Canon DSLR:Ikelite ETTL-2 Conversion question

[Seastrider]

Aloha all: question. I have a Canon 50D (+ custom housing) that I use for scientific monitoring/water-work, in tandem with Ikelite DS 50 or 51 substrobes and DS External slaves (set to TTL). I was hoping to modify our housing to accept hotshoe-to-bulkhead connectivity with the Ikelite substrobes; however, Ikelite does not sell eTTL2 circuitry outside of their Canon-specific housings?

Does anyone know of alternatives (outside of buying an Ikelite 50D housing and gutting the electronics)? Seems like a waste on both sides of the equation.

Any advice would be appreciated. Mahalos for any/all feedback!

 

[bvanant]

I think (haven't confirmed it yet) that the only practical way to do this is to put a 6-pin bulkhead into your housing and use a Heinrich Weikamp external converter with a Nikonos 5-pin (converter end) to Ikelite cable. I know you can get this to work with some strobes and Ike was on the list of supported strobes so it SHOULD work. If you get your housing converted to 6-pin I can send you the HW converter to try it out.
Bill