Canon S90 Synch Problems

[Mel Moncrieff]

I just got the Ikelite housing for my new Canon S90 and was planning to use it with a Sea and Sea YS 110 (orange model). I hooked up the synch cord to the front of the housing (in itself and problem, since I had to try to afix the little velcro holder on the rounded corner of the housing). I can't get the strobe to reliably fire when the camera flash fires, in any of the settings. It fires most of the time in the TTL setting, but does not adjust power as needed. What strobe would you recommend? People say that the YS 110 A is much better, and others recommend the Inon S2000. Which one would work better with this combo? My main criteria would be something that would function accurately with sttl.

Thanks so much,

Mel

 

[Nemrod]

I just got the Ikelite housing for my new Canon S90 and was planning to use it with a Sea and Sean YS 110 (orange model). I hooked up the synch cord to the front of the housing (in itself and problem, since I had to try to afix the little velcro holder on the rounded corner of the housing). I can't get the strobe to reliably fire when the camera flash fires, in any of the settings. It fires most of the time in the TTL setting, but does not adjust power as needed. What strobe would you recommend? People say that the YS 110 A is much better, and others recommend the Inon S2000. Which one would work better with this combo? My main criteria would be something that would function accurately with sttl.

Thanks so much,

Mel

You need to provide a little more detail because some strobes have preflash/no preflash settings and as well some cameras including your new S90 have settings and exposure modes that in some cases provide a preflash and in others do not. Example, in Auto or Program your S90 will preflash but in manual it will not and in Av/Tv it depends upon settings that you configure under Menu.

Your S90 also has a setting under menu for the strobe, the setting is auto or manual and then if manual is chosen the preflash is eliminated (except in Auto and Program where that choice is overridden). Then under Func you can choose the power level for the strobe.

You also need to investigate your fiber optic cable attachment to the housing to ensure that is not the problem.

Without entering the strobe wars, I really like my Inon D2000 strobes.

N

 

[JackConnick]

You need to keep the strobe power setting in mid range for TTL. I would first see if you can get it to fire in man 1 or 2, then TTL. You should be able to especially if pre-flash can be turned off.

You've got a very good strobe, albet the preflash sync was temperamental. I think you can sort it out.

Jack

 

[H2O Photo Pros]

Mel,

There is a known sync issue with the older YS-110 (orange) and Canon digital cameras due to the pre-flash. The new 110a takes care of that problem and syncs with the Canon Pre-flash, as does all of the Inon strobes.

 

[Mel Moncrieff]

Hi Everyone:

Thanks for all the info. I messed around with the sych cord and settings some more, and I think I've got it working. If I put the camera on manual mode and set the strobe to manual 2, it works pretty well. I've only been able to practice above water, but I'm going out this weekend for a few dives and will post when I get back. I'm planning to set the camera to 1/125 of a second in TV mode, then go over to manual and use the control dial in front to change the aperture. That seems to work pretty well, and I can easily access the menu for iso, white balance, etc while in manual mode. If I need a different shutter speed, I can go back to TV and change it, then switch back to manual--a little cumbersome, but $400.00 cheaper than the fisheye housing that has both dials I guess the proof will be this weekend. We're planning to dive the Star of Scottland wreck that is in 85 feet of water. Some friends of mine went out 4 weeks ago and there were giant black sea bass all around, so there's a good mix of macro and w/a to shoot (I'll bring along the Ikelite 67mm w/a wet lens. Here's a link to some of the pics (shot with DSLR) star of scotland november - Scott's Photos. If my pics are 1/2 this good, I'll be very happy.

All the best,

Mel

 

[CompuDude]

Mel - Without wide angle glass and dual strobes, there's no way we're going to get close to Scott's shots (D300, Tokina, and dome with dual Z240's).

 

[Mel Moncrieff]

Oh, I know, Kilani--I probably wouldn't get photos as good as Scott's, even if I had all that stuff. I'm not going to be trying to get close-focus w/a--I'll be looking for shots withing the limits of what my equipment will do--remember, I'm going for 1/2 as good. Did you get a housing for your S90 yet?

Mel

 

[CompuDude]

Oh, I know, Kilani--I probably wouldn't get photos as good as Scott's, even if I had all that stuff. I'm not going to be trying to get close-focus w/a--I'll be looking for shots withing the limits of what my equipment will do--remember, I'm going for 1/2 as good. Did you get a housing for your S90 yet?

No, between angst over which way to go (Canon? Ikelite? FIX?) and negotiations with the wife (need? want? wait for xmas?), I'm still shooting my S80 a while longer until a final decision is made.

Got some great shots with my S90 at the zoo the other day, though.

 

[Jorgy]

I shoot a G9 with dual YS-110.......an orange one and a gray one.......

Camera on manual (no pre-flash) and YS-110's on Manual 2......works great....

I leave it set a 1/250 and rarely change shutter speed.....sometimes 1/125 to get more background light.......

I normally just change aperture 4 to 4.5 for wider pictures and 8.0 for macro and 5.6 or 6.3 to get nice dark blue backgrounds......

I set the camera flash to 1/3 - to extend battery life.....

I use the manual intensity controls on the strobes to dial the picture in........

Hope this helps......M

 

[Mel Moncrieff]

Well, shoot--they cancelled the dives today--swells too big. Guess I'll have to wait another week to try the S90.

Mel