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Sea&Sea YS-D2 strobe Problem

Started by mr.reznovich ·

  • 12Posts
  • 12Replies

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Sea&Sea YS-D2 strobe Problem

12 posts

  1. Hi everyone,

    Kinda re-opening someone else's topic from a few months ago with a problem that wasn't solved....

    I’m experiencing some issues with my new Sea&Sea YS-D2 strobe (had it for 2 weeks and done about 25 dives with it), it used to work just fine till yesterday….

    It seems that the strobe and the camera are not sync anymore... when I take photos on DS-TTL or Manual they are either completely dark/black, if I switch to Manual with pre-flash they are the opposite: completely white/super overexposed. Please note the strobe fires.

    I am not on "Slave TTL" (dark blue light) but on DS-TTL (light blue light). I also reset my G7X II to factory default settings . Also tried using a different G7X II and have the same issue.

    When I try the camera alone it works just fine. I checked that my eneloop batteries were fully charged and I also tried to connect my housing and camera to a customers YS-D2 and it worked fine. Also tried to change fiber optic cable. There’s definitely something wrong with the strobe, it’s not the camera or the fiber optic cable.

    The strobe fires everytime I take a picture! It looks to me that the timing is not right for some reason….

     

    Any help would be greatly appreciated, Cheers guys!

    Edited by mr.reznovich

  2. What is your shutter speed? Strobes will not synch if it is too fast. Maybe, try it on another camera/housing if you can get access to one.

     

    On the other hand, this is a very problematic strobe model. If you become certain the strobe is the issue, I suggest you aggressively seek to have it replaced, not sent off to Japan for 6 months to get repaired.

  3. It is hard to be certain from the information you have provided.

     

    The most likely cause is that the camera settings and those of the strobe are not in sync. If the strobe is firing, it is unlikely to be a strobe fault (even with the YS-D2's poor reputation.)

     

    Are you syncing electrically or with fiber optic?

     

    If TTL is selected (on the camera), it fires a preflash, measures what light returns and then uses this to evaluate how much flash to apply.

     

    Hence you strobe is expecting two flashes....a smaller preflash and then the main flash. It will attempt to mimic the output of the camera's flash (or electrical signal depending on triggering method.)

     

    If Manual flash control is selected on the camera, and the strobe is set to Manual, it will not expect any pre flashes and will fire whatever amount of flash you select when the camera flashes.

     

    A common problem is if the strobe is on manual and the camera is set to TTL. The strobe will fire on the first pre flash and will hence be out of sync with the shutter release.

     

    As far as I know, the issues with YS-D2s have all been to do with flash tubes burning out or front compartment floods.

  4. On one dive, I had the same "timing" problem as you are describing, when shooting fiber optic TTL. When I checked the strobe after the dive I discovered that the strobe mode dial had been knocked to manual mode. Thus, it fired with the pre-flash and not the main flash. That might be why your pictures are unlit by the strobe in TTL mode.

     

    The overexposure in manual sounds like you just need to manually dial down the strobe output or set a smaller aperture or lower iSO on the camera. The strobe itself is obviously syncing fine.

  5. I use 2 YSD2 : Strobes need very good optic fiber to work well ( I dived one month with a wrong fiber, it was very hard to have light ! )

     

    I had this kind of trouble when I changed for new firmware : Camera changed set up !!

  6. Hi! I was wondering if you found a solution to this? I'm having the exact same issue with the exact same camera (G7x Mii) and strobe (YS-D2).

     

    In TTL mode the strobe fires out of sync. In manual mode (orange) it fires correctly. I tried the strobe on a different camera in TTL (canon S110) and it works fine.

     

    As for settings, Im testing at ISO 125, F5.6, 1/125 shutter. Strobe in TTL mode (light blue) with EV comp set at 0.

    Any help would be greatly appreciated. I spoke to the camera shop and they couldn't figure it out either and want me to send it in. Trying too avoid it because I live in Cabo San Lucas so will be a mission to get it back to the US and then back to me.

    Thanks in advance!

  7. Most likely cause for dark pics is your camera is in TTL firing a pre flash and the flash is in manual. I had it happen once took a while to figure it out. The other possibility is you might have red eye reduction turned on, some cameras fire a few pulses to get the pupil to stop down or the AF illuminator could trigger the flash. The issue is the strobe fires each time it sees a pre flash and by the time the main flash comes around the capacitor is drained.

     

    What mode are you using on the camera is it in manual mode? I don't know about the G7X-II and the manual is not clear on this, but Canon compacts switch to manual flash when the camera is in manual mode this means no pre flash. If the the YS-D2 is expecting a pre flash in DS-TTL and it doesn't get one the flash won't fire during the exposure. Check what flash mode you are shooting in. If it's manual that could be the cause. Switch it to auto and try it out.

     

    The thing to remember is that the camera knows nothing about the external flash and attempts to take a photo as it always does.

  8. My two Sea&Sean YS-D2's have similar problems, and at times recharge slowly or not at all. They are about 18 months old, look to be in good shape, but I have lost good photos because of no or poor light. I have gone through my rechargeable batteries, got rid of the old looking ones even if the voltage was acceptable, and purchased new Eneloops from B&H Photovideo in New York. I also have two Inon Z330'3 on order, keep my fingers crossed.

  11. Instead of starting new topic I want to ask about TTL Sync with Canon 5D and Sea&Sea YS-D2.

     

    Is it possible to get TTL via 6pin cable like this

    https://www.easydive.it/en/shop/221/bulkhead-s6/

     

    or only via special electronics like this

    https://uwtechnics.com/index.php/online-store/ttl-converters/for-canon/ttl-converter-for-canon-for-nauticam-housings-detail

    Hi Tomek,

     

    Sync cord is just a wire, nothing more.

    For uw strobe automatic light control you need electronic TTL-Converter. Device supports rather complicated dialog with camera by 6-wire Canon HotShoe interface and controls lighting exposure. At device output you can connect YS-D2 by fiber optics or by sync cord.

    Edited by Pavel Kolpakov

  12. I do not have experience with Sea&Sea.

    Inon strobes has TTL win many cameras, when it is connected via 6pin cable.

     

    I found another solution. The nauticam is offering small strobe for Canon, so it is possible to get sTTL but the price is as much as the circuit board with electric TTL, but there is a choice.

Isotta

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