Please correct me if.......

[SeaFlea]

Greetings all,

To those S1 IS / Inon users:

Correct me if this is wrong. S1 IS set to "MANUAL", Inon D2000 set to "M", set the Inon EV control to match camera aperature setting, now shoot. Adjust camera aperature and Inon EV setting as needed for correct exposure.(Inon EV setting and camera aperature are always matched, right?).

Other settings: White Bal to "CLOUDY", ISO to "50", shutter to "250", red-eye OFF, flash "always ON", flash output LOW.

I think thats all. Am I over-looking anything?

Thx for your time. REALLY looking forward to Coz in Feb. I hope to have some decent shots to post.

 

[SeaFlea]

I will give it a shot (pun intended) and see how they turn-out. I'll surely have something to post when I return.

 

[alcina]

I don't think many use that particular set-up.

When I shoot in manual for my strobe, I use the manual strobe settings to achieve the lighting I want. I set the aperture and shutter on the camera and only adjust the strobe.

Not sure if this is what you are asking...as you've probably discovered, the best way to figure things out is to get out there and shoot!

Have a great time!

 

[ReyeR]

Correct me if this is wrong. S1 IS set to "MANUAL", Inon D2000 set to "M", set the Inon EV control to match camera aperature setting, now shoot. Adjust camera aperature and Inon EV setting as needed for correct exposure.(Inon EV setting and camera aperature are always matched, right?).

When you set the D-2000 to 'M' you don't match the EV setting to the camera's aperture. In 'M' mode each 'notch' on the EV dial is a 'brightness' setting of your strobe - don't be confused by the fact that these notches have a F-stop value next to it. Basically you set your camera to Manual, select a shutterspeed (e.g. 1/125s or 1/250s), select an aperture (e.g. F/4.0 or F/5.6). You need to make an 'educated' guess on what to dial into the D-2000 given your aperture setting and strobe-to-subject distance. Take the picture, too light? Decrease the brightness (by dialing towards the '2'). Too dark, increase the brightness (by dialing towards the '11').

When you use the D-2000 in 'Auto' (External Auto) mode is when you should try and match then EV dial with your camera's aperture. Even in this case it is a rough guide - it doesn't have to match up exactly. In 'Auto' mode the strobe is using a combination of the sensor on the strobe and the value you dial in to automatically calculate how bright the strobe should be.

Don't forget to install the magnet to turn the Advance Cancel Circuit OFF when using the S1 in Manual mode.

 

[SeaFlea]

As I read thru the Inon manual I thought it suggested that when in manual mode the Inon EV setting should match the camera aperature.

Alcina, I remember you saying that you set the S1 IS on or near 5.6(one stop either way) when you shoot. If so, where do you start with the EV setting on thhe Inon? Do you start at 2.8 (which happens to be in the center of the EV dial when shooting in AUTO mode) or at a higher setting?

I experimented abit at home by matching the Inon EV setting the the S1 IS aperature setting and I was able to get reasonably decent exposures. I strive for a slightly dim LCD display of my shot, right?

Thx.

 

[alcina]

I don't use the S1 so can't be exact.

On the Canon A series I find that 4.5 - 6.3 is a good range - anything wider than 4.5ish gives a softer feel to the photo.

Again, on the A series my monitors have always been too bright so I aim for a slightly darker than looks perfect image. YMMV and experimenting is the only way to find out. The upside is that a slightly underexposed image is preferable to an overexposed one when you go to process.

I use the INON 220 which doesn't have EV settings. ReyeR above has explained these pretty well I think. I use my strobe in M mode and use the incremental settings to control how much light.

Very close ups need -4 or -5 on my strobe usually. Get a bit farther away and I'm at -1 or - 3 ish. There are some scenes I've used full power on, but not many.

Can't help with the 2000 really as I don't have one and haven't seen its back to know if it is essentially the same as the 220

 

[ReyeR]

As I read thru the Inon manual I thought it suggested that when in manual mode the Inon EV setting should match the camera aperature.

I hope not, because that would be incorrect. In manual strobe mode, what setting you choose on the EV controller will depend not only on the aperture you have set on your camera but also on your strobe-to-subject distance (along with other factors like ISO). Say for instance you select F/5.6 on your camera and you select 5.6 on the D-2000. This combination MAY give you a correctly exposed picture at, for example, 3ft strobe-to-subject distance. Now keep the settings the same (F/5.6,5.6) and move the strobe back, you will get a darker image. Move the strobe toward the subject and you will start getting over exposure. So you may need to dial 8 or 4 on the strobe, depending on how far back or forward you move it, which means you strobe EV numbers no longer correspond to the camera's aperture.

The EV dial on the back of the D-2000 is different from that of the Z220/Z220S, instead of Full, -1/2, -1, etc markings it has markings like 2, ., 2.8, ., 4, etc which is more to accomodate the D-2000s 'External Auto' mode I think. Each notch is 1/2 f-stop more or less light. I'm not sure whether '11' indicates half power on the D-2000 as the -1 does on the Z220.

 

[SeaFlea]

ReyeR, thx for the replies. The Inon manual is difficult to follow at best, to me.

I think I understand you. So to be clear, to correct the exposure rather than changing the camera aperature I need to adjust the strobe power, by using the EV controller. right? I guess my first UW shots will tell me approx where the EV controller should be set. I'll start with a camera aperature of 5.6 and a EV setting of abit less than 50% full scale and see what that yields.

I did install the magnet and assume I'll always be using the S1 IS in the manual mode.

Thx again.

 

[ReyeR]

I think I understand you. So to be clear, to correct the exposure rather than changing the camera aperature I need to adjust the strobe power, by using the EV controller. right?

That is a good way to start. Set the aperture according to the Depth Of Field (DOF) you want to achieve in the shot and then adjust the EV on the strobe till you get the correct exposure.

I guess my first UW shots will tell me approx where the EV controller should be set. I'll start with a camera aperature of 5.6 and a EV setting of abit less than 50% full scale and see what that yields.

That's the way to go. After a while you will instinctively judge the subject distance and know what EV to dial in right away for the aperture you have chosen.

 

[ReyeR]

I guess my first UW shots will tell me approx where the EV controller should be set. I'll start with a camera aperature of 5.6 and a EV setting of abit less than 50% full scale and see what that yields.

Reading the D-2000 manual: In 'M' mode, on the EV controller, the dot between '11' and '8' is '-1.0' or half strobe power.

To give you an idea on where to start on the EV controller, using the formula Guide Number (GN) = Aperture value * Distance (Strobe-to-subject):

At ISO 50, F/5.6 and half power (position between '11' and '8') on the strobe, your subject should be APPROXIMATELY 0.8m (2.5ft) away from the strobe. Remember, these are approximate guides.

Also, I noticed you said WB set to cloudy. When shooting with a strobe it might be worth trying 'Auto' as well.

Good luck and enjoy!