to on

i'll start with fstop of S90 and D-2000 same lets say F4

to have D-2000 in EA mode I set left knob in sttl or sttl-low?

thanks

Mario

Two shots of tequila later and a bottle of Valium----


Yes, BY GEORGE, I think you have it .

1. Set your S90 to Manual exposure mode.

2. Set your D2000 to External Auto, that is the green "Auto" on the LH knob (install magnet also).

3. Match the f stop you choose on the S90 to the f stop on the power knob (RH knob) on the D2000.

4. Set your S90 strobe to ON (Forced)

5. Shoot a photo, for a starting point, just a WAG, set your S90 f stop to f5.6, set your S90 shutter to 1/125, set your D2000 to f5.6, set ISO on S90 to 100.

7. Look at the result in the LCD and vary your shutter or f stop and strobe to get the desired result.

Example, the subject is over exposed--correction--set f stop to f8 or set the D2000 to f2.8 (this fools the D2000 into thinking the camera is at f2.8 decreasing flash output).

Example, the subject is under exposed--correction--set f stop to f 4.0 or set D2000 to f 8.0 (this fools the D200 into thinking the camera is at f8.0 increasing flash output).

Note, we have done nothing with the shutter!!!!!!!!!!!! OK, let's d--, uh, play with the shutter some ---

Example, your background is too light--correction--increase shutter speed to 1/250.

Example, your background is too dark-- correction-- decrease shutter to 1/60.


It really is just that simple . I actually use Av mode and trick the camera to make it do as I please because I understand how it works after years of playing with cameras, I suggest, strongly suggest, you do as above and then you too will quickly understand how the camera works and later on you can begin to play all sorts of wonderful tricks.

N

 

[Nemrod]

Nemrod -- I'm now very sorry to say but you have me confused and I hope you'll be so kind as to help me out with my D2000.

There are two "exposure" knobs on the back of the unit -- the one on the left is the power switch while the one on the right is the exposure switch.

I'm an sTTL user (at least I think I am!) and have used the following settings with what, to me, has been generally good success:

Left switch -- set to "Low" (sTTL)

Right switch -- set to "2.8"/B/Super S-TTL

It has been my belief that using these settings has put the D2000 in the TTL mode which has worked with my Canon S80 and appears to now work with my Olympus E-PL1.

Cameras, btw, were generally set in AV mode.

Or am I just fooling myself?

Peter, you are on track but not completely set.

1. Set your ELP-1 to an Auto mode (or any preferred mode that supplies Auto Flash exposure control) that supplies Auto flash exposure control.

2. Set the ELP-1 flash to Forced ON.

3. Set the ELP-1 Flash Exposure Compensation to 0 (for now)

4. Set your D2000 left switch to sTTL (low) unless that under exposes and then set to sTTL.

5. Magnet position is irrelevant in sTTL mode

6. Set the D2000 to the yellow "B" on the RH knob. This is the power/compensation bias knob.

If the exposure is too light or too dark then turn the RH knob cw or ccw (the full range of the yellow arc is available) to compensate your exposure---OR---you can compensate with the Flash Exposure Compensation bias in your ELP-1 and you can actually use both to extend the range of compensation or to set a generic bias.

I think I have the above right, let me dream on it a minute before you take it to the bank, given the tequila and Valium and my broken leg and sudden headache.

Peter, I am trying to set Margi up for Manual camera mode and External Auto (the Green "Auto" on the LH switch) on the D2000 so he can learn what does what. You are shooting sTTL so the instructions as from above and my prior post is slightly different.

James