Nemrod, will the D2000's sTTL only work in Program Mode for other Canon cameras (S80 is what I have) and not in Av or whatever?
I have so much to learn and sometimes it just seems I know less and less each day.
Hello Peter. I do think your S80 has Program mode?
I forgot one thing to mention, when using the sTTL mode on the D2000 you need to set the camera strobe to forced. The sTTL mode requires and expects a preflash. The initial (camera) flash is used to allow the camera's exposure system to gauge the exposure/strobe requirement. The D2000 mimics the camera essentially when in sTTL. The camera strobe should be covered, either with a deflector plate or the Inon Clear Exposure Film or exposed slide film so that only the flash from the D2000 hits the subject. The D2000 has it's own exposure system.
The External Auto mode does work fantastic with the camera in Av mode, magnet in, set your S80 if possible so that it does not fire a preflash. Many Canon cameras have a setting in the menu for manual or reduced flash power. This selection cancels the preflash.
It sounds more complicated than it really is because I am not explaining it well I suppose. If your camera can be set to cancel the preflash, Av and Manual work well with the D2000 set in External Auto or Manual, if your camera cannot cancel the preflash then you will need to remove the magnet so that the D2000 will expect a preflash.
BTW, the sTTL mode cancels/overides the ACC program, it requires a preflash to work correctly and most P&S cameras will emit a preflash in their Program modes overriding any menu settings in the camera that you made for a manual flash control in other modes.
So, what is the ACC program that is armed in External Auto when the magnet is NOT installed---in this mode the D2000 sees the camera's preflash. The camera uses that preflash to set exposure. The D2000 fires a much stronger preflash fooling the camera into thinking it does not need but just a small burst. The D2000 knows better however and fires the correct burst for the exposure. How does it know that, the D2000 has a built in exposure system.
So, Peter, a shorter answer is, if in Auto or Program or Av etc, your camera is set to emit a preflash then the sTTL mode will function. Usually Program or full auto modes automatically select a preflash even if you have your camera set to not fire a preflash in the sub menu in manual or Av.
Peter, page 77 and 78 in your manual for your S80 covers the manual flash setting for your camera, note the info in the square on page 78. Manuals available for download as a PDF for free here:
http://www.retrevo.com
So, what does the magnet do? The magnet installed cancels the ACC circuit in External Auto and Manual so that the D2000 does not expect a preflash. Removing the magnet arms the ACC and the D2000 will expect a preflash. When the ACC is armed the D2000 will see the preflash from the camera, fire a much stronger preflash fooling the camera as I said earlier into emitting a weak main flash. The D2000 then controls the exposure with it's exposure system.
In both sTTL and External Auto, you need to cover the camera's strobe as I mentioned earlier for it all to work as it should.
1. The sTTL mode is good for close ups, macro. Set S80 to Program, set D2000 to sTTL (Low). Magnet is irrelevant I think. Set S80 flash to Forced (on).
2. The D2000 External Auto mode is a better general choice, it should work best for you with the magnet in the D2000 and your S80 in Av with the camera flash set to manual and lowest power setting and Forced (on). Set ISO to 100 (for starters).
3. The D2000 Manual mode, S80 flash in manual and lowest power setting, S80 exposure set to Manual, D2000 magnet installed. This is what you go to when you want a specific outcome, as an example, like taking a picture into the sun with a subject back lighted strongly. You want the strobe to expose the subject so that they are not just a silhouette.
4. Optional possibility, S80 in Av, D2000 in External Auto, D2000 magnet NOT installed. Camera flash set to normal or auto and Forced.
Also, JFYI, the camera strobe should always be covered in some manner. Only the fiber optic cable needs to see the camera strobe output. The D2000 fires on infrared as well as visible light. Thus the reason the slide film or Inon Clear Photo system film works. A deflector as on Ikelite housings will work--anything--as long as the subject gets no light from the camera strobe and the D2000 couples only through the fiber optic cable.
Whew-----.
OK, what if you want to take a natural light photo, hopefully you are set up as in case number 2. Simply turn the camera strobe OFF. The D2000 sits there fat, dumb and happy and will not fire as you expose for your natural light photo (this works in manual also). When you turn the camera strobe back to forced the D2000 will fire as normal. You can also switch the S80 to manual, the D2000 to manual. All of this can be done with the magnet installed allowing you a range of options underwater to choose from.
So, you have to pre-plan what modes you are going to use underwater as you will not want to remove/install the magnet underwater. The Z240 has a rotary selector switch for this--dang!
N