Inon S-2000 Magnet with TG5

[Chris Ross]

I find when using the my Z 240's if I forget to put the magnet in (they are switches on the Z-240) that the flash goes off but does not appear in the exposure. Situation is Olympus OM-D with onboard flash in manual 1/64 power, manual exposure settings and the Z-240 in manual. In any case it's not usable, so for me at any rate if I want to use manual flash with the camera flash also in manual I need to have the magnet in.

If you are in TTL magnet is out and the INON fires on both the pre-flash and the main flash. It has to as the camera uses the pre flash for flash metering.

If you are in manual on the INON and magnet is in it will fire every time it sees a flash - if your camera is firing a pre flash as well as a main flash it will fire for both of them - if it is on low power you will get the right output on the second flash, but if you are at half power or greater likely the second flash might be a bit short as the flash has not had time to recharge yet. If the magnet is out it seems that on manual the INON still goes off but only at low output and your image is under exposed.

So the message is if you want to shoot in manual on the INON the magnet must be in if your camera is also in manual flash.

If the onboard flash is in TTL and the magnet is out you get the right manual output, the INON just flashes twice, with the second flash being the right power and in sync. With the S2000 with a magnet bolted in, changing it in the water is inviting losing it so if you want to switch between TTL and manual flash you need the magnet out and the camera's flash in TTL in both cases.

Reef Photo also has a guide : Selecting the proper settings for INON strobes

 

[scubaozy]

I think the table below is quite useful:
G/S Series Camera Mode--Camera Flash Mode ---- Preflash---Inon S/D Series Magnet Switch--Inon S Op Mode-- Inon D Op Mode
Program-------------------------- Auto -----------------Yes -------------NA ------------------------------sTTL ---------------sTTL
Auto Tv/Auto Av ----------------Default Auto ---------Yes -------------NA -------------------------------sTTL ---------------sTTL
Auto Tv/Auto Av ----------------Default Auto ---------Yes -------------Remove Magnet -----------------NA ----------------EA
Auto Tv/Auto Av ----------------Select Manual --------No -------------Install Magnet -------------------Manual -----------Manual or EA
Manual --------------------------- Manual --------------No -------------Install Magnet -------------------Manual -----------Manual or EA

 

[cjibber]

Does anyone know why they use a removable magnet instead of just having a switch? From what I understand, all you are trying to do is tell the strobe whether or not to expect a pre-flash. The magnet seems an overly complicated way of doing this (particularly if you wanted to change modes underwater) when a simple switch would achieve the same thing. Is there a reason for it?

 

[scubaozy]

Probably cost. With magnet you can actuate an electronic switch without an extra seal or a special design. I think in some of the newer Inons have a switch, so they probably have recognized it is a bit annoying to the users.
To be honest, I do not see the need to use full manual mode at all, I can dial the strobe power up/down in TTL mode too, so, imho it is the best of both worlds. If the STTL works as advertised, due stronger pre-flash of the strobe, camera flash is not fired with full power, so, it should some what offset energy savings in manual mode.

 

[Nemrod]

Or:

I am the author of the table above. The best thing Inon has done in their newest strobes and the Z240 is provide a actual switch. The magnet confuses everybody, all it is activates an internal magnetic switch to eliminate the need for another control bulkhead fitting (leak path).

Some cameras have TTL in Manual. I just bought a new Sony A6400 and am trying to build another chart. But people have said it before, the Sony menu and functions are more difficult than typical Canon or Oly.

The S2000 strobe and the new issue Inon strobes do not have eAuto modes.

Some cameras, most, have a red eye setting, you will want to turn that off.

N

 

[bvanant]

The newer Inon strobes use a magnet (no through hole) but one attached to a knob that you can put in or leave out. The damn things still can corrode and then have to be replaced. Magnetic reed switches are very reliable, cost little and no o-ring or shaft through the strobe.
Bill

 

[Chris Ross]

The reason for the magnet is to not put another hole in the casing - I would regard it as a reliability feature, you don't need to install an O-ring and a possible leak point. The "switch" on the newer INON strobes is just a post that is spring loaded and lockable to insert/remove the magnet into the hole during a dive. That assembly is threaded into the casing _ I haven't thought about it before but I would guess if the thread is the same you could install that switch assembly into strobes that use the magnet system and that assembly can be purchased as a spare part.

Manual mode is an important feature, some cameras just cannot produce a reliable good exposure in TTL for wide angle work - it is the camera that decides how much strobe power to use and if it does not interpret the scene correctly the exposure is off. It is also not always repeatable, changes in composition to include more or less water can sometimes cause the camera to change exposure - in Manual if you are at the same distance, exposure is repeatable. Macro tends to be easier as the cameras seem to do better interpreting the scene. But again using manual is not a big burden, the required exposure doesn't vary all that much for small changes in distance.

 

[scubaozy]

Manual mode is an important feature, some cameras just cannot produce a reliable good exposure in TTL for wide angle work

I used my Inon with canon, nikon and Olympus camera’s over last 15 years and had no problems with sTTL. It either works correctly or it doesn’t at all. Which ones exactly you are talking about?

if it does not interpret the scene correctly the exposure is off. It is also not always repeatable, changes in composition to include more or less water can sometimes cause the camera to change exposure - in Manual if you are at the same distance, exposure is repeatable. Macro tends to be easier as the cameras seem to do better interpreting the scene.

TTL will always be more repeatable as long sensor inputs are same, software can always produce more repeatable results in comparison to human.
Strobe will fire as soon as 70-80 % recycled, that alone makes your repeatability questionable.
Inon ttl has also possibility to dial up and down, just like you would in manual mode with additional benefits.
I do agree to it that if you need a special lighting effect you might want to use manual mode.

 

[Chris Ross]

I use OM-D Em-5 MkII and now EM1-MkII. I tried TTL initially and results were mixed only ever getting something reasonable in macro, I found manual flash easier in the end. TTL is certainly repeatable with the exact same framing, but that is not always achievable when you are hovering and dealing with surge and currents or just poor aiming skills. Manual by definition is repeatable, you only have to keep the distance about the same and it puts out the same amount of light.

 

[skl007]

I seem to be struggling mightily with my TG6 and strobe. in TTL mode my photos look to only be illuminated by the camera's flash, and the photos are very underexposed. I think it might be because the S2000 timing is off, where the camera adjusts to account for the strong pre-flash and then there isn't the correct illumination when the photo is captured. Fill-in flash on camera, S2000 set to TTL with the knob turned to "B", no magnet.

But, if I simply turn the strobe to max output things seem to be fine?