YS-90 Auto and Batteries

[GForce 0]

OK, I have a silly question. I was reading the manual on my new YS-90 Auto strobe last night. It very clearly warns you, on the 1st or second page (under WARNINGS), that you should only use certain types of batteries (like Alkaline, NiMH, etc) and that you should not exceed 1000 mA. Then, further into the manual under the specifications section, it describes battery life and clearly tells you how many shots you can get out of each type of battery. The silly part is that it lists the batteries tested as 1700 mA! So what's the real story? Can you use batteries of greater than 1000 mA or not!

 

Another silly point is that I am simply wanting to use the rechargable NiMH batteries that came free with a camera package I got straight from Sea & Sea! Geez.

[larrym 0]

I never saw the warnings! So I have been using 1700 and even 2300 ma batteries without any noticeable problem. They would easily last for 2 dives and recharge without any great delay.

 

Larry

[Don in Colorado 2]

Feel free to use the biggest NIMH batteries you can find.

[Ryan 48]

There are pink addendum slips put in boxes now that say strobes shipped after March of 2003 are ok to use NiMh batteries in...

[cor 0]

Ive been using 2300 mah in all our ys90 strobes. Never had a problem.

 

Cor

[frogmansub 0]

I've never used anything other than NiMh 2300s in my YS90s either.

[stu1965 0]

im using nimh 2300s in my ys90 strobes as well

[Deep Snapper 0]

I've been using 2300s for the past few months as well. The reduction in charging time between shots has been impressive over the normal alkaline battries. Go for 2300s!

But make sure you get a good battery charger. Dont buy a cheap one.

 

Antonio

[GForce 0]

One more follow up...

 

We are getting ready for a trip to Bonaire this weekend and I thought I would test everything out since this will be my first trip with my new camera setup. So, I hooked everything up and went around the house taking pictures in varying light conditions and found that I had a problem with the strobe (YS-90 Auto). After about 5 pictures, the strobe would cease to trigger off the camera's built in strobe. I took the fiber optic cable off the strobe and pointed it at my hand and proved that the internal strobe was firing and the light was geting through the fiber (not a broken fiber), so I started trying other things. The last thing I tried was removing the Energizer 2500mAh batteries and putting in some old 1700mAh batteries into the strobe. Once I did that, I took about 25 pictures without a single failure. I swapped the batteries back with a different set of the Energizer 2500s and the problem returned. Looks like I will be sticking with the 1700 mAh ones for this trip until I can figure it out.

 

My setup for reference:

Sea & Sea DX-5000G

Fiber trigger from housing to strobe

YS-90 Auto Strobe

[UWPhotoTech 0]

Weird, the 2500ma batt's should not cause this problem, see this link.

 

Are you using the small black adapter for the YS-90 strobes or are you plugging directly into the DX-5000 housing? The small black adapter was designed to correct the erratic flash firing problem with the YS-90's.

[GForce 0]

Yes, I am using the small black adapter. I know it sounds crazy and my testing was NOT scientific, so it could be something else. I will know more when I get back from Bonaire.

 

Greg

[GForce 0]

It sounds like you are pretty familiar with the DX-5000G. Any quick advice? (I already read the manual for the housing, camera, and strobe). Of course, the manual for the housing says to use Auto2, but the camera doesn't do a preflash, so Auto1 seems like the right setting.

[UWPhotoTech 0]

You are correct Auto 1 is the right setting.

 

Some basic settings for a good starting point:

 

Camera:

Set the exposure mode to M (Manual)

Set the ISO to 100

Set the shutter speed of 125

Set the aperture to 8.0

 

Strobe:

Set the Mode to Auto 1

Set the Power Level 8.0

 

Take some great photos and have fun on your trip!

[GForce 0]

Thank you very much. I will give those a shot.

[mantababe 0]

I've been using 2300s for the past few months as well. The reduction in charging time between shots has been impressive over the normal alkaline battries. Go for 2300s!

But make sure you get a good battery charger. Dont buy a cheap one.

 

Antonio

 

what would you say is a good battery charger and where would you get it from, thanks

by the way do you guys use this strobe with or with out the diffuser on as ive had a prob with attaching the cable with the diffuser on any tips?

[bvanant 190]

what would you say is a good battery charger and where would you get it from, thanks

by the way do you guys use this strobe with or with out the diffuser on as ive had a prob with attaching the cable with the diffuser on any tips?

For home, I think the best charger is the LaCrosse that can do a bunch of things including refurbishing old batteries. For traveling I use the Maha white 4-battery charger; and shorten the cord to about a foot or so.

Bill

[mantababe 0]

Weird, the 2500ma batt's should not cause this problem, see this link.

 

Are you using the small black adapter for the YS-90 strobes or are you plugging directly into the DX-5000 housing? The small black adapter was designed to correct the erratic flash firing problem with the YS-90's.

 

what is the small black adapter, where does that go as i havent got one with mine????