Should I or should I not waste money on a TTL convertor...

1 year ago I boght a brand new Sea & Sea TTL convertor for my Sea & Sea DX200. I used it about 20 times with twin YS110's and if honest I still found myself making adjustment to the TTL convertor to get the right photo. Generally I was dissapointed with it. 2 weeks ago it flooded and I find myself wondering whether I should invest in another. I have just invested in a pair of YS250PRO's (not yet tried them out) and I was wondering whether anyone has any experience with the TTL convertor by Sea & Sea for this strobe. Is it worth it? - I have been shooting in manual mode since losing the convertor and I find that I have the same amount of control over the photo's as I did with the old unit. I cant help but think that the TTL convertor does help and maybe this new unit for the YS250PRO will be improved - can anyone advise.

I have also been looking at HeinrichsWeikamp - they sell TTL convertors for the DX200 with use on the YS250PRO's - again, any feedback to help me make a decision would be helpful.

Finally - I would appreciate everyones feedback regarding their opinion to TTL convertors in general - Good and Bad.

All the best and thanks

Warren

It is an interesting way you posed the question. Of course you shouldn't "waste" money on a TTL converter, especially if you don't like them. Some people love TTL, some people hate it. For my part, I love my Heinreich's converter and consider it money well spent. You can look through my work at www.flickr.com/drsteve and decide for yourself if the exposures are good or not. Most of the underwater images, with the exception of some of the WA, were done with TTL.

who did your convrsion?

Hi Warren,

I don't believe Sea & Sea has actually shipped a converter for the YS-250"s yet. There seem to be some issues making it work. I ordered one back in Jan. and it hasn't come in yet. I really don't know at this point if I'll buy it or not. I don't have enough experience to use me as a basis to make your decision, but I'm finding manual to be much easier to use than I thought it would be.

Steve

who did your convrsion?

Sorry - but I do not understand the question

It is an interesting way you posed the question. Of course you shouldn't "waste" money on a TTL converter, especially if you don't like them. Some people love TTL, some people hate it. For my part, I love my Heinreich's converter and consider it money well spent. You can look through my work at www.flickr.com/drsteve and decide for yourself if the exposures are good or not. Most of the underwater images, with the exception of some of the WA, were done with TTL.

Hi thanks for the feedback - yeah I know but at the moment that is the way I feel about the situation. I just have not produced the life changing shots that I was hoping for with the Sea & Sea TTL convertor that I bought and what I am trying to establish is other peoples feeliongs regarding the whole thing about using or not using the convertors when shooting. I am glad that you like the Heinreich's converter - this is indeed good news. The only problem that I have is that I cannot view any of your photos because your the general site (not just your page) is banned in the Middle East - I expect some bloke published a titty portfolio which resulted in a complaint from a local here - hey presto - scensorship in the middle east is alive and kicking. If you can think of any other way of letting me see these photos I would be very eager to check them out. Perhaps you could mail them to me on info@verstodigital.com - obviously I will respect your copyright..probably best if you reduce the image size and quality a bit just for your own piece of mind. Thanks again for the feedback - Warren B

Hi Warren,

 

I don't believe Sea & Sea has actually shipped a converter for the YS-250"s yet. There seem to be some issues making it work. I ordered one back in Jan. and it hasn't come in yet. I really don't know at this point if I'll buy it or not. I don't have enough experience to use me as a basis to make your decision, but I'm finding manual to be much easier to use than I thought it would be.

 

Steve

Hi Steve - I have a freind in Japan that supplies me with my gear - i'm very luck I know

When I enquired with him last week he mentioned that the unit is out of stock due to demand - mmm! He states that Sea & Sea mention that they cannot suply anything until the 14th of July - so that pretty much confirms what you are saying. I agree to your comments regarding manual shooting - I find especially easy when shooting macro.

Anyway - have a look at the Heinreich's converter - but make sure you check and double check for the compatability chart.

All the best and thanks for the feedback.

Warren B

I used the dedicated YS250 converter, borrowed from a friend. He uses it on a D200 and I tried it on D2X and D80. It works very well on all three cameras - although curiously needs different exposure compensation offsets on all three cameras. My friend always uses it with -1.3 stops flash exposure compensation dialed in on the D200. Whereas on the D2X it needs to be on either -0.3 or 0.0 compensation for accurate TTL. The D80 worked best at -0.7 and -1.0. The TTL works very well.

Sea & Sea do not list the converter works with the D2X (as they never made a D2X housing) but I found it very good with mine.

Alex

I've used the Sea & Sea Converter II and I'm unsatisfied with both its reliability and performance.

I've also used the Ikelite TTL Converter with generally OK results. It has its own querky behavior.

Try diving without one. Then decide if you need it to get the results you want.

I used the dedicated YS250 converter, borrowed from a friend. He uses it on a D200 and I tried it on D2X and D80. It works very well on all three cameras - although curiously needs different exposure compensation offsets on all three cameras. My friend always uses it with -1.3 stops flash exposure compensation dialed in on the D200. Whereas on the D2X it needs to be on either -0.3 or 0.0 compensation for accurate TTL. The D80 worked best at -0.7 and -1.0. The TTL works very well.

Sea & Sea do not list the converter works with the D2X (as they never made a D2X housing) but I found it very good with mine.

 

Alex

Hi mate - thanks for the feed back - you say dedicated YS250 convertor - I assume you mean the Sea & Sea TTL Converter 250 for Nikon (Product No. 50115)? and have you tried any of the HeinrichsWeikamp TTL convertors? Thanks for the feedback - much appreciated...

It wasn't mine - so I don't know exactly. But from what its owner said that sounds like the one. I have tried various Heinrichs ones, though never owned one, and I think the latest ones are very reliable. Again, it depends which strobes you use them with - but when I have borrowed folks systems with a Heinrichs attached during the last year it has performed very well.

I don't actually have any TTL strobes of my own. But I currently prefer manual flash.

Alex

Hi mate - thanks for the feed back - you say dedicated YS250 convertor - I assume you mean the Sea & Sea TTL Converter 250 for Nikon (Product No. 50115)? and have you tried any of the HeinrichsWeikamp TTL convertors? Thanks for the feedback - much appreciated...

That is the one (50115) Alex tried . I ordered it from Yuzo at www.uwdigitalcamera.com

It works very well with one or two strobes (ys250).

When using the S&S converter III with a Nikon D300 and Inon 240 strobes, what are the proper camera and strobe settings?

Thanks in advance for your reply!!!!

Vettediver

I tried different settings. The latest:

1. camera on Aperture priority (next time I'll use it in Manual)

2. converted on 0 (to start with)

3. strobes: left knob on s-TTL, right knob on 12o'clock position, magnet pushed.

I used the converter to increase (+1...)or decrease (-1...) the strobes power

Reasonable results.

My experience with the converter? Good enough that when I'll be happy with the photos taken... I will sell it.

alex

I was using the S&S Converter II until a couple of weeks ago when it too decided to start letting water into it circuitry. I must say that I was less than impressed that a "sealed unit" with no signs of damage should start to leak. The unit was nearly a year old. I was told by the person from whom I bought it that it was the second one he'd had back that week that had leaked.

I must say that, given what appears to be the reliability of the units if does seem easier just to shoot on manual. The unit is handy for macro but I am not convinced they are the trouble.

Daniel

I was using the S&S Converter II until a couple of weeks ago when it too decided to start letting water into it circuitry. I must say that I was less than impressed that a "sealed unit" with no signs of damage should start to leak. The unit was nearly a year old. I was told by the person from whom I bought it that it was the second one he'd had back that week that had leaked.

 

I must say that, given what appears to be the reliability of the units if does seem easier just to shoot on manual. The unit is handy for macro but I am not convinced they are the trouble.

 

Daniel

Dear Daniel,

Exactly the same happened to me.... I think that nails it - the integrity of the Sea & Sea unit is questionable and i'm probably going to invest in the Heinrichs converter instead. Regarding your comments about the S&S Convertor 2 being handy for Macro - I agree - mine performed at it's best with the small stuff.

Thanks for the input - i'm glad it is not just me - have become paranoid about how I prep my cameras since that incident

I have a Heinrich Weikamp unit which I use with Inon Z240:s and a Nikon D200. I works good. But it is just a tool and I doubt it will make a huge difference to your images. In some situations it can help you, like when you have larger, moving motives, like sharks, seals, rays etc that will give you little time for fine tuning the camera or strobe settings.

christian

Sorry if I confused anyone. The Sea & Sea TTL converter that has been delayed (at least to me) is the YS 250 version for the Canon bodies. It's labeled the type III also but is a different part number.

Having fun,

Steve

Interesting... I just flooded my S&S TTL Converter as well. What bothers me is that I cannot understand why it flooded? I always check my gear before jumping in, very strange.

Regarding its performance, I have mixed feelings. Sometimes it performs and sometimes it just won't work as I want it to. But I'm still rather unexperienced.

Regards

Erik

Interesting... I just flooded my S&S TTL Converter as well. What bothers me is that I cannot understand why it flooded? I always check my gear before jumping in, very strange.

 

Regarding its performance, I have mixed feelings. Sometimes it performs and sometimes it just won't work as I want it to. But I'm still rather unexperienced.

Regards

 

Erik

Thanks for the feedback Eric - mine also flooded for no apparent reason. After it flooded I took the whole thing appart in the hope that I might be able dry it out and get it going again. During this I confirmed that it was not the battery o-ring. I have seen this fitting before and to say it is very resiliant to water getting past it, is an understatement. Then you have the main casing o-ring which did pop out of place no sooner did get that last screw out the facia and then there is the N type sync cord section which goes from the TTL convertor to your housing. Honeslty - I think the leak came from the main o-ring however I am sure that Sea & Sea will say that you did not prep your single sync cords up correctly..

Either way - I think for this to happen to more than two persons with the same "I check my gear - I don't know how it happened" is a little too like coincidence.

I have given up on the Sea & Sea TTL convertor and have instead bought 2 from Heinrich.

Just one question - did you find that nice shiny exterior to the battery holder to your Sea & Sea TTL convertor went really discolored and cruddy after the first week of use.. <_<

ohh! and the TTL convertor never worked again - I just got a few spares from it and chucked it in the bin - what a killa....