Using Strobes with the new i-TTL flash systems

I am currently using a Nikonos V with a Ikelite SS200 and a Sea & Sea YS90 Duo set on slave and have been generally happy with all but the film cost. When the Nikon D70 came out I bought one and have been very happy up here on the surface, although I'll probably upgrade it next year, possibly to a D200.

My question is this: Can someone give me an overview of how the i-TTL strobes work with today's crop of strobes? From what I can tell there is a bit of a mish-mash of connectors, adapters, compatible strobes and partly compatible strobes on the market today, strobes you can "upgrade" and others you can't and I've been reluctant to invest in a housing and new strobes until I sort this out.

It seems that the only strobe maker with fully i-TTL compatible strobes is Ikelite and yet even their compatible strobes seem to come with some sort of caveat. Or am I wrong?

There also seems to be some questions as to housing strobe connectors and i-TTL, but that part of it I don't get at all.

Let's say that I will upgrade to a Nikon D200 in the next 6 months and want to use two strobes, one similar to the SS200 which I love and a smaller strobe. But this time around I would like BOTH to be wired to the housing/camera's circuits for full TTL control.

I have scanned the forum looking for info in this area and I realize from another post that I can use my current crop of strobes, just not set on TTL with digital (after a couple of "off" shots to calibrate), but that's not what I'm looking to do. Although I could just to work my way into UW digital with less economic pain . . . .

Money is an issue, but I also don't want to cheap the problem out. Ikelite makes great products, but I'd like a housing with a deeper depth rating if possible, though that's not necessarily a deal-breaker at this point. Nexus looks like a very nice system and I'm read some Aquatica materials, although there seems to be some this 'n that about Aquatica's quality and usability around the web.

What are my options for putting together a fully TTL system with two strobes and a Nikon D200. What works, what almost works and what should I watch out for?

Thanks in advance. I've read a few articles off this site in the past and I find it to be an excellent resource.

JoeL

JoeL,

Read my article from DDN on how Ikelite's eTTL2 (and Nikon's iTTL) system works. I use it all the time for wide angle and macro shooting.

dhaas

http://www.digitaldiver.net/library.php

Hi you may be a little confused about how these things tend to work

i'll try and explain

simply Nikon and Canon changed there electronic protocol for TTL into the ITTL ETTL system

these is system will only run if you use a housed land flash or a gun that has the conversion curcuit built in or you housing is wired with a conversion circuit.

most of us shoot manual flash because

Its just as easy, Most housing are only wired with 2 pins connected on the hotshoe thus you can only fire a manual flash.

they are wired in such a way because if we try and plug our current Nikon TTL protocol guns into a 5 wired bulkhead connector the camera locks up into an error.

the only way that most people have manged to combat this is to only wire 2 pins up to trigger the flash, MANUAL

Now there are some housings and flashguns around which contain conversion circuits.

IKELITE, SUBTRONIC, SEACAM

some are built into the flash gun, like subtronics and seacams others into the housing like ikelite

to use a gun with a conversion circuit was must of preflash compatible guns that can cope with multi stroboscopic outputs.

Ikelite DS

Sea & Sea YS

INON

Dont get too worried about TTL because this digital is simple, you get instant feedback on flash level via the monitor screen on the camera.

most of us now tend to enjoy shooting manual flash again rather than TTL because we get much more control of the final product if we shoot manual flash.

hope this has helped you a little, its a long subject to type in and i dont wont to get more tecnical than need be.

regards

craig

p.s you can use any old manual flash gun on a digital rig, the bulkhead just needs to wired correctly to allow you to do this.

very simply

Thanks to you both for your replies.

I took a look at David Haas' photos and read the article and I am impressed with the results using the DS-125.

But if I read you both correctly, I can buy a standard housing for my Nikon, either the current D70 or a future D200 and continue to use my SS200 in manual mode.

The biggest drawback I see are those photos of opportunity that pop up where I would not have time to take any test shots and would be shooting whatever it's set on or whatever my best quick guess is.

Wouldn't a TTL strobe help in situations like that?

I guess the best approach would be to get a housing with my current strobe setup and then add a newer iTTL compatible strobe as I find the need to.

Thanks!

JoeL