Remote trigger device?

I am looking for a way to connect a pocket wizard to a Ikelite DS-161 light.

Equipment:

Canon 5d mkiv (no housing)

Ikelite DS-161 strobes

Pocketwizard TT1/5 triggers (optional)

Criteria

1: RF type frequency (For about 50% of the shots, the lights will not be in line of sight)

2: HyperSync/High Speed Sync compatible

My needs are 2 fold. I do destination glamour photography and often shoot models in/around water. I would like to (#1) get more artistic and creative and have the ability to fire strobes underwater for lighting effects in pools of water. Think a glowing pool infront of a waterfall with green gels and in the actual waterfall/behind the water in red for a shower of sparks effect. The light may be in water or getting wet, which makes the DS-161 ideal.

(#2) I want to cut down on the amount of gear I'm traveling with. I'd like to only have to travel with 1 set of lights and leave the larger dry lights at home (with just a few speed lights as backups).

What I've been able to find sofar...

-Ikelite has an optical sensor, and can be used with an extension cord, but it's been my experience that this is not a reliable solution and I'm not sure how often I'll be able to use a remote cord and keep it out of the shot.

-Aquatica makes the Water Wizard waterproof solution, which is ideal, but it's $425 each and seems to work only with the Pockewizard III. I use the FLEX TT1/5 combo so I can shoot high speed which the III doesn't support. Shooting HSS is a necessity for a lot of these scenes. I don't NEED the trigger to be waterproof as I assume it will connect to the DS light with a cord and sit somewhere dry (or in a ziplock when around the waterfall splashes). Plus, at $425 PER light, the sheer cost of this adds up pretty quickly.

So, my question to the experts

-Do you know of a ready to purchase solution (did I mention my next trip I leave 11/15/17?), which will allow a Pocket Wizard TT to connect to and trigger a DS-161?

-Do you know of another trigger system that does HS/HSS and would trigger the DS-161

-Do you know of any home hacks to build a trigger system for the DS-161 that meets the above criteria?

Any help or feedback would be GREATLY appreciated!!!

Thanks

-Ronfoto.

RF doesn't work through the water. The only thing that does is visible light, and even then you will have trouble trying to pass the light through the surface of the water to trigger a sensor. My standard set up for strobes in water, camera out of water is an electrical sync cable with a visible light remote trigger on the end of it sitting on the shore. The sensor then needs line of sight to one of your speedlights but can be stretched a cord's length away from the strobe, and sensors are much less visible than strobes.

There may be an RF sensor that can attach to the electrical sync cable, but I suspect you will have to DIY. They don't work underwater so not many people trying to make them work with underwater strobes. I'd be interested if you find anything.

Alternatively go for visible light. Hedwig sells the triggerfish sensors and you can get electrical sync cables from any underwater camera shop.

There is nothing here suggesting that the Ike 161 strobe can even do HSS:

https://www.ikelite.com/products/ds161-strobe?variant=29298891718

My understanding is that one would have to use a Canon strobe to get HSS.

There is nothing here suggesting that the Ike 161 strobe can even do HSS:

https://www.ikelite.com/products/ds161-strobe?variant=29298891718

 

My understanding is that one would have to use a Canon strobe to get HSS.

Tom,

Thanks, I too wondered that but inquiries to shops selling it had no idea since they said it had not been tried before. I was hoping to happily discover it did work, lol.

I bought the Ikelite optical trigger and an extra long cord, so will be trying that. If the strobe itself then meets my needs, I'll be tasking an EE friends to wire up an adapter for my Pocketwizard to fire the Ikelite optical adapter to test the HSS capabilities.

My backup is the Godox 360 strobe and building some form of shallow waterproof housing. It's a cheap enough system I won't feel so bad about it if gets damaged by the water, lol.

The worlds of underwater, travel, and budget photography are merging more and more every year. I was told the latest line of lights from Light & Motion were actually designed for the Redbull Antarctic expedition's video needs, not underwater use. Sealed, light weight, travel friendly and easily recharged/built in battery light solutions are in demand from many different branches of photography. It's not going to be long before a solution is offered that works for all of us!

Thanks for you input!

I am looking for a way to connect a pocket wizard to a Ikelite DS-161 light.

 

Equipment:

Canon 5d mkiv (no housing)

Ikelite DS-161 strobes

Pocketwizard TT1/5 triggers (optional)

 

Criteria

1: RF type frequency (For about 50% of the shots, the lights will not be in line of sight)

2: HyperSync/High Speed Sync compatible

 

My needs are 2 fold. I do destination glamour photography and often shoot models in/around water. I would like to (#1) get more artistic and creative and have the ability to fire strobes underwater for lighting effects in pools of water. Think a glowing pool infront of a waterfall with green gels and in the actual waterfall/behind the water in red for a shower of sparks effect. The light may be in water or getting wet, which makes the DS-161 ideal.

 

(#2) I want to cut down on the amount of gear I'm traveling with. I'd like to only have to travel with 1 set of lights and leave the larger dry lights at home (with just a few speed lights as backups).

 

What I've been able to find sofar...

 

-Ikelite has an optical sensor, and can be used with an extension cord, but it's been my experience that this is not a reliable solution and I'm not sure how often I'll be able to use a remote cord and keep it out of the shot.

 

-Aquatica makes the Water Wizard waterproof solution, which is ideal, but it's $425 each and seems to work only with the Pockewizard III. I use the FLEX TT1/5 combo so I can shoot high speed which the III doesn't support. Shooting HSS is a necessity for a lot of these scenes. I don't NEED the trigger to be waterproof as I assume it will connect to the DS light with a cord and sit somewhere dry (or in a ziplock when around the waterfall splashes). Plus, at $425 PER light, the sheer cost of this adds up pretty quickly.

 

 

So, my question to the experts

-Do you know of a ready to purchase solution (did I mention my next trip I leave 11/15/17?), which will allow a Pocket Wizard TT to connect to and trigger a DS-161?

 

-Do you know of another trigger system that does HS/HSS and would trigger the DS-161

 

-Do you know of any home hacks to build a trigger system for the DS-161 that meets the above criteria?

 

Any help or feedback would be GREATLY appreciated!!!

 

Thanks

 

-Ronfoto.

 

 

Ronfoto, you might want to look at the Anglerfish Remote Optical Trigger this trigger works great for your application: https://www.facebook.com/AnglerfishCreativeLighting/

 

http://wetpixel.com/articles/anglerfish-ships-version-2-of-their-remote-strobe-trigger

here's your answer on the HSS (summary : no)

https://www.ikelite.com/blogs/faq/common-questions-about-strobe-firing-ttl-and-sync-speeds