Problem with an Inon D-2000 Type

[Cumbo]

I recently bought my first strobe for my G12. I am now having doubts, if it works properly (or the optical cord). Is this correct:

1) the strobe should work in Av and Tv modes when set to "STTL", "STTL Low", "AUTO", "M" or "FULL" (Picture of the rear of D-2000?
2) the strobe should work in M mode when set to "AUTO", "M" or "FULL"
3) with this setup, I mustn't install the magnet supplied with the strobe?

It sometimes get totally black pictures, even though the strobe is fired at full power. Any idea what the problem might be?

Does the D-2000 require using the Inon Fiber Optic D Cable Type L? I ordered a 10Bar fiber optic cable, but got a cable which is not threaded at the strobe end, but instead has a red rubber-type material cap.

I should be diving with the gear on Saturday for the first time. Please help!

 

[HerraduraDivers]

I use my G11 in Av or Tv mode and the D2000 set to sTTL or sTTL low mode and have a very low rate of under/overexposed pictures.
As far as i know the Strobe should also work in with the camer set in M mode, but you have to set aperture and speed correctly.
There should be no magnet installed and check the sensor "limiter" ring that he is set in open position!

Recently i had problems with erratic behaviour, strobe not firing problems and heavy under/overexposing.
Tracking down the problem, i discovered that it seems that the problem was a broken/damaged optical cable.
You may try to play around with the optical cable and set the camera to Tv mode and to 60/s or 125/s, but no shutter speed higher than 250/s.
The G11 and the identical G12 have to expose right with no magnet, stTTL and Tv set to 60 or 125 on distances between 1-3 ft.

Chris

 

[Cumbo]

Thanks for the reply. sTTL (when it worked) resulted in highly overexposed images, as did sTTL low.

Why can't the shutter speed be more than 1/250? I tried even with 1/4000 and the strobe was visible in the image (tried in front of the mirror).

How about the last question:

Does the D-2000 require using the Inon Fiber Optic D Cable Type L or will a 10Bar fiber optic cabel work perfectly, too?

I use my G11 in Av or Tv mode and the D2000 set to sTTL or sTTL low mode and have a very low rate of under/overexposed pictures.
As far as i know the Strobe should also work in with the camer set in M mode, but you have to set aperture and speed correctly.
There should be no magnet installed and check the sensor "limiter" ring that he is set in open position!

Recently i had problems with erratic behaviour, strobe not firing problems and heavy under/overexposing.
Tracking down the problem, i discovered that it seems that the problem was a broken/damaged optical cable.
You may try to play around with the optical cable and set the camera to Tv mode and to 60/s or 125/s, but no shutter speed higher than 250/s.
The G11 and the identical G12 have to expose right with no magnet, stTTL and Tv set to 60 or 125 on distances between 1-3 ft.

Chris

 

[HerraduraDivers]

The camera should not reliable synchronize (and so expose) with a shutter speed higher than 250/s with a optical strobe.

Set the exposure Dial on the back of the D2000 to the 12 o clock position and do some tests with regulating the power output turning this dial.
Check also if your strobe exposure correction in the G12 is set to +/- 0

What distances have you between the camera and the object?
Is it a new strobe, used one, worked before well, never used before?

I am using the G11 - D2000 for many many dives and it worked mostly flawless and i consider the D2000 as a excellent strobe and the sTTL mode as very reliable.
I am using a 5 year old Fantasea optical cable and i don't think that the problem is that it is not a INON cable.
You may have a look the the end of the cable inside the rubber cap is well positioned and the transparent inner core is good visible.
Try to cut off a bit more of the black "isulation" and hold/tape it directly to the INON sensor and do some tests if something changes.
But there is still a possibility that the strobe and7or his electronics is the problem.
Chris

 

[Cumbo]

Exposure has been +/- 0 always (on the camera dial, that is). Where can you set the G12 exposure correction (if you do not mean the control wheen ontop of the camera)?

The distances vary from 10 cm to about 4-5 meters. Strobe is brand new, and hasn't been used before.

I will try to cut off some of the black stuff when I get home. Should the fiber optic cable be aligned towards the camera flash (mounted from the front direction of the housing) or in 90 degree angle (mounted from the top direction of the housing) or does this even matter?

The camera should not reliable synchronize (and so expose) with a shutter speed higher than 250/s with a optical strobe.

Set the exposure Dial on the back of the D2000 to the 12 o clock position and do some tests with regulating the power output turning this dial.
Check also if your strobe exposure correction in the G12 is set to +/- 0

What distances have you between the camera and the object?
Is it a new strobe, used one, worked before well, never used before?

I am using the G11 - D2000 for many many dives and it worked mostly flawless and i consider the D2000 as a excellent strobe and the sTTL mode as very reliable.
I am using a 5 year old Fantasea optical cable and i don't think that the problem is that it is not a INON cable.
You may have a look the the end of the cable inside the rubber cap is well positioned and the transparent inner core is good visible.
Try to cut off a bit more of the black "isulation" and hold/tape it directly to the INON sensor and do some tests if something changes.
But there is still a possibility that the strobe and7or his electronics is the problem.
Chris

 

[HerraduraDivers]

There are two ways to correct Flash Exposure Control:
MENU -> Camera Icon -> scroll down to Flash control, set Flash Exp. Comp to +/- 0
FUNC SET: 4th icon left side Flash Exposure Control

I use the seetings in the Menu Flash Control settings as follows:
Flash Mode: Auto
Flash Exp. Comp: +/- 0
Shutter Sync: 1st-curtain
Red-Eye Lamp: off
Safety FE: Off
You may to experiment with the Red Eye Lamp On/Off or another setting excluding the red eye correction.

In the original INON screw on cap, the optical cables comes from below and the end of the cable is pointing to the bottom of the sensor.
You may experiment with various positions using tape to keep it in place.
You may borrow another optical cable t exclude that the cable is broken, damaged, etc.

Chris

 

[Ardy]

If you can see light coming out of the optical cable it is not a cable problem, they are only a means of carrying light to the strobe. I make my own up for about $1 a piece and never have a problem.

I had problems with synch'ing sTTL to my SnS 110a due to the camera flash not being set to auto. I don't think you can set a flash to manual and still synch with a STTL strobe this may be different for other cameras but I can't do it on my Olympus e-520.

 

[HerraduraDivers]

Ardy,
the light may come out when you have it in your hand and are looking, while screwed on the strobe it may not work anymore.
I had this problem on my 2007 Fantasea optical cable, becoming old and brittle, so it broke inside and was forking sometimes and sometimes not.
Everytime i hold the cable directly on the strobes sensor it worked, when i mounted it on the strobes sensor cap it worked unreliable.
After it drove me nuts doing various tries, guesses, puzzeling around with settings i discovered that the transparent core was broken in several places what led to a bad "connection".
I changed the optical cable and everything turned normal.
Chris

 

[Cumbo]

Well, I did some testing, and first of all, I did have flash set to manual on some modes, but making that auto didn't fully remove the problems. I did take out some more of the insulating black plastic and it did seem to help a little. I mounted the cable on the housing with simple tape. Not reliably though: varying the strobe position meant that the system worked sometimes, and sometimes not. So, I have ordered a new cable.

I have to mention, that when it worked correctly the results were VERY NICE! It managed to give correctly exposed images even against quite bright light, in dark etc..

 

[Ardy]

Ardy,
the light may come out when you have it in your hand and are looking, while screwed on the strobe it may not work anymore.
I had this problem on my 2007 Fantasea optical cable, becoming old and brittle, so it broke inside and was forking sometimes and sometimes not.
Everytime i hold the cable directly on the strobes sensor it worked, when i mounted it on the strobes sensor cap it worked unreliable.
After it drove me nuts doing various tries, guesses, puzzeling around with settings i discovered that the transparent core was broken in several places what led to a bad "connection".
I changed the optical cable and everything turned normal.
Chris

hi Chris that is interesting. Will watch out for that. I do always have a length of optical cable with me and can change the cable in about 5 mins. Also I cut off about 10mm from the end of each cable every 6 months or so as I suspect the ends of the cable get dirty/cracked.

regards