16 replies to this topic

[anthp]

Hi there,

Does anyone know where I can track down an English instruction manual for the Inon D2000?

Thanks.

[Starbuck]

Seems www.inonamerica.com has some brochures for the strobe at
http://www.inonamerica.com/doc.php

I would email them.. Mark is usually very good at responding and tracking down info...

M.

[raintonr]

Checked the Inon Japan website a while back (their date is Dec 29) and it said English manuals had been distributed and would be showing up on the other sites soon:

http://www.inon.co.j...20041229_En.htm

FWIW, I've discovered that if you leave the right hand knob on 'Auto' while in S-TTL mode things are over-exposed. Looking at some of the doco and samples on Inon sites I now believe that it should have been pointing straight up (At the 'B' setting). Anyone care to share anything else?

I've got a Powershot S400 in the stock Canon case, would really like a manual I can read because otherwise it's all guesswork and the display on the camera isn't good enough to spot over-exposure (so I have to wait to get the pics on the PC).

[ReyeR]

Who did you buy your D-2000 from?

With the release of the D-2000 Inon has decided not to publish the English manual online. You will need to contact the vendor who you bought it from.  There was a big discussion about this on digtaldiver.net: English version of D-2000 manual

FWIW, I've discovered that if you leave the right hand knob on 'Auto' while in S-TTL mode things are over-exposed. Looking at some of the doco and samples on Inon sites I now believe that it should have been pointing straight up (At the 'B' setting). Anyone care to share anything else?

For S-TTL:
If you're aiming the built-in focus-assist/aiming light at the subject then Inon advises that you stick the red filter sticker over it so it doesn't affect the S-TTL exposure.
Start with 'S-TTL Low' on the mode dial and the EV dial at position 'B'. If the strobe exposure is too bright then dial it clock wise towards the '-C', you have 5 steps to reduce the strobe power (range surrounded by the yellow arc). If the strobe exposure is under then dial the EV controller anti-clockwise towards the '+A'. You have 3 steps to bump the exposure up with.
If your exposure is still under after you have bumped it up by 3 steps in 'S-TTL Low' mode then switch the mode dial to 'S-TTL' and the EV dial to 'B' and try again.

[anthp]

Thanks Reye for the link.

Luckily Yuzo Kanda, from whom I purchased the strobe, has actually translated the manual into English. He supplied me one in pdf format after I posted this question.

[raintonr]

Thanks Mark,

I mail ordered mine from
California Digital Diving because when I wanted to buy it no-one in Australia was stocking the D-2000. I'll mail them and see if they can send me a manual.

On the other thing - I thought the whole point of the S-TTL function is that the strobe emulates the internal flash, the camera sees the pre-flash, and uses settings derrived from that for the actual exposure a fraction of a second later. How can the strobe adjust that? Are you saying these settings make the second flash brighter somehow? I guess this makes sense and explains why my stuff was over exposed - because I had it on +3 without knowing.

I do have a little red filter that appears to clip into the diffuser I also got (which is marked -0.5 stop). The clip isn't particularly secure mind, but it shouldn't come off because of the way the diffuser is screwed into the strobe. Was I also meant to get a stick on red-filter or something?

Thanks for your help - will let you know how I go.

[Alex_Mustard]

I took a D2000 with me to Grand Cayman a couple of weeks ago. I was very glad that Ocean Optics in London gave me an English manual - the back of the strobe is pretty complex! I was shooting it with a Oly 5060:


I found that both STTL and STTL-low worked very reliably. When you are using these modes have the right hand knob set to B (at the top) and then after reviewing your shot you can, if required, reduce or increase the strobe power by clicking it either right or left respectively.

The AF assist light must be covered with the red filter or turned off (my solution) because it can interfer with TTL performance. This is because the preflash is weak and the AF assist lamp can be significant compared with this - fooling the camera into thinking that the preflash is overexposing and reducing the intensity of the main flash - thus underexposing. Strong ambient light has the same effect. This is not a problem of Inon's, but more a foible of the pre-flash metering of the camera. I presume the same would happen if only using the internal flash. You only notice this effect when shooting TTL tests over the full range of apertures (see Julian's "Jolly" Scheunemann test:

http://www.wetpixel....-1-pid-63.phtml

Alex

[Alex_Mustard]

Having re-read my post - it seems a little harsh. And I should mention that you would never notice this effect under normal shooting conditions.

I found that STTL worked very well for me. Time after time. For wide angle, fish portraits and macro. These shots are uncropped - the wide angle from my first dive with the camera and macro and fish portrait from my last dive. All lit with a single D2000 on TTL:







I also used the strobe on Manual and paired it with one of my subtronics (on low power!) - which also worked well. I found it easier to get even lighting with the two guns. If I had had two D2000s then I would have shot them as a pair on STTL.



Alex

[anthp]

Alex, those shots are amazingly well exposed for an automatic system. I hope you have made another post on the TTL anonymous thread!!

I have just discovered that the S-TTL system will not function with the Fuji F810 which is a little disappointing (because the camera doesn't do a pre-flash aparently!). So I will be using the external auto exposure system which is not TTL and seems to operate much like the "auto" modes on early land-flashes - with a sensor on the flash itself. Almost seems like it might be easier to go manual!

Anth

[anthp]

Oh and while we are posting links to suppliers...

I have been nothing short of impressed by the service offered by Yuzo Kanda of UWDigitalCamera. He answered all my many emailed questions prior to sale (normally within hours rather than days) and then after the sale (and this is more telling in my estimation), he continued to answer questions about how to use the strobe with the camera.

Living in Australia, I chose to purchase overseas for different reasons that raintonr above.

SeaOptics - the only Australian INON supplier - were quite negative in their opinions of the Fuji F810. I indicated to them that I was prepared to look at other options from their range, if they could suggest a similarly priced camera/housing package which offered RAW and the ability to attach wide lenses. Being unable to suggest alternatives, they reluctantly agreed to consider the "poorly supported" Fuji package. I guess this is understandable - they don't normally stock Fuji and would no doubt have preferred to sell me the camera and housing in addition to the strobe and WA lens. I had already decided to purchase the camera/housing locally in Melbourne (not 2000 kms away in Adelaide where SeaOptics is located).

Unfortunately, the attitude of SeaOptics left me with a sour taste - in stark contrast to the exemplary attitude/service of Yuzo at UWDigitalCamera. Despite preferring to purhcase locally, the combination of poor attitude and a 40% cost premium for exactly the same goods from Yuzo (even after paying shipping from Japan, Australian taxes, GST and customs duties), left me with no choice but to shun the Australian distributers in favour of the overseas alternative. Interestingly, the shipping time from Japan was roughly the same as that from South Australia!!

Given the good attitude of Yuzo (in sending the manual after the purchase and providing excellent support in terms of responding to questions), I would happily purchase from him again. [end rant...]

[raintonr]

I'd like to add my thanks to Reye and Alex. This sort of advice may prove more useful than the manual anyhow! Will use the diffuser and red focus mask next time and start out S-TTL low as suggested.

Oh - some great photos here too

[anthp]

Ahhh, the saga continues...

I would also like to add my thanks to Alex, Reye and Mike (starbuck) for their assistance, insights and simply stunning photographs.

I have since received an email from Sea Optics requesting the serial number of the strobe so they can send me an English manual.

Since I didn't contact them directly, I can only assume that the request I emailed to INON America somehow made its way to them (maybe thanks to Mark??).

Either way, this indicates excellent communication within INON and I feel I must temper my previous comments. Whilst I don't support INON's policy of instruction manual distribution, I can understand their interest in supporting local distributers.

I do believe that INON could take a leaf out Ike's book and support anyone who is using their products - even if the English manual has to be shipped from Japan at the recepient's expense. Perhaps this would be an acceptable compromise?

While writing this post, I received a reply from Sea Optics:

Hi Anthony

Thanks you for the email

This part number does not match any of the strobes we have sold within Australia. English manuals are only distributed through Authorized English speaking dealers.  

Which means we can only match up the manuals for the serial numbers of strobes we have sold. You will need to contact the company you purchased it through to obtain a manual. If it was not an Authorized dealer you will not be able to get an English manual from them.

Also please be advised this strobe does not have any Australian Warranty it will have to be sent back to the country of purchase for servicing, warranty repairs or spare parts.

If you purchased it within Australia could you please advise who so that they can be advised of the correct purchasing procedure of these products so that future customers will not be trapped in this situation.  

Kindest Regards

Carey Harmer
Sales Manager

Looks like INON are maintaining the policy outlined in the thread on digitaldiver linked to earlier.

I posted this so that prospective Australian customers can make up their own minds about where to purchase goods. Personally, I couldn't justify taking the local route for reasons already outlined. I guess this also highlights the value of the support Yuzo Kanda provides.

I must also put in an extremely positive plug for Ryan Canon who contacted me by email regarding this situation and is considering examining the issue of S-TTL compatibility with the Fuji F810. Talk about extraordinary service beyond the call of duty!!

[Jolly]

Having re-read my post - it seems a little harsh. And I should mention that you would never notice this effect under normal shooting conditions.

I agree that influence is not a problem under most conditions. Wideangle work or medium to close up work with daylight – no influence. But these are the situations where I personally don’t use my modelling lights at all. For me they come in when doing night dives with extreme macro work (just a few centimetres distance) with the strobes placed right next to the lens. And this is exactly the situation where I expect the influence to be noticeable.

However the D2000 is a fine strobe and it is clear that the modelling light issue is no issue for 99% of the shots. But I still like to know how a system works and what limitations might have to be taken into account, even if it’s less influence for most shots and correctable with photoshop.

enjoying all the nice and well designed features of my Z220 strobes I was just a little surprised by the D2000 focus light because there was no manual explaining this.

Oh well, by the way Alex, at this point I have to thank you that I can enjoy my Z220 strobes: Without your TTL Anonymous thread I would have wasted my money on expensive landgun housings. After my first digital dive trip, I am very happy I did not

Julian

[markcawston]

It seems that for early customers, Inon are supplying D2000 manuals in English only to those countries that Inon considers are English-speaking. I bought my D2000 in China, where I live. Surprise - Inon are not supplying English manuals to China customers.
I have heard that Inon are now including an English manual with every D2000, but as an early customer I'm still stuck without one.
Surely if Inon has produced a printed English manual, it can't be that hard to publish it on their website, as they did with the D180 manual? This would take care of customers like me, and others who have lost their paper copy of the manual.

And now, a dumb question - what does the "Lock" knob (bottom left of the strobe back) do?

Mark Cawston

[jander4454]

I have just received my D-2000 strobe from the amazing Yuzo at UWDigitalCamera. The service was amazing, from Japan to me in the UK in 5 days - now all I need is a manual in english and I am OK.

[anthp]

Hi jander,

Yuzo is fantastic isn't he. Drop him an email and he might have a manual to send you. As far as an "official" English manual - you're probably out of luck though.

[jander4454]

Hi anthp,

And he did - right away by return too.

Fantastic service Yuzo.