Nauticam for Sony A6500 and strobes (help needed)

Hi friends,

I'm considering a Sony A6500 in a Nauticam housing, but I have a lot of doubts about the strobes.

1- I want to use my actual Ikelite strobes DS160 and DS161. It seems the TTL will work only with fiber optic cables, am I wrong?

2- If that is true, there is no Nauticam led trigger to avoid the recycle time of the internal camera flashlight.

Do someone knows if the Fantasea one (http://www.fantasea.com/s.nl/it.A/id.748/.f) will WORK and FIT into Nauticam A6500 housing??

3- If in the future i want to replace the Ikelite strobes for Inon Z330 or Z240: can I use the same fiber optic cables? do i have to purchase anything else?

Sorry if someone thinks these are silly questions, but I'm coming from a Nikon reflex, Ikelite housing and wired strobes, so I'm really lost in the compatibility setup, changing EVERYTHING.

Any answer will be very helpfull for me, thanks!!

Albert

This is a very good question, and one which I have often wondered about. But I have used my Nauticam-housed a6500 with both Inon Z240 and Retra Flash strobes, and never noticed any significant detriment from the recycling time of the internal flash. I can't see that the Fantasea tried would fit into the housing; and if a workable trigger were developed, is be fascinated to know how much improvement it brought.

Incidentally, I do expertise greater frustrations from the topside flash capability of the a6500, than underwater - especially as concerns off-camera wireless remote. The fact that the HVLF43 flash can't be triggered by the internal unit is an astonishingly poor design decision.

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I am confused by the question. As I understand it (perhaps not very far) the IKE strobe has only an electrical sync cord connection. Adding the IKE fiber optic converter will allow for triggering by fiber optic but offers NO TTL ( This adapter is a manual exposure (non-TTL) trigger only.) so no TTL possible. It will fire however from LED triggers assuming you can get one that fits in the housing. Hedwig's will fit and should work.

The fantasea version appears to be (40.5 x 45 x 20.5 mm) big so you can measure to see if you have that space above the hot shoe.

If you move to other strobes the cables will be the same.

Bill

This is a very good question, and one which I have often wondered about. But I have used my Nauticam-housed a6500 with both Inon Z240 and Retra Flash strobes, and never noticed any significant detriment from the recycling time of the internal flash. I can't see that the Fantasea tried would fit into the housing; and if a workable trigger were developed, is be fascinated to know how much improvement it brought.

Incidentally, I do expertise greater frustrations from the topside flash capability of the a6500, than underwater - especially as concerns off-camera wireless remote. The fact that the HVLF43 flash can't be triggered by the internal unit is an astonishingly poor design decision.

 

 

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Hi Justin,

Thanks for your answer.

Sometimes i shoot faster than the time needed for my fast Ikelite strobes to recycle, so I supose it will be worst without any trigger...

Thanks Bill,

I still havent the Nauticam housing, so i can't be sure if the Fantasea trigger will fit.

Cables and optic converters will cost about 300€ fot my 2 Ikelite strobes, so ... the more reasonable option seems go for the Inon strobes with optic connection (for TTL).

Assuming that you're using manual settings, have you tried dialling down the on-camera flash compensation as far as it will go? I've tried myself and (oddly, but perhaps it's because I'm using fill-flash in daylight) can't see that it makes any material difference to the lighting of the shot - but it might possibly reduce the recycling time. Just a thought.

A quick google found this: https://www.ikelite.com/blogs/faq/common-questions-about-strobe-firing-ttl-and-sync-speeds

this implies the smarts for getting TTL to work lie within the housing for ikelites. The Fibre-optic converter says it does manual only, so it seems no TTL on Ikelite strobes unless used with an Ikelite housing. Unless you find a trigger that that does TTL. I think you may be best off calling one of the UW specialist retailers to see if there are any options that will allow TTL, Manual flash can certainly be done.

Assuming that you're using manual settings, have you tried dialling down the on-camera flash compensation as far as it will go? I've tried myself and (oddly, but perhaps it's because I'm using fill-flash in daylight) can't see that it makes any material difference to the lighting of the shot - but it might possibly reduce the recycling time. Just a thought.

Humm, It seems a very good idea, I still haven't the A6500, but i thought it wasn't possible to do. I'll try if i can't get a better solution, thanks

A quick google found this: https://www.ikelite.com/blogs/faq/common-questions-about-strobe-firing-ttl-and-sync-speeds

 

this implies the smarts for getting TTL to work lie within the housing for ikelites. The Fibre-optic converter says it does manual only, so it seems no TTL on Ikelite strobes unless used with an Ikelite housing. Unless you find a trigger that that does TTL. I think you may be best off calling one of the UW specialist retailers to see if there are any options that will allow TTL, Manual flash can certainly be done.

Thanks ChrisRoss

I haven't used the Nauticam housing yet, only the Fantasea one (which I think there's a pretty strong case for, as the crazy light weight, and ultra compact size of the Fantasea housing seems a good philosophical match for a tiny camera like the A6500, and you're not really giving up anything ergonomically either).

1- I want to use my actual Ikelite strobes DS160 and DS161. It seems the TTL will work only with fiber optic cables, am I wrong?

 

From my research into it, there doesn't appear to be any method to extract TTL metering from the A6500 for underwater shooting for the time being.

You can use fibre optic to trigger the DS161 from the A6500 (either using the pop-up flash, or an LED trigger, but you'll need the Ikelite fibre optic adapter for that. I'd recommend the direct fibre optic adapter, rather than the slave trigger with a cable adapter (as I had serious issues with the converted slave trigger not responding to any of my fibre optic cables, whereas the dedicated fibre optic adapter worked flawlessly).

2- If that is true, there is no Nauticam led trigger to avoid the recycle time of the internal camera flashlight.

Do someone knows if the Fantasea one (http://www.fantasea.com/s.nl/it.A/id.748/.f) will WORK and FIT into Nauticam A6500 housing??

 

Couldn't tell you if the Fantasea trigger fits the Nauticam, but it's very compact and an excellent piece of kit. The added advantage of the Fantasea trigger, is that it will let you shoot at up to 1/250 shutter. Whereas the internal pop-up flash limits you to 1/160.

3- If in the future i want to replace the Ikelite strobes for Inon Z330 or Z240: can I use the same fiber optic cables? do i have to purchase anything else?

You could technically repurpose the same fibre optic cables, but you'd have to switch the connectors on them. The Inon's have a different connection to the Ikelites.

I haven't used the Nauticam housing yet, only the Fantasea one (which I think there's a pretty strong case for, as the crazy light weight, and ultra compact size of the Fantasea housing seems a good philosophical match for a tiny camera like the A6500, and you're not really giving up anything ergonomically either).

 

From my research into it, there doesn't appear to be any method to extract TTL metering from the A6500 for underwater shooting for the time being.

 

You can use fibre optic to trigger the DS161 from the A6500 (either using the pop-up flash, or an LED trigger, but you'll need the Ikelite fibre optic adapter for that. I'd recommend the direct fibre optic adapter, rather than the slave trigger with a cable adapter (as I had serious issues with the converted slave trigger not responding to any of my fibre optic cables, whereas the dedicated fibre optic adapter worked flawlessly).

 

Couldn't tell you if the Fantasea trigger fits the Nauticam, but it's very compact and an excellent piece of kit. The added advantage of the Fantasea trigger, is that it will let you shoot at up to 1/250 shutter. Whereas the internal pop-up flash limits you to 1/160.

 

You could technically repurpose the same fibre optic cables, but you'd have to switch the connectors on them. The Inon's have a different connection to the Ikelites.

Thanks a lot Grug. I'll think about all you said.

I'm still waiting for the camera, when I will know if is that I need, I'll choose between Nauticam or Fantasea housings.

Hi friends,

 

I'm considering a Sony A6500 in a Nauticam housing, but I have a lot of doubts about the strobes.

 

1- I want to use my actual Ikelite strobes DS160 and DS161. It seems the TTL will work only with fiber optic cables, am I wrong?

 

2- If that is true, there is no Nauticam led trigger to avoid the recycle time of the internal camera flashlight.

Do someone knows if the Fantasea one (http://www.fantasea.com/s.nl/it.A/id.748/.f) will WORK and FIT into Nauticam A6500 housing??

 

3- If in the future i want to replace the Ikelite strobes for Inon Z330 or Z240: can I use the same fiber optic cables? do i have to purchase anything else?

 

Sorry if someone thinks these are silly questions, but I'm coming from a Nikon reflex, Ikelite housing and wired strobes, so I'm really lost in the compatibility setup, changing EVERYTHING.

 

Any answer will be very helpfull for me, thanks!!

 

Albert

Why do you exclude the ikelite housing? It would support perfectly your strobes.

Hi all.

We have TTL Triggers for SONY. The new one will be available two weeks later! I think this will be fitting in the nauticam housing The measurs are only 36x26x16 mm.

Please visit Our website next two weeks or write to me.

Best

Balazs

TRT-ELECTRONICS.

Why do you exclude the ikelite housing? It would support perfectly your strobes.

Well, it’s because I’m a little bit tired of my actual Ikelite, the controls aren’t very precise and I need more accuracy. I’m very happy with the strobes, but not about the housing, and I don’t want the same feeling with the new equipment.

Now, I’ve decided to change also the Ikelite strobes for the new Inon, this way will be better for travelling with all that stuff.

Hi all.

 

We have TTL Triggers for SONY. The new one will be available two weeks later! I think this will be fitting in the nauticam housing The measurs are only 36x26x16 mm.

Please visit Our website next two weeks or write to me.

 

Best

Balazs

TRT-ELECTRONICS.

Hi Balazs,

It sounds good, I'll look it and send a DM. Thanks!

A couple of comments. The sony a6500 doesn't allow manual control of the strobe beyond setting it to like -3 stops, you can't just dial it really far down and use it to trip strobes in manual mode, the internal flash only fires TTL.

Apart from Ikelite's housing no one has TTL working with wired strobes for faster recycle, I tried. Aquatica has a nice housing with a wired bulkhead for Ikelite, but it's not TTL, weirdly their SLR housings all license the tech from Ikelite for TTL but not their mirrorless housings, this is not super obvious from the web site but I got one of the housings and validated this myself, and then returned it.

I ended up selling off the Ike's and going with Sea&Sea's although the Retra's weren't available when I did this, doing it now I'd likely use the Retra's or the new Inons.

The camera works great in the housing, I'm very happy with it, for a complete write up look here: https://www.scubaboard.com/community/threads/sony-a6500-shooting-in-a-nauticam-housing.549228/

Hello guys, any news about the Fantasea trigger inside Nauticam housing?

I am really tempted to go for this solution.

Please if anyone have tried it let me know.

Cheers

Francesco

Hi,

I'm thinking about buying Ikelite strobes to use with TTL on my A6500 in the Nauticam housing.

Has anyone tried to use the Ikelite TTL-solution for Sony: https://www.ikelite.com/products/dl2-ds-link-sony-ttl-converter-ikelite-st1-hotshoe-kit

with the Nauticam Ikelite-style bulk head? https://www.nauticam.com/collections/flash-triggering/products/m14-ikelite-style-bulkhead-with-micro-connector-for-nikon-ttl-converter-compatible-with-na-d5-d500

Cheers

I shoot with the Sony a6500 with Inon z330's and the S-Turtle Mobie inside a Nauticam housing and it works like a charm.

Much better than relying on the pop-up flashes slow recycle time.

Highly recommend TRT-ELECTRONICS and the great customer support from Balazs

I shoot with the Sony a6500 with Inon z330's and the S-Turtle Mobie inside a Nauticam housing and it works like a charm.

Much better than relying on the pop-up flashes slow recycle time.

Highly recommend TRT-ELECTRONICS and the great customer support from Balazs

THx Jeremy,