INON Z240 settings for Nikon D600

[Kelpfish 15]

I just received my Inon Z240's and the manual is horrible. I am trying to decipher how to set my system for manual hard wired. I think I have it other than the Advanced cancer circuit switch. I am supposed to push it in if I don't have a pre-flash. I believe that Nikon DSLR's have a pre-flash but so fast you don't see it. Do I have to engage the advanced circuit switch if I am shooting auto ttl or manual? A better tutorial on this strobe would also be very helpful if anyone knows of a link they can send me.

 

Joe

[errbrr 73]

Manual hard wired - push it in. Turn the top left to "full" which is the last stop. I usually keep the top right dial pointing to 8, so if full power is too much I can turn the top left switch one click back to "M" and have 3/4 power ready to go. The right dial does nothing while you're in full power.

[Alex_Tattersall 90]

Are you using fiber optics or 5 pin?

[Kelpfish 15]

Are you using fiber optics or 5 pin?

I have both. Generally, I plan to use fiber optics for macro TTL but will be using manual for wide angle. Mostly for redundancy purposes, but nonetheless, I need to know how to set the Z240 for either. Since I plan on doing close focus wide angle it seems that M is my answer from the main dial so I can make low lighting adjustments, really around 1/4 to 1/2 output. Rarely will I use full, but doesn't mean I wont.

 

So I interpret errbrr's post that the Nikon D600 does indeed have a preflash that I need to compensate for using the Advanced Cancel Switch when shooting in AUTO TTL or M or FULL using sync cables. I've read both manuals from cover to cover and I cannot find anything that tells me WHEN to disengage and WHEN to engage, what set up and main dial combinations with and without hard wiring require that switch to be on or off. I mean, If I need to use fiber optics for manual wide angle the manual should tell me that the switch should be in the on or off position.

[Vettediver 0]

The Reef Photo website has a great "cheat sheet" on how to set-up Z240 strobes.

 

Vettediver

[JimSwims 31]

Here 'tis

 

http://www.reefphoto.com/kb.php?id=7

 

Cheers,

Jim.

[Kelpfish 15]

Yea I saw the Reefphoto tutorials, very helpful but it didn't address all my questions. I do believe I get it now and will do some testing in the garage and pool.

[mcgowman 2]

I had somewhat similar question related to shooting in manual mode recently (with a D7000 though). Got answered here:

http://wetpixel.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=49631&hl=

 

The part I found interesting (at least on the D7000) is that there is no pre-flash when using the camera's internal flash in manual mode. So, as I understand it... you set the ACC on the Z240 to match the camera flash mode.

 

Hope it helps you as well.

 

Think everyone agrees the Inon instructions could be improved.

Edited May 2, 2013 by mcgowman

[Kelpfish 15]

I finally tested my D600 in the Nauticam with the Inon Z240's Very touchy. Couple of questions:

 

1. The Inon data sheets say that the D700 has no pre-flash and therefore cannot be used in STTL. I am assuming that the D600 also is in the same category. However, the ONLY way I could get optical D fiber optic cables to work was on STTL LOW, set at 8 (shooting f22 on my 60 for macro testing) with ACC not pushed in. STTL just gave me a full light dump at that close range and AUTO didn't produce enough light at F22 (see #2).

Anyone else have this experience?

 

2. Still using fiber optic D cables, I set the Z240 switch to auto but it only works in auto at less than f11 as that is the highest F stop the Z240 allows in this kind of use. Am I missing anything?

 

3. Hard wired dual sync cables worked far better than optical, both in manual and auto. The auto external feature worked very well in terms of exposure, better than STTL or STTL Low. And it worked really well on full manual control. My first experience, until I gain more experience with fiber optic cables, is that hard wired is a better strobe solution for the D600 than fiber optics.

 

Fiber optics was simply too unreliable and I was not impressed, while hard wired cable gave me what I expected. If I am missing something in this assessment, please point out where that might be as that would help he hone in on the system's features.

 

Thanks,

 

Joe

Edited May 5, 2013 by Kelpfish

[bighead 0]

I think the d600 is similar to d7000. FOr me, I set pop up flash to manual (1/128(. Strobes in manual/full wth ACC depressed. This is fr fiber optics. Works well.