Budget Lighting with Ikelite Housing?

G'day all,

I recently investigated setting up for using the Fantasea FSB 800 flash housing with my Ikelite D300 camera housing. It seems there is no way to connect these at the present time. I have contacted Ikelite and Fantasea direct.

So, could people tell us about their experience with the Ikelite housings and other lighting systems. I would be happy to use the Ikelite DS 125 or DS 160. However, I have been quoted almost A$2000- for a single strobe (with arms, battery, charger etc).

Is there a way to bypass the Ikelite connection and use a direct link? I want to keep the iTTL or at least TTL capability.

Regards,

Morten

If you want to shoot with TTL, you're going to have to go for the Ike strobes. Who quoted you that price? Seems a lot, although was that when the dollar was down around US$0.60? It's gone up a little since then, but it's maknig buying gear here hard.

You might also want to have a look at some of the OS internet stores, bhphotovideo, leisurepro, etc. Normally cheaper, although remember any orders over $1k, you have to pay GST on when it enters the country. You also need to return them to the place of purchase for any warrentee repairs.

Hope that's some help!

Ryan.

Thanks for your reply Ryan,

I'm guessing that Ikelite and others make it difficult to fit anything other than their own strobes to their housings. I don't have much experience in shooting flash in full manual mode. Is it overly cumbersome to do this underwater?

Thanks again,

Morten

No, they will sell connectors for nikonos, sea & sea etc strobes as well. Just TTL doesnt work.

Thanks for your reply Ryan,

 

I'm guessing that Ikelite and others make it difficult to fit anything other than their own strobes to their housings. I don't have much experience in shooting flash in full manual mode. Is it overly cumbersome to do this underwater?

 

Thanks again,

 

Morten

Ask me a again in a few weeks, I'm just learning to do this myself!

As Gerard said, you can get the connectors for the different sync cords, you'll just lose eTTL. I'd also come from using TTL to now shooting only in manual. From what I'd been told and read, you pick it up pretty quick, and in the end it's a lot better for the amount of control you have. One thing I'm not liking though is having to change each strobe manually.