Sea&Sea vs. Aquatica TTL options for 5D

I keep vascillating about housings for my 5D. Right now I am down to a tossup between the Sea and Sea and Aquatica housings (or perhaps a Subal with the Heinreichs eTTL converter). One of the big questions left in my decision is the TTL support. I don't want to start a holy war about TTL vs. non-TTL strobes. I have used both and I find them both useful. Besides, I if am spending a small fortune on the housing, I at least want the option.

For TTL support Sea and Sea offers a TTL Converter for Canon cameras. Does anyone have experience with this? In particular, how does it stack up against the Heinriechs electronics that Aquatica is now including in their housings. The TTL converter box looks a little ungainly. It is yet another box outside the housing that you have to manage. I kind of like the Heinreichs approch of putting it inside the housing. Perhaps having a separate box makes strobe exposure compensation easier than using the strobe compensation in the camera.

Also, does anyone know if this box only works with Sea and Sea strobes? Any chance it would work with my Inon 220? If so does it activate the focus lamp? I am a little under the gun to make a decision since I am going on a trip to Borneo and July and I have to have the housing and a little practice before I go.

Does anyone have first hand experience that they can share?

Hi Steve,

I doubt you will get much feedback here about the Sea and Sea converter as it is not for sale here in the states yet. My guess is that it works BEST with Sea and Sea strobes, especially their YS110 strobe which is also not available here yet.

As for the Inons, they take the same cords, so you could try them. There is a bit of black magic involved in getting the focus light working. My knee jerk reaction is that it probably doesn't work right off teh bat, as I had a purely TTL S2pro and they didn't light up the focus light when used w/ that camera.

Cheers

James

As for the Inons, they take the same cords, so you could try them.  There is a bit of black magic involved in getting the focus light working.  My knee jerk reaction is that it probably doesn't work right off teh bat, as I had a purely TTL S2pro and they didn't light up the focus light when used w/ that camera.

Well I could try it if I acutally had one that I could put my hands on. The problem is that I don't know anyone nearby who has one.

  In particular, how does it stack up against the Heinriechs electronics that Aquatica is now including in their housings. 

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It is the Heinrich electronics inside the Sea&Sea solution.

Therefore I guess the performace is identical. The only difference is that the sea&sea converter has a built in exposure compensation and a manual bypass + it has a larger and longer lasting battery.

One thing to remember is that you need the 6 pin strobe bulkhead to be able to fit the TTL converter to your housing. If you are ordering a new housing be sure to specify this.

Personally I think I´m going for the neat "solder it yourself" heinrich solution. There is only one fault with this solution. If the battery ends you cannots fire your strobes not even in manual.

It is the Heinrich electronics inside the Sea&Sea solution.

 

Therefore I guess the performace is identical.  The only difference is that the sea&sea converter has a built in exposure compensation and a manual bypass + it has a larger and longer lasting battery.

 

One thing to remember is that you need the 6 pin strobe bulkhead to be able to fit the TTL converter to your housing. If you are ordering a new housing be sure to specify this.

 

Personally I think I´m going for the neat "solder it yourself" heinrich solution. There is only one  fault with this solution. If the battery ends you cannots fire your strobes not even in manual.

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That makes sence. It should work fine with the focus light. I'm curious though, why do you need a 6 pin bulkhead? I think that the one on the Aquatica uses a 5 bin Nikonos-> Sea&Sea cable. The same is true of the Digital Adapter on my Oly5050. Does anyone know when it will be available outside Japan?

I'm curious though, why do you need a 6 pin bulkhead?  I think that the one on the Aquatica uses a 5 bin Nikonos-> Sea&Sea cable. 

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That is because Canon E-TTL require 6 wires and since the converter is located outside of the housing you need six separate wires to the converter. From the converter to the flash you only 5 (or is it just 4?).

It is the same with the subtronic digital TTL flashes that require the S6 connector to be fitted to the housing.

That is why if you mount the converter within the housing you only need to connect the six wires from the camera to the converter. From the converter to the flash, the normal 5 pin will do the job.

If I remember correctly the Nikon I-TTL system uses only 5 pins and the old nikonos V connector will be just fine.