DS50 or DS51 for Ikelite i-TTL?

There are still a few stores selling new DS50 TTL strobe/arm packages, and they are cheaper than equivalent DS51 TTL packages, or else come with the better ball/socket arm system for the same price. I'm looking for one to use with the Ikelite D70 i-TTL housing, and I understand both will do i-TTL the same.

As I understand it, is the only difference between the DS50 and DS51 the manual control knob on the DS51. I was worried that the DS50 wouldn't give me manual control if I needed it, as the TTL packages don't come with the manual controller, however as I read about the i-TTL features of the housing, it appears the conversion circuitry also has a manual control mode that provides 8 manual settings. So is the DS51 manual knob redundant with the i-TTL housing, or does it still provide some desirable intensity range in addition to or in place of the manual settings in the housing?

wwu123,

You are exactly correct that if you have an Ikelite iTTL capable housing the flash output can be controlled manually (and iTTL with a EV adjustment) form the housing back. So the DS50 is still a good choice.

Hope this helps.

dhaas

There are still a few stores selling new DS50 TTL strobe/arm packages, and they are cheaper than equivalent DS51 TTL packages, or else come with the better ball/socket arm system for the same price. I'm looking for one to use with the Ikelite D70 i-TTL housing, and I understand both will do i-TTL the same.

As I understand it, is the only difference between the DS50 and DS51 the manual control knob on the DS51. I was worried that the DS50 wouldn't give me manual control if I needed it, as the TTL packages don't come with the manual controller, however as I read about the i-TTL features of the housing, it appears the conversion circuitry also has a manual control mode that provides 8 manual settings. So is the DS51 manual knob redundant with the i-TTL housing, or does it still provide some desirable intensity range in addition to or in place of the manual settings in the housing?

As far as i know there are certain serie numbers for the DS50 that work with the ITTL, for the olders you need a actualitation....i don't know the numbers as i guess Ikelite take them out from his web with the aparition of the new DS51.

Thanks all, it seems either would work for me.

It turns out though, that the new DS50 packages still available come with the TTL slave sensor, not the TTL sync cord, so there's no reason not to get a DS51. The manual control on the DS51 may come in handy in the future if I need to use it with some different setup or housing, and if I use manual on the current setup, I'll probably find it more convenient to "dial" in the intensity than to use the digital buttons on the housing.

Just back from first trip with brand new DS51. I highly recommend that you get the DS51 rather than DS50. Ikelite i-ttl works pretty well, but not in all situations. There will be a need to go to manual mode on occassion and life will be a lot easier with the DS51

Just back from first trip with brand new DS51. I highly recommend that you get the DS51 rather than DS50. Ikelite i-ttl works pretty well, but not in all situations. There will be a need to go to manual mode on occassion and life will be a lot easier with the DS51

Thanks, I did indeed order the DS-51 and it is on the way. I've used manual mode before on another system, and I'm expecting that I may need to use it to gain more control over the lighting. I'm curious why you felt it was easier to use manual mode on the DS51 - was it using the "analog" dial over the "digital" buttons on the housing?

Also maybe someone could help me understand flash exposure compensation with i-TTL, as I'm still learning to use my new D70s. As I understand it the Ikelite housing, in i-TTL mode, will allow me to adjust the i-TTL flash intensity in several 1/3 EV steps using the two buttons in the left-bottom of the rear of the housing. The camera also has a flash exposure compensation button below the built-in speedlight on the left front - this supposedly also allows 1/3 EV steps with externally connected flashes. Since I have an all Ikelite i-TTL setup, are these two redundant? Does one override the other, or do they add together if used simultaneously? Is it better to use one over the other (after reading another post about a single drop of water getting in through a pushbutton and causing corrosion, perhaps I should lean towards using the camera's flash exposure compensation, since those use rotating dials on the Ikelite housing rather than push-in buttons...)?

I think if you are setting manual control on the DS strobes yu should set manual control on the housing. Set the strobe to TTL and hold down both buttons on the housing to go into manual mode. Then set the manual power you want. You don't use/want the manual controllers with an iTTL housing. Since you have the iTTL housing you don't care if you have the DS50 or 51. Just make sure its the iTTL updated ones. The Ikelite website has serial numbers that correspond to compatable versions.

For Flash Exposure Compensation FEC, leave FEC in the camera alone. SEt FEC on the housing. The Ikelite housing doesn't communicate with the camera and coordinate FEC. I think the two will add. All the housing circuitry does is take the camera TTL signal and add however many stops you dial in to it. Its much easier to do this on the housing and that's why its there.