Seacam S6 -> Nikonos bulkheads (WTB or any advice...)

Hi,

I have Seacam D800 housing with 3x S6 bulkheads (2 for strobes and 1 for remote trigger).

Now Im about to search for strobes, considering Inon z330, Subtronic and (most likely above my budget) Seacam...

One option is to replace S6 with N5 bulkheads due to pricy cable S6-S&S (Inon), and go for Z330 strobes.

Anybody selling Seacam N5 bulkheads?

Or maybe good shape, working S6-S&S cables?

Please advise and if available for sale offer on PM.

Thanks in advance and kind regards,

Marko

Seacam sells an adapter that allows one to attach N5 cords to an S6 housing bulkhead. There is a picture of it here-- http://www.seacam.com/en/products/accessories/s6-system

It is the fourth picture.

OK, some info. The price of the S6 (M) to N5 (f) adapter from Seacam is in the region of 180 Euros including tax (this is vat at around 20%) so its not as expensive as most Seacam S6 fitting cables but it isn't that cheap either. Be aware that you will lose TTL potential if you go for N5 cables. The 'newer' S6 sockets fitted to housings like the D800 have the spanner flats on their inside (this makes their external profile lower). I have an expensively specially adapted spanner which Seacam supplied me with to undo the sockets without causing any damage - its possible with an ordinary spanner which fits correctly, but not so easy and it can cause damage if it slips. I am wary of suggesting that you remove and refit sockets without the appropriate tool unless you are confident of the care you can take in doing so. (The good bit is that the internal cables clip on and off the circuit boards using a simple connector)

Also appreciate that S6 connectors are (in my very practical experience) far more reliable than N5 because their design is fundamentally different and they are being used for the job intended. N5 connectors are being asked to do far more than their original design brief and their Achillies Heel is the two sprung pin system which causes grief if their is any ingress of salt water - I have replaced numerous N5 sockets but no S6 sockets due to failure. (N5 sockets can be repaired sometimes by replacing the innards if you can find a repairer who does this).

So whilst its a costlier option I would strongly recommend getting S6 cables from Seacam if you can possibly afford to due to their reliability (caveat - yes I'm biased because I do sell Seacam gear but this is a genuine observation based on my own personal experience - I use S6 and I simply would not go back to N5). I do appreciate that S6 cables from Seacam are expensive but I have found them very reliable and because of their construction they can even be rebuilt or their connectors reused should different cables be needed at a later date.

Seacam sells an adapter that allows one to attach N5 cords to an S6 housing bulkhead. There is a picture of it here-- http://www.seacam.com/en/products/accessories/s6-system

It is the fourth picture.

Deat Tom,

Thanks a lot for info, appreciate it!

Regards,

Marko

OK, some info. The price of the S6 (M) to N5 (f) adapter from Seacam is in the region of 180 Euros including tax (this is vat at around 20%) so its not as expensive as most Seacam S6 fitting cables but it isn't that cheap either. Be aware that you will lose TTL potential if you go for N5 cables. The 'newer' S6 sockets fitted to housings like the D800 have the spanner flats on their inside (this makes their external profile lower). I have an expensively specially adapted spanner which Seacam supplied me with to undo the sockets without causing any damage - its possible with an ordinary spanner which fits correctly, but not so easy and it can cause damage if it slips. I am wary of suggesting that you remove and refit sockets without the appropriate tool unless you are confident of the care you can take in doing so. (The good bit is that the internal cables clip on and off the circuit boards using a simple connector)

 

Also appreciate that S6 connectors are (in my very practical experience) far more reliable than N5 because their design is fundamentally different and they are being used for the job intended. N5 connectors are being asked to do far more than their original design brief and their Achillies Heel is the two sprung pin system which causes grief if their is any ingress of salt water - I have replaced numerous N5 sockets but no S6 sockets due to failure. (N5 sockets can be repaired sometimes by replacing the innards if you can find a repairer who does this).

 

So whilst its a costlier option I would strongly recommend getting S6 cables from Seacam if you can possibly afford to due to their reliability (caveat - yes I'm biased because I do sell Seacam gear but this is a genuine observation based on my own personal experience - I use S6 and I simply would not go back to N5). I do appreciate that S6 cables from Seacam are expensive but I have found them very reliable and because of their construction they can even be rebuilt or their connectors reused should different cables be needed at a later date.

Dear Paul,

Thanks for valuable info and really detailed explanation.

You are right, reliability of connection is far more important than 50 eur difference in total price of gear.

When calculate 180 Eur for adapter + 100 eur for standard N5- S&S cable is very near to genuine Seacam S6 cable.

Just one question (sorry, maybe its basic, but to confirm), if I connect Nikon D800 through S6 bulkhead with Seacam S6-S&S cable and Inon Z330 strobes, will I have TTL available? Or do I need to purchase separate TTL circutry eg turtle...?

Im currently using Canon with Ikelite housing and Ikelite strobes, but I switch Ikelite electronics to manual anyway.

But if Seacam set could support TTL with Inon strobes through S6 interface, that would be nice add for macro.

Thanks and kind regards!

Marko

Just one question (sorry, maybe its basic, but to confirm), if I connect Nikon D800 through S6 bulkhead with Seacam S6-S&S cable and Inon Z330 strobes, will I have TTL available? Or do I need to purchase separate TTL circutry eg turtle...?

Sorry Marco but I simply don't know. First you will need to check if you have any circuitry in your Seacam housing - it may be fitted already - it will be under the metal cover in the 'prism housing' part of the housing and is accessed by one screw. If so then the housing will support dual TTL with Seacam strobes, but I can't give you any information about compatibility with Inon Z330. You may need to remove the circuit board if its not compatible. I suggest that you post in the dSLR section here on wetpixel. If you don't get any answers then contact your Seacam distributor (http://www.seacam.com/en/contact/partners/europe/seacam-croatia-slovenia) or Seacam direct. You will also need to check the Inon specifications - its possible that a fibre optic solution may actually be better and Seacam offer an Optical Slave Trigger at around 280 Euros too. Sorry not to be able to tell you but there are now so many combinations that I tend to deal with them on the basis of needing to when they arise.

 

Sorry Marco but I simply don't know. First you will need to check if you have any circuitry in your Seacam housing - it may be fitted already - it will be under the metal cover in the 'prism housing' part of the housing and is accessed by one screw. If so then the housing will support dual TTL with Seacam strobes, but I can't give you any information about compatibility with Inon Z330. You may need to remove the circuit board if its not compatible. I suggest that you post in the dSLR section here on wetpixel. If you don't get any answers then contact your Seacam distributor (http://www.seacam.com/en/contact/partners/europe/seacam-croatia-slovenia) or Seacam direct. You will also need to check the Inon specifications - its possible that a fibre optic solution may actually be better and Seacam offer an Optical Slave Trigger at around 280 Euros too. Sorry not to be able to tell you but there are now so many combinations that I tend to deal with them on the basis of needing to when they arise.

Hi Paul

Thanks for feedback, actually all this is helpful to me

Ill move this topic to another part of forum as you suggested.

Regards!

Marko