Ikelite TTL?

I've been diving with my camera (Ixus 85 + Epoque 230 strobe + WA + Macro) for some time now and am pleased with the results but i want to get more creative with what i can shoot so have decided to go to an DSLR. I already own a Canon 400D for land use but due to the lack of live view i will probably update that too to a 500D or 50D.

Having had major problems with my Epoque strobes i have already looked around at strobes and due to the Li-ion battery packs and general power, recharge times have decided to go with a pair of Ikelite 160, 161 or 200's depending on final budget. So can anyone tell me which housing brands Ikelites will work TTL with? Obviously Ikelite housings will work, but was just thinking about other options. i have heard of converters for some brands, but are these clumsy and "more to go wrong" syndrome?

From what i see there are so many products from big brands but is there any advantage of one over another? or just what feels right in the hands?

To get an idea, i live, work and dive in the Philippines and its neighbours, so i will be diving clear tropical waters. We have many macro subjects such as Pygmy Seahorse and nudis, but also Whale Sharks are common so will be doing both WA and Macro work.

Please advise

Olly

My understanding is that you only get TTL when using ike strobes on ike housings. The TTL adapter part is in the housing.

You have chosen great strobes. Can't go wrong.

Not sure about the auto focus speed of these dslr's with live view on. Sounds like many of them are so slow as to be worthless! Check the reviews, especially

http://www.imaging-resource.com

And dpreview.

There are external TTL adapters for Ikelite strobes and Nikon cameras ... not sure about Canon.

Like this:

http://www.ikelite.com/web_two/ittl_adapter.html

Yes Nikon only. So if you go with a non Ike housing you'll be manual only.

There is this: http://www.heinrichsweikamp.net/#/en/digit...y_list_strobes/

Some people love it, I found it hard to use myself. Given you'd be add in an optical path to your pathway to get TTL anyhow, Id just go with optically fired strobes in the first place. Or consider a Nikon camera I guess, so you can use the Ikelite adapter.

Otara

Aquatica housings can be retrofitted with Ikelite bulkheads to use Ikelite strobes.

New Aquatica housings can be ordered with Ikelite bulkheads as part of the housing package.

Ikelite also has a variety of sync cords some of which have a Nikonos connector on one end and

an Ikelite connector on the other so you can use virtually any housing with a Nikonos bulkhead with your Ikelite strobes.

I use Ikelite DS200 strobes with Nikonos bulkheads on my Aquatica D2x housing with the iTTL converter from Ikelite.

I find the Nikonos connectors easier to damage than the Ikelite connectors when inserting them into a bulkhead so I am in

the process of converting my housing over to Ikelite bulkheads.

Hope that helps.

I believe that Ikelite Cannon housings have a ttl feature. I'll bet that Aquatica's ttl adaptor can work with Cannon.

Click on both of their websites and let us know. The links should be on this page.

Yes Ikelite housings can do TTL for Canon and Nikon, its other housings where theres problems.

You can have Ikelite bulkheads without having Ikelite TTL. A quick check of the Aquatica catalog shows Ikelite bulkheads are manual only for Canon housings - only Nikons can do TTL.

Before the confusion gets too deep i'll put a word in on Aquatica and TTL.

It is true that Aquatica housing can be ordered with Ikelites connectors, but and there is a but, a connector is just that, it does not give you TTL but just prepare the housing to accept a TTL converter

So here is what is available on our end

For Canon housings: by default they have two pins manual NIKONOS type connectors and can be equipped with a single Ikelite two pins manual connectors, Ikelites does not supply their TTL circuitry as a stand alone unit, we are looking into, for the new year, possibly adding a six pins connector to accept the Sea & Sea TTL converter, I know that one of our dealer on the west coast, Backscatter to name them, does modify our bulkhead to accept this TTL converter.

Starting with the Canon 7D housing we are incorporating optical fiber connector to our housing provided the camera has an internal flash.

Heinrich Weikamp make an internal as well as an external TTL converter, using the internal means that some rewiring will need to be done (there is plenty of info available on this subject on the various forums) using the external one requires that the housing bulkhead connector be replaced with a S6 type connector and a six pins hotshoe, from then on you will need to get the Heinrich Weikamp external converter which has a Nikonos connector at the other end and attach your two strobes via a dual cord.

For Nikon: Their circuit relies on five pins and basically having written the book and paved the way with underwater TTL when they introduced the Nikonos V, they are kind of the standard by which underwater strobes are made and by which we connect most of our strobe on via the famous (or infamous) Nikonos type connector. Even in this case having 5 pins does not give you TTL unless you have a TTL converter (or a housed SB-800/SB-900 or other Nikon modern flashes). so for Nikon current housing are provided with dual Nikonos connectors and all new housing being introduced feature an internal switchboard that allows the user to make the main connectors either two pins or five pins in order to be compatible with TTL converter.

Sea & Sea has a TTL converter that will allow Sea & Sea and INON to be used in TTL with an Aquatica provided the five pins are activated

Ikelite has two TTL converter, one is for using with 5 pins Nikonos type connector and is product 4302 (4302.2 for D2x & D3 serie), the other is for using on a 5 pins Ikelite (we use KT as a designation for this connector) and is product 4301 (4301.2 for D2x 7 D3 serie) in both case for attaching two strobe you will need a dual cord 4103.52 from Ikelite.

Also available is the single KM version, this is a single Ikelite connector with 2 pins active for manual only.

Heinrich Weikamps has also a TTL converter for Nikon and they do not require replacing the bulkhead as in this case it will only require 5 pins at all time. so Nikonos or Ikelite 5 pins could be use with this later.

And being introduced with the Nikon D300s is the optical fiber connector, every new housings for camera with internal flash will feature this option.

Now, ladies and gentlemens, that I have confused you further I shall retire to my quarter and remain on stand by should you requires more confusion

.

 

Now, ladies and gentlemens, that I have confused you further I shall retire to my quarter and remain on stand by should you requires more confusion

Thank you for un-confusing the confused here. (still shooting manual EO),

Congrats to Aquatica on providing optical fiber on 7D, it makes more sense to me.

Is there a universal (EO-like quality and underwater removable) optical fiber cord and connector system?

Bo

Thank you for un-confusing the confused here. (still shooting manual EO),

 

Congrats to Aquatica on providing optical fiber on 7D, it makes more sense to me.

 

Is there a universal (EO-like quality and underwater removable) optical fiber cord and connector system?

Thanks Bo.

For optical connectors two adapters are included with the housing, the Inon that will accept two bare optical cables side by side and has a knurled knob that you rotate to secure them and the Sea & Sea which that uses a cable with an elbow connector (in this case it will need two optical connectors on the housing if running dual strobes) in both case they are proven device that are constant in operation. In the end, one has to admire the simplicity of optical fiber, it make everything connected with wires look like steam technology

Thanks everyone, you guys do know ur stuff! Aquatica was definately a brand i would have considered, so thanks for 'clearing' that up, i did have to read it about 5 times to understand it but im getting there!

Nikon vs Canon, not to get into this anymore than is necessary.. i have always used Canon and will stick that way for the mean time. But thanks for the heads up about auto-focus times i will investigate.

Over the last few years i have had many dives ruined by my strobes not firing, firing eratically etc, so im a little concerned about all these converters and switching bulk heads and electronics, so can anyone say anything or shed light on aluminium vs polycarbonate argument? i like the idea of being able to see the seals on ike and any moisture should be spotted sooner than an alu housing? Has anyone got anything bad to say about polycarbonate?

Olly