Is there an I-TTL option

[Lionfish43 0]

It seems like Nikon I-TTL is here to stay and it works fantastically topside so when will a strobe manufacturer provide us with a strobe that does native I-TTL. Or is there an option available that I'm not aware of?

[buddy 7]

hey larry, make a search and look for subtronic or seacam.regards juerg (from JASA 2005 - do u remember?)

[Lionfish43 0]

hey larry, make a search and look for subtronic or seacam.regards juerg (from JASA 2005 - do u remember?)

Hi Juerg,

Of coarse I remember you from that trip. That was a great trip, I'd like to do it again. I have looked at the Seacam strobe and it's way out of my price-range. I should have said: is there an I-TTL option that won't cost me $5000 for two strobes and the cables.

[Starbuck 0]

The Heinrichs controllers work well as an "add on" with our Inon strobes and D70....not sure if D200 is supported... Probably check their website... I think Seacam and Subtronic and Aquatica are all using this controller..Hugy as well.

 

M.

[Lionfish43 0]

The Heinrichs controllers work well as an "add on" with our Inon strobes and D70....not sure if D200 is supported... Probably check their website... I think Seacam and Subtronic and Aquatica are all using this controller..Hugy as well.

 

M.

Thanks Michael but I would like to have I-TTL built into the strobe. Why is that so difficult? There are plenty of Nikon users out there and I-TTL seems to be the new standard so why not have it native to the strobe.

[shchae 3]

Hi,

Another option you have is use SB-600/800 in housing(Subal,Fantasea,Patima etc.).

 

I 've seen people using it even for WA picture.

 

Sam

 

 

Thanks Michael but I would like to have I-TTL built into the strobe. Why is that so difficult? There are plenty of Nikon users out there and I-TTL seems to be the new standard so why not have it native to the strobe.

[acroporas 0]

Thanks Michael but I would like to have I-TTL built into the strobe. Why is that so difficult? There are plenty of Nikon users out there and I-TTL seems to be the new standard so why not have it native to the strobe.

 

The problem is that Nikon does not want anyone other than nikon to making I-TTL flashes. They will not tell anyone how to properly communicate with the camera (at least not without paying nikon lots of money). Thus all of the I-TTL solutions out there are reverse enginered "hacks". The problem is that since no-one (outside of nikon) really knows the proper protocol, what works with one camera does not necessarily work with another camera.

[anthp 0]

Thanks Michael but I would like to have I-TTL built into the strobe. Why is that so difficult? There are plenty of Nikon users out there and I-TTL seems to be the new standard so why not have it native to the strobe.

Hi Larry. I think it is Nikon being cagey.

 

If you have an Ike housing (which I know you don't) you can get a version of TTL which works pretty effectively in my experience.

 

Also, Ikelite was talking about building the conversion circuitary into the sync cord which would make a nice solution for non-Ikelite housings... I wonder what the progress has been on that front?

[Rattus 0]

Hi Larry,

 

Another alternative to I-TTL in the strobe would be the Sea&Sea approach of I-TTL (or E-TTL for Canon) in an external control module, then generic TTL strobes. If you can have a look at the Sea&Sea DX-D200 housing and its TTL adapter, you might be able to adapt your Aquatica to that system.

 

http://www.seaandsea.jp/products/digital/dxd200/acce.html

 

The analogous Canon system works great on my 5D, just like having one or two Canon speedlights attached. The big win is that you can switch to full manual mid dive if you need to.

 

Martyn

[3@5 0]

The Heinrichs controllers work well as an "add on" with our Inon strobes and D70....not sure if D200 is supported... Probably check their website... I think Seacam and Subtronic and Aquatica are all using this controller..Hugy as well.

 

M.

the seacam 250 TTL (it comes in ittl or ettl versions) does not use the heinrich controller. they have their own electronics as they do for their canon version of the 250 strobe which just got released now.

but yes it will cost 2 kidneys and a liver to get 2 strobes and the cables

[Poliwog 4]

Also, Ikelite was talking about building the conversion circuitry into the sync cord which would make a nice solution for non-Ikelite housings... I wonder what the progress has been on that front?

 

I really hate to throw a wet blanket on your hopes but, I got this reply from Ike in a thread on the SunStrobe 400s concerning the iTTL sync cords and when he would be coming out with them.

 

Interested, yes. Just too far behind and too many projects to make any promises or predictions.

 

But as I said in another thread (on this subject), keep asking and we might be able to bump the iTTL sync cords up a notch or two on Ike's To Do List.

 

Hope this helps,

[JackConnick 74]

Hi,

Another option you have is use SB-600/800 in housing(Subal,Fantasea,Patima etc.).

 

I 've seen people using it even for WA picture.

 

Sam

 

Yes, Fantasea's SB-800 Strobe Housing does i-TTL with in-camera controls for fill-in lighting, etc. Includes Nikonos sync cord. Fantasea's website incorrectly states this only works with their housing; in fact it will work with any nikonos connector.

 

Jack

[photovan 0]

Has anyone tried the Patima housing / Sunpak flash option? Supposedly gives i-ttl. Here is the Patima home page link, half way down the page is a strobe housing link. They also do a housing for SB800.

 

http://www.uwcam.com/e_main.htm

[Lionfish43 0]

Has anyone tried the Patima housing / Sunpak flash option? Supposedly gives i-ttl. Here is the Patima home page link, half way down the page is a strobe housing link. They also do a housing for SB800.

 

http://www.uwcam.com/e_main.htm

That looks like an interesting option. It looks like it uses a standard nikonos cord.

[photovan 0]

Here is a link to divervision with price for the patima/sunpack kit.

 

http://www.divervision.com/catalog/product...a8b176e394fd8ad

 

The Sunpak flash is in the range USD$200-$250 depending on where you look, which is an attractive aspect if it floods I guess, but I read somewhere recycle from full dump is 8secs, and it only takes 2x AA's, so not sure if it could keep up with today's more-than-36-shots-per-dive photographers, let alone be practical - lots of waiting around for recharge.

 

Why don't nikon just bite the bullet and release the SB800 (or better) in an SB105 housing with a nikonos cord. Huge market don't you think?

 

darren

[anthp 0]

Would love it if they did Darren, but my guess is that compared to the market for topside gadgets, this would still be a very niche product for Nikon. Not that they don't do niche (FM3a), but underwater just seems to be below their radar at the moment...

 

Fingers crossed though.

[Ryan 48]

The smallest strobe housing I've seen is made by Athena for a Sunpack flash. All housed flashes are underpowered for anything past fish portrait shooting, which is a same, because sophisticated I-TTL & E-TTL Systems defy historial logic that TTL is incompatible with wide angle scenes.

 

The problem with putting TTL in the flash is that the protocol is constantly evolving, and changing with new cameras. The software profiles used for the d70 didn't work with the d2x & d200. The software used for the d2x & d200 doesn't work for the d80 without updating. Subtronic customers have to return their flashheads to the factory for TTL updates, which is a slow process.

 

Due to this problem, it seems to make sense to put the ttl circuit in something that is "relatively" inexpensive, such as an external controller or sync cord, or make it user "fixable".

 

An alternative that makes a lot of sense to me would be a TTL Flash card that could be plugged into a strobe, allowing the user to update the flash themselves, and have a strobe compatible with both nikon & canon... While it looks like a European company will offer this in the future, it is still a ways away.

[Lionfish43 0]

The problem with putting TTL in the flash is that the protocol is constantly evolving, and changing with new cameras. The software profiles used for the d70 didn't work with the d2x & d200. The software used for the d2x & d200 doesn't work for the d80 without updating. Subtronic customers have to return their flashheads to the factory for TTL updates, which is a slow process.

I don't understand this statement. My Nikon SB-800 strobe works perfectly with all recent Nikon digital cameras. I've used it on my D2h and D200 and according to the Nikon website it works with the D80. That was my basis for saying that I-TTL seems to have stabilized. Is the problem that none of the strobe manufactures has truely decifered the i-ttl protocol and all the existing solutions are work-arounds and that's the reason they have to keep changing. If that's the case, maybe our best hope is Nikon.

[shchae 3]

Hi,

I am using Patima/Sunpak flash with D200 + 60mm Micro Nikkor & here is a summary;

1.This flash is for Macro work (GN9.m).

2.I am using it at ISO200 or EV+1 (ISO 200 is default on D-70 anyway)

3.Recycle time on spec is long but, I could use it every 3-4 secs using TTL.

4.Using 2700mah rechargeable battery, I could use 110-120 shuts per change/recharge.

5.i-TTL works fine + have manual adjustment too.

6.Size of housing same as SB-105.

 

Sam

 

 

 

 

 

Here is a link to divervision with price for the patima/sunpack kit.

 

http://www.divervision.com/catalog/product...a8b176e394fd8ad

 

The Sunpak flash is in the range USD$200-$250 depending on where you look, which is an attractive aspect if it floods I guess, but I read somewhere recycle from full dump is 8secs, and it only takes 2x AA's, so not sure if it could keep up with today's more-than-36-shots-per-dive photographers, let alone be practical - lots of waiting around for recharge.

 

Why don't nikon just bite the bullet and release the SB800 (or better) in an SB105 housing with a nikonos cord. Huge market don't you think?

 

darren

Edited November 9, 2006 by shchae

[shchae 3]

Here is a link to divervision with price for the patima/sunpack kit.

 

http://www.divervision.com/catalog/product...a8b176e394fd8ad

 

The Sunpak flash is in the range USD$200-$250 depending on where you look, which is an attractive aspect if it floods I guess, but I read somewhere recycle from full dump is 8secs, and it only takes 2x AA's, so not sure if it could keep up with today's more-than-36-shots-per-dive photographers, let alone be practical - lots of waiting around for recharge.

 

Why don't nikon just bite the bullet and release the SB800 (or better) in an SB105 housing with a nikonos cord. Huge market don't you think?

 

darren

 

Test picture using Sunpak/Patima housing.

 

D200+60mm Macro Nikkor w/1.4 Kenko TC

Sunpak/Patima strobe

ISO 200

1/100sec / f32 (note little over exposure on yellow pigmy seahorse)

 

Sam

Edited November 9, 2006 by shchae

[shchae 3]

Test picture using Sunpak/Patima housing.

 

D200+60mm Macro Nikkor w/1.4 Kenko TC

Sunpak/Patima strobe

ISO 200

1/100sec / f32 (note little over exposure on yellow pigmy seahorse)

 

Sam

 

 

2 more test shots using same setup.

Edited November 9, 2006 by shchae

[photovan 0]

Test picture using Sunpak/Patima housing.

 

D200+60mm Macro Nikkor w/1.4 Kenko TC

Sunpak/Patima strobe

ISO 200

1/100sec / f32 (note little over exposure on yellow pigmy seahorse)

 

Sam

 

Sam, you're a legend. Thanks for going to the trouble of posting those pics and giving your thoughts on the system. Real-world experience is always a help.

cheers

darren