D70 and Ike housing w/ 2 SB-105 strobes..

I discovered that with this set-up I do not get proper sync and since I shoot in manual the strobes were getting screwes up with the ROC in the the ITTL Ike housing, my quick fix was to tape 3 of the 5 contacts on the sync cord going to the hot shoe of my D70. It seems to work fine, Ike does not make a 2 pin cord for manual use with SB-105 strobes.

I was wondering is there anyone out there that has had the same problem?

I contacted Ike and they said send it in and we will disconect the ITTL wires you do not need, they can be re-connected later if you want to use TTL strobe,ie DS-125's.

I was taught in a workshop that TTL does not really work that great U/W and to shoot manual, which I have the past year. Is it worth it to send in my housing and have this disconnect done? Or should I continue doing my little tape job, which like I said seems fine,I have done an exposure test with it for my strobe chart.

Any thoughts or ideas greatly appreciated!

Someday I plan to upgrade to D200, Subal and Ion strobes B)

I currently use the tape job myself, it can be a bit of a pain in the butt.

Have you considered taking apart the actual hotshoe and disconnecting all but the middle pin? Not sure if you can do that with your housing.

If it is not too expensive and/or inconvenient then sending it in to be done properly is not that bad an idea, better than having the tape slip on an important dive.

Have you considered taking apart the actual hotshoe and disconnecting all but the middle pin? Not sure if you can do that with your housing.

It is not so easy with the Ike hotshoe connector Mike it is all moulded in unlike the Subal - and it will tend to be a one way trip.

I tried tape but it was a pain in the butt - the pins are sharp enough to break through the tape and if only a subset of pins get connected then the camera and strobes play up and become frustrating.

FWIW my fix was to cut a small piece of plastic - I used the plastic that can go into a photocopier to create overheads, and interpose that between the hotshoe and the camera, I punched a single small hole in it for the one required connection.

I did knock up a small metal jig to make them.

The above is tough enough to hold back the pins and if you want ttl for a dive then just don't fit it.

Paul C

On my housing i use the small tape that you got in the 80's to make name tags, you know the stuff you threaded into a small handset and it crimped the letters into it. Its much thicker than electrical tape and has a sticky side. That might be worth a try, i'll look for a link...

Search DYMO on ebay, i think thats the stuff.