Sync cord options

I am assembling my first digital system; Nikon CP995, Aquatica A995 and 2 Sea&Sea YS-90DX strobes. The housing has one bulkhead connector (5 pin Nikonos) and what appears to be an optional second connector that is capped off.

Assuming that I could get another connector put in here. Would it be better to have 2 single sync cords or one "Y" sync cord?

I know the "Y" would be more expensive ( > $300, yikes!). Are there other pros and cons that I'm not aware of?

Thanks

Larry

In theory at least, the second bulkhead and individual sync cords adds a layer of redundancy in event of a failure somewhere in that chain:

bulkhead->cable->strobe

Of course the camera->bulkhead link is still the weak link in that theory.... particularly if the bulkheads are daisy-chained.

Richard

Depending on the type of strobes you are going to use,you might want to consider swapping the nikon connectors for ikelite.

Nikon connectors are at least a little delicate, and finicky. The ikelite ones are simpler, and more reliable.

Doh! If you had 2 Nikon strobes, you could use the SC100 dual sync cord. I picked up a YS90DX recently and found out the hard way that while the two connectors (at the strobe side) look very similiar, they are not. Sea and Sea obviously did that on purpose. Good thing I had an appropriate sync cord...

I agree with Don that the Ikelite bulkheads are much better than the Nikonos style...but good luck getting Aquatica to switch them out. Anything is possible I suppose and I'm sure they have done it before...

Another cheap (but least reliable) method would be to just use a single sync cord and set the other YS90DX as a slave flash. The slave sensor in the YS90 is pretty good at "spotting" the flash from the other strobe.

So here's my Recs in order of reliability:

1) Two bulkheads on the housing and 2 sync cords (Nik to S&S)

2) Dual Sync cord (Nik to S&S)

3) One sync cord to one S&S

FWIW, I use a dual cord.

Good luck and happy shooting!

James

If you look real close at your Aquatica housing I don't think a second bulkhead will fit in that capped off hole. It would hit the camera body on the inside. My suggestion (and the cheapest) is to go with James third option, one sync cord and the other as a TTL or manula slave.