Which to buy DS50 or YS90dx for Cannon S300?

I know this topic has been handled before but after reading all the info I still don't know which will perform the best for my uses.

I have a canon s300 and wpc 200 housing. The housing is clear with full control over the camera and the camera allows you manual or automatic settings with limited exposure control. I believe I will always have a pre-flash however.

I've played with this setup in Hawaii and in the keys a bit diving and snorkeling. While I have been amazed at just what you can get without an external flash, I'd like to take it a step farther and get a strobe. I'm definitely a beginner.

The way I see it there are two options:

Sea and Sea YS90 Dx: Which ignores the preflash but allows you to manually adjust the brightness of the flash by trial and error. It seems to have a nice fiber optic connection which blocks out the camera's internal flash. about $150 more than the Ikelite

Ikelite Ds50: Which triggers its own pre-flash and then normal flash to let the camera use the pre-flash to set the exposure. It's about $150 less than the Sea and Sea but probably not as bright. It also doesn't let you use the use as many different connection systems on other cameras as the Sea and Sea. I also don't understand how to mount it to my camera so that I can adjust the flash without getting backscatter.

I'd also like whatever $500 + flash I get to be compatible with future cameras. As prices come down and resolution and speed increases I'll certainly upgrade but don't see the need to upgrade the flash unless its to add a second strobe. I'll certainly be getting a wide angle lense with Sea and Sea's lense adapter for this case.

So which will likely perform better?

Thanks for your help and patience.

Both strobes are about the same "brightness" which is measured by underwater guide number. Both flashes use 4AA batteries and a straight flash tube.

The Sea and Sea gives good manual control but no TTL

The Ike gives TTL but no manual.

Wouldn't it be nice if you could combine the two? :-)

At this point you should decide which system is right for you based on what it does. Neither of these strobes will be adequate as a stand-alone for wideangle shooting.

Cheers

James

Guys,

Need your advise. I just started u/w digtal photography using a Canon S40 digital camera. which strobe do you suggest I get? I am seriously considering an Epoque ES 150 DS purley on the basis that it is the only one within my budget (as a beginer). Can you advise me of its performance or limitations? Is its sealing design reliable.

Thanks.

Mike

Neither of these strobes will be adequate as a stand-alone for wideangle shooting.

Why not?

In comparison the YS 90 is not disimilar in output to the 125.

YS 90 DX GN 30, 100 degree coverage, small size hardwaring & value for money.

The YS-90DX is more similar to the DS-50 in power than the DS-125. Sea and Sea have a history of being very generous with their GN claims. I am a bit skeptical of that GN of 30. Unless they've made the YS-90DX more powerful than the old YS-90, it is about a 60 watt-second strobe. The DS-50 is a 50 watt-second strobe. The DS-125 is a 110 watt-second strobe (GN 32, according to Ike). I've done passable wide angle stuff with one DS-125, though two were really better for anything with my add-on wide-angle lens. It really depends on how far away the subject is. If you are doing CFWA, any of the strobes is probably sufficient for lighting the foreground (if you use a diffuser). If the subject is farther away, give me at least one DS-125, or at least two of the others please. I was quite happy with two DS-125s before one of mine flooded . . .

The number denotes the power output, Hence 25, 30, 50, 60, 90, 120, 200 and 300 watt/seconds...

The S & S strobes rarely flood, they are more compact reliable take up far less room and the o rings do not stretch - unless you fall into the architypal slot and crave for a huge pelicon box and excess baggage.

I have been looking at strobes today for my p5. What they told me is that the sea an sea YS25dx and the YS90dx can be used in combination with the pre-flash function. You can let it flash 1 or 2 times before the actual flash. Isn't this the same as the DS50 does?? If not, whats the difference??

Read all the way through the thread and you'll find that the main difference is this: the DS-50 has only one manual setting but the Ike sensor that comes with it promises to give TTL. IOW, it will try to replicate the timing of all the flashes from the camera on the strobe. Ike has now released a manual sensor that con give you 10 power settings with the DS-50 but will not give TTL. The Sea and Sea strobes have a built-in slave sensor and are manually adjustable out of the box -- they do no TTL with digital cameras. I have two Ike DS-125s and am finally happy with their TTL response, though I do make adjustments inside the camera with the flash exposure compensation function. I will probably break down and buy an Ike manual slave sensor and give it a try as well.

I've been using the YS90dx for a few months and love it. Although, I'm just a newbie and havn't shot with any other strobe. My 2nd YS90dx and wide angle lens are soon on the way!

Some shots using my Oly 4040, PT-010, and single YS90dx can be viewed here.