Sea&Sea YS-D3 doesn't work with UWT TTL trigger?

4 hours ago, lostloki said:

I had the same issue of not firing YS-D2j's  or a Backscatter mini with a LED flash trigger and commercially available fibre cords... So in the end bought flexible 3mm fibre and some connectors and they work every time now, admittedly I don't shoot TTL nor a flexible as single/multi core cables, but on the plus side they are about 1/8 the cost of commerical fibre cords..

However I am also in the process of trialing different LED bulbs from those supplied with the trigger to see if I can get more bang from the trigger, again this probably won't work with TTL.

I had some sporadic unreliability with my Backscatter Mini with some of my cables.  It seems to have a weak sensor like the S&S strobe.  I ordered some new 2mm Fiber from Ebay and it works perfectly now.  Link below.  Pick the 2mm option.

5m Black Plastic Pmma End Glow Fiber Optic Cable Light Inner Diameter 1mm-6mm | eBay

4 hours ago, lostloki said:

 

OKay, I have better* cables coming and I ordered a S-Turtle trigger.

I'm going to find out what's what and if there is a way to make the YS-D3s work for me.

* To Be Determined

I was just discussing this topic tonight. It’s not just UW that doesn’t work with the D3s. Nauticams original trigger also doesn’t and it is due to the S&S sensitivity as mentioned above. Nauticam has updated their newer trigger for canon (that allows rear curtain sync).
Very frustrating for me too as I am looking to upgrade my strobes!


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1 hour ago, Drwatson said:

Very frustrating for me too as I am looking to upgrade my strobes!


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Triggering problem solved right there! Check out the Retras or Inon Z330......

I’m considering but not there yet. My best friend uses D3 now and she is much more accomplished than I.

I’ve been usually letting her try it out before I buy in


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Got to be honest I love my D3's via electric sync. But was thinking of switching to fiber so I can get the strobes off-camera. So, actively following where this goes!

I bought two D3s last year, and got the S&S  fibre cables at the same time.  Pleased to confirm it works well (as claimed by S&S) with the Nauticam Oly trigger, which has white light LEDs.  I do make sure to keep my sensor windows and cables scrupulously clean just in case, and I'm careful about how I pack the cables to avoid wear and tear as they aren't cheap!

Well, I received the official S&S cables, and I could not get the D3 to work with them and the UWT trigger.

I do note that the UWT trigger LEDs are red, not white. 

What was weird was I set the D3 to Manual (no pre-flash). I tried several shots. It never fired.

Then I set the D3 to Pre-Flash and tried several shots. It never fired.

Then I set the D3 to TTL and the first test shot, the strobe fired! But then it never fired again, on that strobe setting or either of the others.

Meanwhile, my Z240 would fire every time.

The S-Turtle trigger is estimated to be delivered on Wed. Hopefully, that one will work to trigger the D3s....

Well, that is weird - am no physicist, but suggests the sensor may not be as sensitive to red light?  Just took a look at the S-Turtle trigger - looks like an interesting bit of kit, .  Maybe test it on Manual rather than TTL first just to ensure you get a bright enough output?  Fingers crossed it works for you!

I've been doing everything on Manual. I only switched the strobe to TTL and that was only to be thorough - i.e. try everything with only the strobe being changed to every one of its options.

I do think that there is a good possibility that it is the color of the LED that is making a difference. I can't remember why, but I have the idea that the S-Turtle is white light. That plus them updating their trigger last year to a brighter LED (than what they used before - 80-90 candela to 150 candela) is giving me hope that I will get these strobes to work.

YS-D3 has an extremely low optical input sensitivity. To control such input, Sea&Sea produces their own optical YS Converter, powered by big size AAA batteries (2 pcs.). Those batteries have only 12 hours of continuous working time, because device eats a giant energy, like a xenon flash. I don't think that such power solution is adequate for  LED control systems at all. YS-D3 needs it for optical control.

    By the way, did you try YS-D3 with an electric sync cord?  Most of TTL Converters on the market also can control TTL strobes by electric sync cord, it can solve the problem.

8 hours ago, Pavel Kolpakov said:

YS-D3 has an extremely low optical input sensitivity. To control such input, Sea&Sea produces their own optical YS Converter, powered by big size AAA batteries (2 pcs.). Those batteries have only 12 hours of continuous working time, because device eats a giant energy, like a xenon flash. I don't think that such power solution is adequate for  LED control systems at all. YS-D3 needs it for optical control.

    By the way, did you try YS-D3 with an electric sync cord?  Most of TTL Converters on the market also can control TTL strobes by electric sync cord, it can solve the problem.

I have not tried it with electrical sync cord. I don't have the cord or bulkhead for that. I was considering going that route, but since the UWT trigger does not have a profile for the YS-D3 anyway, I decided to try the S-Turtle trigger with fiber optic instead. I would definitely prefer to stick with fiber optic. Also, the the facts that the S-Turtle has a TTL profile for the YS-D3, it is user updateable in its firmware, and I can change what flash unit profile it is set for using a phone app are very appealing as well. Changing the strobe profile on the UWT is always a challenge for me. I have to open the housing, and have a very small screwdriver, and it's hard to see in there to tell what I'm doing when I'm trying to change that selector.

The S-Turtle was a bit more expensive than changing to an electrical sync cord. But, if it works, hopefully I can sell my UWT trigger for enough to cover the difference.

I am using electrical sync with my YS-DS Lightning. Flawless.

But would love to switch to optical. I need to light my pool like a studio for the underwater maternity portraiture I do. 

22 hours ago, stuartv said:

Also, the the facts that the S-Turtle has a TTL profile for the YS-D3, it is user updateable in its firmware, and I can change what flash unit profile it is set for using a phone app are very appealing as well.

I also am using a S-turtle, but can you tell me more about the mobile app? I've only seen ability to control it via usb and windows

1 hour ago, Lewis88 said:

I also am using a S-turtle, but can you tell me more about the mobile app? I've only seen ability to control it via usb and windows

My mistake. I should have said PC app.

On 1/20/2021 at 1:58 AM, Pavel Kolpakov said:

YS-D3 has an extremely low optical input sensitivity. To control such input, Sea&Sea produces their own optical YS Converter, powered by big size AAA batteries (2 pcs.). Those batteries have only 12 hours of continuous working time, because device eats a giant energy, like a xenon flash. I don't think that such power solution is adequate for  LED control systems at all. YS-D3 needs it for optical control.

    By the way, did you try YS-D3 with an electric sync cord?  Most of TTL Converters on the market also can control TTL strobes by electric sync cord, it can solve the problem.

Hi Pavel, I am back to considering to change my UWT over to using electrical sync.

If I have Sony a7rIV -> UWT TTL trigger -> electrical sync -> YS-D3 strobes:

Will it work for TTL?

What about HSS?

2 hours ago, stuartv said:

 

Hi Pavel, I am back to considering to change my UWT over to using electrical sync.

If I have Sony a7rIV -> UWT TTL trigger -> electrical sync -> YS-D3 strobes:

Will it work for TTL?

What about HSS?

Did the S-Turtle not work?

5 minutes ago, ScottAudette said:

Did the S-Turtle not work?

Sorry. I posted about that in my other thread. I don't know if it works. Bluewater sent me the wrong S-Turtle and now they've said they do not have the correct one, so I'm returning the one they sent and they are issuing a refund.

I don't know of anywhere to get one that offers a refund option for their return policy (BackScatter does not) and I am not willing to buy one to try it, only to find out it doesn't work for me, and be stuck with it.

20 minutes ago, stuartv said:

 

Sorry. I posted about that in my other thread. I don't know if it works. Bluewater sent me the wrong S-Turtle and now they've said they do not have the correct one, so I'm returning the one they sent and they are issuing a refund.

I don't know of anywhere to get one that offers a refund option for their return policy (BackScatter does not) and I am not willing to buy one to try it, only to find out it doesn't work for me, and be stuck with it.

Ahhhhh...

The problem you'll find next though it electrical sync is manual only with the converters. No TTL. And in that case you might as well just put in an electrical bulkhead for a lot less money. 

7 hours ago, ScottAudette said:

......
The problem you'll find next though it electrical sync is manual only with the converters. 

No, it is not manual. UWTechnics TTL-Converters have electric TTL for sync cord, the same as optical TTL for fiber cable.  Both connections work TTL.

Of course for sync cord usage, user has to install an electric bulkhead on the housing. This is popular option.