Inon Z220F Strobe Replaces Z220

by James Wiseman Tuesday, June 14th, 2005

Differences between the Z-220F and Z-220:

The Z-220F has “Focus Light ON” mode. Placing a magnet into the Z-220F’s “Light Mode Selector Switch” enables manual ON/OFF operation of Focus Light by toggling a switch on the strobe body. Previously, the Z-220 model’s Focus Light could only be actuated by a Nikonos TTL film camera signal from the camera, so the Focus Light was not operable for users of digital cameras.

Now, the Z-220F Focus Light ON mode allows users of compact digicams to manually turn the Focus Light ON/OFF when strobe is connected to compatible cameras/housings with an Inon optical cable.

Also, the Nikon D70 and D100 cameras in Nexus D70 & D100 Housings having NCC-V2 hotshoe camera connector can actuate the Focus Light by shutter press. Other digital SLR camera and housings have not been tested.

Z-220F does not have Target Laser.

Otherwise the Z-220F and Z-220 functions and performance specifications are identical.

Inon America will be stocking the new Z-220F model from mid-June.

Just a small correction on the Z-220 strobe used with the Nikon D-100 D-SLR and the Nexus D-100 housing. The focus light and laser work fine if the magnet is left out of the strobe and the Z-220 is connected to the Main TTL socket (the socket attached to the Main side of Nexus Y-cord hotshoe - not to the Secondary side of the Y-cord hotshoe). I used the Z-220 strobe on my last trip to the Philippines in April and it worked very well. The focus light and laser (if the laser is not blocked off with the switch on the strobe ) is activated with a half press of the shutter release of the D-100 in the Nexus housing.
Posted by WoodyNexus on 2005-06-14 23:33:35 It's a pity, really. I've found the laser very useful in making wide-angle balanced light exposures. The Nexus NCC-V2 hotshoe surprised me by suppressing the focus light and laser on most exposures (annoyingly they appear in rear-curtain mode, for instance)made with a Nikon D70 and Z220 strobe. I had expected to have to do it all manually!
Posted by tdpriest on 2005-06-14 11:29:07