Help - Triggering off board strobes

I wanted to add more depth to my cave photos so I bought a couple of off board strobes to go with my pair of onboard DS160s. I was going to get another pair of Ike's and the external sensors but got convinced that the built in sensors of other brands were the way to go. I ended up purchasing 2 YS 250s. I've essentially done a couple of dives where I have placed the strobes on the bottom out in the open with the bottom sensor facing me and taken about 400 photos of the strobes laying on the bottom (yes I'm very stubborn). I'm in crystal clear fresh water and only able to get the strobes to trigger at less than 15 ft away, and only if I point my strobes directly at the remote sensor (head on). At less than 5 ft I can make them trigger fairly reliably, at 10 ft I'm getting less than 50% success. I've adjusted the angle of the remote sensor to me, adjusted the angle of the on board strobes pointing at the sensor, and moved to every possible distance from 0-15 ft. From what I've seen these will not be useful to me at all.

Am I doing something wrong? Is the sensor on the YS 250s just not very good? Is there something I can do to make get more distance or angle and still trigger the strobes or maybe even be more reliable at 10 ft?

Thanks.

Ben

This is exactly why I went with another Ike strobe and manual slave with a long extension cord - so I could hide the strobe and still trigger it via my on camera strobes. Here is a shot I did tonight playing around with this. The strobe is hidden in the engine and the slave is hanging down the back, out of frame.

I still have quite a bit of learning to get the effect I want and to be able to effectively hide the strobe. It seems getting the slave to see my on camera strobes and remain hidden is going to be the real trick. I'm afraid without a slave on a long extension cord or a series of triggering strobes you'll be frustrated.

I agree with Andy (and nice shot, Andy). Long extension cord is the only 100% reliable way of triggering. Unless you stick with Ikelite- as they seem to have the best external slave sensor of those on the market. Built in slave sensors limit you to having the off camera strobe in line of sight from the on camera strobes (which is often not ideal). A cable or a slave sensor on a cable allow the strobe to be hidden. Aas long as the slave sensor is reliable. Most slave sensors are reliable in the dark, it is daylight that sorts the wheat from the chaff.

Why not put your YS 250s on the camera and the DS160s as remotes with Ike slave sensors?

Alex

I agree with Andy (and nice shot, Andy). Long extension cord is the only 100% reliable way of triggering. Unless you stick with Ikelite- as they seem to have the best external slave sensor of those on the market. Built in slave sensors limit you to having the off camera strobe in line of sight from the on camera strobes (which is often not ideal). A cable or a slave sensor on a cable allow the strobe to be hidden. Aas long as the slave sensor is reliable. Most slave sensors are reliable in the dark, it is daylight that sorts the wheat from the chaff.

 

Why not put your YS 250s on the camera and the DS160s as remotes with Ike slave sensors?

 

Alex

Hi guys- when you say Ikelite slave sensors- you mean- like the ikelite ev controller-for example???

Fantastic shot BTW- reminds me of a possible scene from LOST.

Well, I guess that is what I am asking. I can't cable the slave to the camera but could cable it to an offboard sensor. What I am hearing is that the Ikelite one is the best for this. I think part of the issue with the sensor on the YS is that it is recessed so non-direct light will not trigger it, not considering hiding the strobe, just placement angle at the moment.

I am shooting in complete darkness (caves) minus my focus light (FIX LED 1000DX) so I have that going for me.

So getting a couple of the Ike sensors and swapping my onboard and offboard stobes are my best route forward at this point?

Thanks guys. It was terribly frustrating getting the new strobes in the water and just trying to get them to trigger at all, never mind placement, hiding them, or distance. I just didn't want to make another mistake.

Ben

"Hi guys- when you say Ikelite slave sensors- you mean- like the ikelite ev controller-for example???"

Yes, this is exactly what I'm using.

"So getting a couple of the Ike sensors and swapping my onboard and offboard stobes are my best route forward at this point?"

Alex's suggestion of swapping strobes is a good one. Get a couple EV controller's and you'll be set. You can also then use these to mount a strobe to a divers back and run the slave up to there hand so you can shoot some photos of divers with the cave lit up behind them. You'd also need an sync cord extension with this.

Update. Moved the Ike's offboard with the manual controllers and put the Sea & Sea's on my housing. Much better arrangement. Once I get used to the Sea and Sea's I might even like them better as it is easier for me to adjust the output levels on the fly since the controls are located on the back instead of on the side. The Ike's with the slave sensor are working out much better. It does not even compare. Here's a shot from my strobe check dive. I tried different ranges, angles, light levels, and the sensor picks up almost anything I can throw at it. Thanks for the suggestions.

Looks like that will be the ticket for you. Can't wait to see what you come up with.

Hi,

If you like cave photography you may want to take a look at this link: http://www.blueoceans.es/cuevas.html

Those are just some of his very average shots of an amazing book he is preparing about the inland caves of Mallorca.

He is using 5 subtronic with adapted Metz slave cells like this one.

The Metz cells are placed in a small sealed pipe with a bulkhead with Nikonos style connector. Apparently these cells are specially sensitive to light and work well through haloclines.

Update. Moved the Ike's offboard with the manual controllers and put the Sea & Sea's on my housing. Much better arrangement. Once I get used to the Sea and Sea's I might even like them better as it is easier for me to adjust the output levels on the fly since the controls are located on the back instead of on the side. The Ike's with the slave sensor are working out much better. It does not even compare. Here's a shot from my strobe check dive. I tried different ranges, angles, light levels, and the sensor picks up almost anything I can throw at it. Thanks for the suggestions.

I really like that shot. I did the same as you, YS250s onboard and gave up trying to offboard my Sea&Sea because the only slave sensor I could find is totally unreliable.

I now have 2 DS50s offboard but haven't had a chance to try them out yet.