Upgrade Path: Does This Work?

Posters on this site have got me to thinking about Aquatech instead of Ikelite for a housing. It's more money, but it could add up. If I can buy a minimum setup now and have a clear upgrade path, it may be the way to go. These responses are really helpful, so I haven't made up my mind. (Next dive trip: July.) My concerns are mostly strobe related.

I have a D700, a 17-35 wide and a 105 macro VR. I also have a Nikonos setup, which includes a perfectly fine SB105. Does this thinking work:

1. Aquatica housing with the standard Nikonos double bulkhead. Use the SB105 for now via the TTL bulkhead connector. (Will the Nikonos arm and bracket (which I'm not crazy about) fit? Looks like it. Do I have to take the left Aquatica grip off? Do they come off?)

2. First upgrade could be an Aquatica TLC arm set and associated hardware. Looks to be about $250 for an OK setup. Use it with the SB105.

3. Alternatively, or next, add an Ikelite DS 160 and use it as the main TTL strobe. I'll need a $100 converter cord that would go from the TTL Nikonos bulkhead connector to the Ikelite head. Then use the SB105 as a second via the manual only bulkhead connector. (Is there a configuration that would allow me to use the SB105 and the DS 160 both in TTL mode?)

4. Finally, toss the SB105 (if it lasts that long) and get a second Ike and a twin strobe synch cord plus adapter (Is this possible: To go from Nikonos bulkhead TTL connection to twin Ike strobes?)

Is this doable? Is there a better way to skin this cat?

Hey partner,

As to your strobe connector question. I'm thinking a better answer would be to go with the Aquatica TLC or ULCS arms. Both make a simple connector to attach your 105. I think you'd be much happier that way than trying to reuse the Nikonos arm if you have the one I'm thinking of. I'm not sure where in the world you are, but if your handle is a clue I'd give either H2O Photos in Newport, CA. or Backscatter a call (both handle Aquatica) and explain what you want to do. They've seen about every combination you can think of. I believe the Aquatica housing is very tailorable, you can order it with whatever bulkhead connectors you want.

Good Luck,

Steve

you can't TTL with a SB-105 on a digital camera, period. I'm not a fan of ttl at all, its useless for WA though usable for macro. I use sb-105's for my aquatica rig on manual just fine. about to add a used ikelite ds125 with a nikonos-ikelite sync cable. not bothering with the ttl converter.

your nikonos arms will not work, get tlc or ulcs as steve said BUT, don't get the tlc arm that attaches directly to the strobe, you lose serious maneuverability, get the ulcs ball adapter for the sb-105 and attach it with a clamp to the arms, so you can twist the strobe any which way. both arm systems are interchangable, i prefer the tlc clamps. cheers,

chris

Hey partner,

As to your strobe connector question. I'm thinking a better answer would be to go with the Aquatica TLC or ULCS arms. Both make a simple connector to attach your 105. I think you'd be much happier that way than trying to reuse the Nikonos arm if you have the one I'm thinking of. I'm not sure where in the world you are, but if your handle is a clue I'd give either H2O Photos in Newport, CA. or Backscatter a call (both handle Aquatica) and explain what you want to do. They've seen about every combination you can think of. I believe the Aquatica housing is very tailorable, you can order it with whatever bulkhead connectors you want.

 

Good Luck,

Steve

Steve:

Thanks. The more I think about it, the more I think that upgrade makes sense from the beginning. I was thinking of trying to scrape by with the Nikonos bracket, but I've never liked it. And a TLC setup is chump change relative to the other initial investments.

I'm in Cincinnati, but telephones are a wonderful thing, and I should probably use one to talk to folks who put these combinations together. Anybody know if Aquatica has a decent customer relations group too? Other vendors out there that might be willing to talk me through my plans?

Rich

you can't TTL with a SB-105 on a digital camera, period. I'm not a fan of ttl at all, its useless for WA though usable for macro. I use sb-105's for my aquatica rig on manual just fine. about to add a used ikelite ds125 with a nikonos-ikelite sync cable. not bothering with the ttl converter.

 

your nikonos arms will not work, get tlc or ulcs as steve said BUT, don't get the tlc arm that attaches directly to the strobe, you lose serious maneuverability, get the ulcs ball adapter for the sb-105 and attach it with a clamp to the arms, so you can twist the strobe any which way. both arm systems are interchangable, i prefer the tlc clamps. cheers,

 

chris

Chris:

Thanks for the breakthrough moment. I was under the impression that the dual Nikonos bulkhead could be configured so that one of the Nikonos connectors could be used as a TTL connection. I leapt to the conclusion that, with a Nikon digital inside, a Nikonos connection outside and advertised TTL capability the 105 could be used as such. Apparently not.

(BTW, why is the "default" bulkhead from Aquatica using Nikonos (= obsolete) connectors? Are the bulk of lighting systems other than Ikelite using Nikonos connectors?)

What I hear you saying also, however, is that I should get out of my TTL head and start developing a manual mindset, whether with an SB105, an Ikelite setup or any other. With the Nikonos (forgot to mention, I'm upgrading) and the 20mm, the 35 or the close-up lens attachment, I got very good results TTL and rarely used manual. I don't mind growing; I just never needed to.

Another great tip on the ball joint. I rented a TLC arrangement in Bonaire once with my 105, and that setup had the ball joint. I can imagine the restrictions without it. Thanks for the tip.

Rich

Hi Rich, Aquatica does not manufacture strobes, as it is, the Nikonos connector is still the most widely spread of the connectors, many, if not all, strobes manufacturer offer this options. we do however offer the housing with Ikelite connector and even S6 (for Canon users). I for one, would love to see the strobe manufacturers come together and adopt a new standard of connectors, one that would reflects today's technollogical requirement, unfortunatly is has to come from them and not the housing manufacturer, no point for a housing manufacturer to design a connector if none of the strobes manufacturer will make a cord for it.

On the topic of TTL: underwater strobes are still manufactured more or less using the film type based TTL ptotocol and rely on a TTL converter circuit to translate it to digital mumbo jumbo, with modern type strobes theses circuit will behave very well indeed and while many a post has been written on the pros and cons of TTL, I still agree with you, it works and therefore I used it unless I face a situation that do require manual overide, in which case it's a simple twist of a knob and presto, manual strobes operation at your command.

The D700 has a switch board inside the housing that lets you convert the main bulkhead connectors to TTL compliant, meaning it will then be able to accept a TTL converter from which dual compatible strobes can be attached or a single housed SB-800 or SB-900 (you cannot connect two flashes or strobes directly in TTL on a NIKON D700 as the camera will freeze, this is a NIKON issue, not a housing issue). By default the switch are in the 2/2 manual wired configuration, meaning the ground and sync are the only one active, in this fashion you can run as many strobes as you wish I ran 4 strobes via two separate dual cords in this fashions. Obliously has you probably know already, manual is not the monster its made out to be and can be a very efficient and fast way to work also. that is how I shoot my wide stuff, relying on TTL for macro only.

What you would need for converting your Aquatica D700 for Ikelite TTL operation is the following

4302 iTTL converter from Ikelite

4103.51 Single TTL cord (if using a single Ikelite strobe)

4103.52 Dual TTL cord (if using two Ikelite strobes)

Both strobes should be recent Ikelite models

If you plan on using manual then get 4104.31 manual single cords (one per strobes) and connect directly into the resident Nikonos connectors)

Hope that helps.

Cheers

What you would need for converting your Aquatica D700 for Ikelite TTL operation is the following

 

4302 iTTL converter from Ikelite

 

4103.51 Single TTL cord (if using a single Ikelite strobe)

 

4103.52 Dual TTL cord (if using two Ikelite strobes)

 

Both strobes should be recent Ikelite models

 

If you plan on using manual then get 4104.31 manual single cords (one per strobes) and connect directly into the resident Nikonos connectors)

 

Hope that helps.

 

Cheers

That was tremendously helpful, thanks. A couple follow-ups:

1. Since the SB105 is unusable with the D700 no matter what I do, I might as well sell it on Ebay with the Nikonos.

2. Unless I plan to buy a new underwater strobe that uses the Nikonos connector (or house a Nikon SB 800/900), I should probably just get the Aquatica housing with the Ikelite connector. That saves me from having to purchase that converter (@ ~$325US).

3. If I get the Aquatica with the Ikelite connector, I can use one (or two, with a dual synch cord) Ikelite strobes without having to use a converter.

Did I get that right?

Any other ways to skin this cat? I'm obviously in the early stages of planning my purchase, so I'm looking for plusses and minuses of various setups.

Thanks once again.

Hold on soldier , there is a few points here that needs clarification.

1) the SB-105 will work in manual flawlessly and is a very reliable, so think twice before chucking that one on e-bay

2) the connectors is only that, a connector and will not give you TTL, whether you use the Ikelite or Nikonos connector you would still need to purchase a version of the converter (4301 for Ikelite bulkhead or 4302 for the Nikonos bulkhead).

3) You still need a converter (see above)

You probably figure out by now that underwater strobes are not really your plug and play affair

I uses the Nikonos bulkhead on my housing (love them or hate them), mainly for redundancy, I can rent, beg, borrow or steal any sort of underwater strobes with cords that will fit on Nikonos bulkheads, since they are by far the most distributed and universal of all choices available (again love them or hate them), usually most supplier will carry the whatever brand strobe with a Nikonos cord in stock as a first pick.

Also noteworthy is the fact that you can get TTL converter from different other brand to work in this Nikonos connectors version.

By now that poor cat should be pretty skinned!

Since the SB105 is unusable with the D700 no matter what I do, I might as well sell it on Ebay with the Nikonos.

the SB-105 will work in manual flawlessly and is a very reliable, so think twice before chucking that one on e-bay

I agree with Jean on this one. I still have my SB-105 from my Nikonos film days and have used it successfully on manual with my D70S. One advantage is that it is light for travel, unlike some strobes that are quite a bit heavier and, thus, more difficult to travel with. It does have some disadvantages, but if you already have it, you might consider keeping it for, at the least, backup for your main strobe(s).

Ellen

Hold on soldier , there is a few points here that needs clarification.

 

1) the SB-105 will work in manual flawlessly and is a very reliable, so think twice before chucking that one on e-bay

 

* * *

 

Also noteworthy is the fact that you can get TTL converter from different other brand to work in this Nikonos connectors version.

 

By now that poor cat should be pretty skinned!

So I'll need some kind of converter if I want TTL but no converter is necessary if I just want manual?

Any other brands that will work with the Aquatica housing that you can suggest I look at?

Thanks again for all your help.

No converter needed for manual operation

There are basically 3 popular solution

Ikelite converter + Ikelite strobe(s)

Sea & Sea converter + Sea & Sea or Inon strobe(S)

HeinrichWeikamps + many brands of strobes

A good point to discuss with your Aquatica dealers to see what they carry and what they use themselves.

No converter needed for manual operation

 

There are basically 3 popular solution

 

Ikelite converter + Ikelite strobe(s)

 

Sea & Sea converter + Sea & Sea or Inon strobe(S)

 

HeinrichWeikamps + many brands of strobes

 

A good point to discuss with your Aquatica dealers to see what they carry and what they use themselves.

Excellent.

Thanks for all your great advice.

Bienvenue!