Inon d180 strobes with SLR?

I looking into upgrading my UW setup from Canon G2 to Canon SLR and wondering if I can keep using my current strobes - pair of Inon D-180? They're currently triggered by the optical cord from the outside of the housing by the firing of the built-in camera flash. I'm wondering if there is some sort of adapter (from the camera's hot shoe?) which can be used to trigger such strobes when used with SLR housing? I'm shooting manual mode most of the time so I can leave without TTL metering for strobes etc, just some mechanism for triggering would be enough.

Would appreciate your thoughts. Thanks.

I looking into upgrading my UW setup from Canon G2 to Canon SLR and wondering if I can keep using my current strobes - pair of Inon D-180? They're currently triggered by the optical cord from the outside of the housing by the firing of the built-in camera flash. I'm wondering if there is some sort of adapter (from the camera's hot shoe?) which can be used to trigger such strobes when used with SLR housing? I'm shooting manual mode most of the time so I can leave without TTL metering for strobes etc, just some mechanism for triggering would be enough.

 

Would appreciate your thoughts. Thanks.

There are housing manufacturers who are now putting optical ports onto their SLR housings. For the Canon 40D and 400D (XTi), Seatool is making (or going to make in the case of the 40D) such a housing. I used a D180 with the 400D Seatool housing in September and loved it.

I'd expect to see more and more of these optical connectors on housings as we move forward. Nexus is putting a set on their new housing for the Oly E3, for example, and I've seen others out there - look at the photo coverage from DEMA on the home page here for other options.

Its worth doing the maths for any housing that can use optical vs one that use electrical + the cost of new strobes, including ports etc for lenses. There may not be a lot in it.

Otara

There are housing manufacturers who are now putting optical ports onto their SLR housings. For the Canon 40D and 400D (XTi), Seatool is making (or going to make in the case of the 40D) such a housing. I used a D180 with the 400D Seatool housing in September and loved it.

 

I'd expect to see more and more of these optical connectors on housings as we move forward. Nexus is putting a set on their new housing for the Oly E3, for example, and I've seen others out there - look at the photo coverage from DEMA on the home page here for other options.

Inon DSLR housings also supports optically triggered strobes.

But why the move to optically triggered strobes for DSLRs?? With older "point&shoot" cameras it was the only option for triggering strobes. Many of these cameras didn't have hotshoes, it was optical or a video light. Can you really get true TTL thru optically triggered strobes? Has anyone had alot of experience with these "optical TTL strobes?? I'd be interested in peoples opinions. Is optical superior to electrical sync?

Many people are using optical TTL sync'd strobes with good results. Do a search here Aquaman. One popular setup is the Nexus housing w/ D80 camera and Inon Z240 strobes. There are many others though.

Cheers

James

Z240 has electric connector in addition to optical., D180 only has optical. I think I would have to upgrade to Z240 in order to use it with Ikelite housing and Canon 5d.

Many people are using optical TTL sync'd strobes with good results. Do a search here Aquaman. One popular setup is the Nexus housing w/ D80 camera and Inon Z240 strobes. There are many others though.

 

Cheers

James

That's correct - the 5D does not have a pop-up flash. You didn't say that you have a 5D or wished to get an Ikelite housing.

If you get an Ikelite housing then it behooves you to use the housing's built in TTL converter - which only works with Ikelite strobes. In that case, you can use DS51, DS125, or DS200 strobes.

If you don't already have a 5d then there are a few other options, Nexus housings also accomodate cameras with pop-up flashes, including the Nikon and Canon cropped sensor cameras (like the 30D or 40D, Nikon D80 or D200, etc.)

Cheers

James

James,

Thanks for response.

I already have a 5D and pretty much settled on Ikelite housing for it. I really like Inon strobes because they're more compact and lightweight and also using replaceable AA batteries. I had pretty good experience with Inon D180 before and I think I'd like to stay with Inon.

Since I'm shooting pretty much all the time on manual I'm just looking for simple triggering of strobes w/o TTL. While certainly it's nice to have TTL I don't feel it's essential to me at that moment. Moreover, I've heard that it's possible to add HeinrichsWeikamp circuitry later on and get TTL working even with Inons? I didn't research this option much yet, so not 100% sure.

Yeah well - that's like basically buying a car, pulling out the engine and throwing it away, then putting in a new engine.

But go for it if you want to buy a new housing, new strobes, and new housing electronics.

Cheers

James

Well, I'm buying housing anyway. What do you suggest - to buy other housing which would be much more expensive than Ikelite just to be able to use old strobes? I'd likely spend more going that route instead of just buying new pair of Z240 and selling my D180's (or using them in addition to Z240's).

No, I was suggesting you buy Ikelite strobes to go with your Ikelite housing.

Cheers

James