Inon D180 help needed

[OCdiving Deb]

HELP! My photography knowledge is severely lacking so bear with me please.

I have been using an Oly 5050 for 2 months now and just added my Inon D-180 strobe this week. It worked OK when I did a deep (dark) canyon dive earlier this week. Those pix were slightly overexposed, but the flash was functioning.

Yesterday I tried to use it and it worked for the first photo but not afterward. The modeling light worked each time, but the flash did not. I could tell the internal flash was working to fire it but all the photos were too dark. I do not think the flash fired.

I had the strobe on auto and 2.8 (I do not understand the strobe directions nor the settings. I need basic help. I remember Mo2vation telling me I need to set the dial to match the camera but I did not pay attention to that during the dive. Thinking back, that may have been my problem. Elaborate please!

Also, the instructions for the strobe say the batteries will last 600 flashes. Is this only if you do not use the strobe light as a primary? During the dark canyon dive I had the strobe light on the whole time. 30 minutes max. Is it possible my batteries were just too worn to fire yesterday?

I'll bet the whole issue is with the 2.8 setting but I need some help on how to determine what that should be, geared to a newbie photog. Thank you!

 

[Dee]

My guess would be the batteries, especially of you left the focusing light the whole time! What kind of batteries are you using? I use NiMH rechargeable batteries and change them every 2-3 dives.

I've only used a D-180 in the pool but can tell you that Mo is right, on auto, you need to set the strobe to match your camera aperture. If your camera is set to 5.6, set the strobe to 5.6. It's not a perfect system so if your photo looks too light or dark, move the strobe setting one notch whichever direction it needs, (right for lighter, left for darker?)

 

[Mo2vation]

I have been using an Oly 5050 for 2 months now and just added my Inon D-180 strobe this week. It worked OK when I did a deep (dark) canyon dive earlier this week. Those pix were slightly overexposed, but the flash was functioning.

First - props to you for finally getting this beautiful unit wet. The box should only be a temporary home for this thing. You've done a good thing by, you know, letting it out.

Next - If the modeling light is functioning, and the unit it turning on, chances are its not the batteries. 600 flashes on a set of batts is ambitious, but you should get two to three dives on a set of 2100's if you fire 50 - 60 shots a dive.

Are you shooting the cam in Auto or Manual? Its possible, if shooting in auto, that the cam determined it had enough light, and with the D180 set to 2.8. it determined it didn't need to fire. I had this happen one dive, and ended up putting the D180 into "Full" and it fired.

Lets go through this in greater detail at our first So Cal UW Olympus Group meeting tomorrow night.

K

 

[Gilligan]

Look at the dial settings on the back of the 180. Turning it to 2.8 is darkening the photo.
If you have the camera on F8.0 and the strobe on F8.0 you move the strobe dial to a lower F stop number to darken the photo and a higher number to lighten the photo.
I have been shooting my pics in the F 5.0 to F 8.0 range on full manual setting and the strobe on the same setting or up or down a notch from that.
Are you certain you did not forget to connect the fiber optic cable? Been there, done that. Even without it the strobe will fire, but not every time.

 

[OCdiving Deb]

I knew I came to the right place. Thanks all!

My problem is most likely with the aperture setting. I need to learn more about aperture. I have been using the P setting for the 5050 so far since I have no idea what to do with A and M. Can I continue to use P with the strobe? If so, how do I match the strobe setting? I think the screen will tell me, if I actually look at it... I need to train myself to look at certain things!

Part of my frustration has been with the lousy documentation I received from my retailer. Bad news. This morning I found Inon America has an online manual which may help with some of my issues. At least I can read it. Interpreting may require more help from all of you!!!

 

[Scubamedicjoe]

Inon America they finely moveing in right direction all though none of there usa retialers, could compaire to yuzo as DEE and several others stated . prices even with shipping is better than local go figure .

 

[Dee]

I knew I came to the right place. Thanks all!

My problem is most likely with the aperture setting. I need to learn more about aperture. I have been using the P setting for the 5050 so far since I have no idea what to do with A and M. Can I continue to use P with the strobe? If so, how do I match the strobe setting? I think the screen will tell me, if I actually look at it... I need to train myself to look at certain things!

Part of my frustration has been with the lousy documentation I received from my retailer. Bad news. This morning I found Inon America has an online manual which may help with some of my issues. At least I can read it. Interpreting may require more help from all of you!!!

You can use the strobe in P mode, just look at the LED window on top to see what your aperture is. But you'll get way better exposures if you'll learn to use Aperture mode or Manual mode. In Aperture mode, you set the aperture and the camera sets the shutter speed. In Shutter mode, you set the shutter and the camera sets the aperature. But the only way to have full control yourself is in Manual mode where you set bother aperture and shutter. This is usually intimidating to beginners but if you'll just take a while to start turning knobs, you'll soon understand it!

One of the best sites for learning the basics is Dave Read's online instruction. Although it was written before digitals got real popular, the basics are the same. You may notice that the f/stop numbers are a bit different from film to digital but it's all relative. Dave has the best way of describing confusing subjects of anyone I've ever read. He's a great guy, too!

The INON manual isn't very clear either. I think it's a great manufacturers conspiracy to write such confusing manuals. The biggest problem is they are written in Japanese and the literal translation sucks!

 

[OCdiving Deb]

One of the best sites for learning the basics is Dave Read's online instruction. Although it was written before digitals got real popular, the basics are the same. You may notice that the f/stop numbers are a bit different from film to digital but it's all relative. Dave has the best way of describing confusing subjects of anyone I've ever read.

Thanks Dee! I looked at his site briefly and I think it will be a great resource for understanding the basics. I will read it more thoroughly later today!

It appears I will need to practice by getting wet. Oh darn!

 

[Gilligan]

IMHO the best thing you can do is get that camera off "P" mode and into the "M" mode for good pictures. Peter Schulz discusses that and uses the 5050 as an example.
It was with the help of his article that I got off the "P" mode and into the "M" mode.

 

[Mo2vation]

IMHO the best thing you can do is get that camera off "P" mode and into the "M" mode for good pictures. Peter Schulz discusses that and uses the 5050 as an example.
It was with the help of his article that I got off the "P" mode and into the "M" mode.

I was shooting in "M" on my e20 most of the time, but this is the article that inspired me to program in 6 of my 8 "My Modes"... good stuff here. Printed it and a copy is in my bag everywhere I go.

K