Responding to Ikelite Repair Dept Question

I'm now shooting a digital SLR (D70S) after shooting a Nik V for a few years. Don't have a housing for it yet, but planning on purchasing an Aquatica housing for it very soon in preparation for a trip to Wakatobi next year.

I haven't used my Ike SS 200 for a few years but am planning on using it with my D70S (shooting in manual) so I sent it in to Ikelite for maintenance. Ikelite's Repair Dept first sent me an email asking me what housing I was going to use. I replied that I was going to be using an Aquatica housing. Then they sent me a second email asking me if the Aquatica housing was manual. I was surprised by this question, since I thought that only the Ikelite housings had TTL in the housing. I plan on shooting manual with the Aquatica housing. I have no immediate plans to get digital strobes, although I may do so in the future. I also have an SB 105 which I've used while shooting with dual strobes with the Nik V and was hoping to use that set up with the D70S.

My goal is to use the SS 200 (and SB105 if needed) with the D70S and also to use it with the Nik V if I want to use the 15mm lens to shoot WA.

My question is: Why are they asking if the Aquatica housing is manual? Do they somehow configure the SS200 differently depending on the answer?

I also have some questions about shooting in manual but that will have to wait for another time.

Thanks all!

Ellen

My first guess is that they want to know if you have heinrichs i-ttl converter installed, because they may be able to upgrade the circuit boards to the same as the DS200.

If you stick with them as they originally were for film you will be fine shooting in manual. MikeVeitch on here dives everyday with his aquatica D70, if you have any specific questions about the aquatica he might be useful, for once

Simon

HI Ellen

Aquatica offers the Heinrichs TTL converter built in upon request. (or at least they used to, not sure if that is current info)

So i am thinking that is what they are referring to.

If you are not interested in that option then they won't put it in. So yes, your housing would be manual.

Hope that helps.

My first guess is that they want to know if you have heinrichs i-ttl converter installed, because they may be able to upgrade the circuit boards to the same as the DS200.

 

If you stick with them as they originally were for film you will be fine shooting in manual. MikeVeitch on here dives everyday with his aquatica D70, if you have any specific questions about the aquatica he might be useful, for once

 

Simon

I've heard about the henrichs i-ttl converter. Since I'm buying the housing from Tim Rock, guess I'll have to ask him about the option of adding this converter to the Aquatica housing package.

Is it a good idea to get the converter when purchasing the housing?

Tanks!

i don't think it is an expensive option, as they say... "better to have it and not use it than not have it and want it..."

Would save you from having to send it back in the future to have it retrofitted

Good points, Mike. Thanks for the ultra-fast reply.

I think I'll let Tim know I'm interested in that option.

Ellen

Hehe, ask Tim about his workshops in south east asia, i hear they're good.....

It may be that Ikelite wants to know whether you are getting a flash bulkhead with only two pins installed (which might be what they were referring to as manual and irregardless of whether it is a single or dual bulkhead) or a bulkhead with all five pins connected to the camera and housing (theoretically giving you automatic flash exposure or TTL).

A PM (personal message) to Viz'art for help might explain the matter for you, as he is an associate for Aquatica in Montreal and is very knowledgeable in these matters.

My Aquatica AD2x housing came with a dual bulkhead with only two pins installed. I purchased two SS200s to compliment the housing.

The two flashes suffered major problems. One of them had what could only be termed as a complete meltdown inside the strobe (the exterior appeared to be fine).

I do believe there is a thread, or two, here on Wetpixel that makes reference to an additional resistor that has to placed inside the older SunStrobes to make them compatible with the newer digital cameras. I think it may have something to do with the trigger voltage from the newer digital camera being too powerful for the circuitry in the older flashes to handle.

My SS200s came back from Ikelite as "DS compatible" after repairs, whatever that means. They both function flawlessly in manual mode. There is no Ikelite ITTL converter for this type of set-up yet, even though Ikelite has said they are working on a iTTL converter for non-Ikelite housings.

Hopefully their ITTL converter for non-Ikelite housing will appear shortly for all of us that want to get the most we can out of our underwater camera and housings.

I am wondering why you post a question on the forum, instead of asking these questions directly (by phone or email) to the companies involved....

I dont think a " why are you asking this and what are the consequences for me" is a question that needs much preparation. other then at the used car sale lot, you wont get ripped off.

Gerard