Fiber Optic Sync Cord vs Electrical Sync Cords

Is there any reason why one would *want* to use a fiber optic sync cord if the camera/housing has a compatible wire based sync cord? I would think that you could potentially have far more control over the strobe and/or obtain info from the flash via a wire based cord.

-- Geoff

Failure rate. Wire synch cords are rather prone to failure - make sure to always travel with spares. Fiber optics could potentially be more reliable and possible for user replacement by snipping off a length of FO from a bulk roll with a sharp instrument. No need for electrical pass through of housing too. Since FO uses light, the housing synch connection literally can become a port.

Tom

Less connectors = less failures, less options to floods your equipment.

and in Japan DSLR housings (Zillion) using the pop up flash as the controller-

http://www.uwdigitalcamera.com/En/prod_02s...hp?pathID=2_2_0

Dave

IMHO one of the major driving forces for a fiber optic sync cord is that it's universal with virtually every camera made. A lot of the smaller/less expensive cameras don't provide any sync cord connection, and as a result a FO sync cord will allow the flash to work with any camera.

Now in my case I have an Olympus C-8080 and the the PT-023 housing has a Nikonos sync connector. I currently use a digital strobe adapter from Mike Dive for my Sea 7 Sea YS-60 and use a S&S YS-30 as a fill strobe. I have problems with over exposure, especially when doing close-up work. I don't know if this is due to the use of the digital adapter, the camera's light detection system, or what.

-- Geoff

Yep, i've found that problem too. I did a test by shooting with the adpater at all apertures to see if TTL was working, and it did mostly. Camera to subject distance was fixed as was the flash position and i just varied the aperturte leaving the shutter speed set at 1/60th. My results were fairly consistant, but for some strange reason at F6.3 i got an image way too bright, so i took another again at F6.3 and it was more acceptable. On the whole i think it works, but slightly variable.

Posted: Tue Dec 06, 2005 9:56 pm Post subject:

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I'm getting my gear all set to head back down to the boat and I know that I've been putting off deciding what to do regarding a sync cord because I have too many other issues that I'm also working on. Of course I'll be kicking myself soon if I don't come to a decision that I feel good about.

Since I last posted here I've purchased a S&S YS-90 Auto to go with my S& S YS-60. I have a Mike-dive optical strobe adapter that I use on the YS-60. I've been moderately pleased with that, but I'm not happy with the closeup performance as it regularly washes out the exposure.

I'm trying to figure out whether to:

(1) Go with an electrical sync cord connection to the YS-90 and run the YS-60 off of the Mike-dive adapter or

(2) Use an optical sync cord with the YS-90 and the Mike-dive optical unit with the YS-60.

I would really appreciate some feedback on the pros and cons of these arrangements.

-- Geoff