Dual Strobes

[lindner514]

I have a DS-125 with a manual sensor. I was considering getting another DS-125. Does anyone care to comment on the pros and cons of dual strobes and/or manual vs TTL sensors for them.

 

[ReyeR]

I have a DS-125 with a manual sensor. I was considering getting another DS-125. Does anyone care to comment on the pros and cons of dual strobes and/or manual vs TTL sensors for them.

I run my setup with two DS-125s.
Pros:
- eliminate harsh shadows
- much more flexibility in lighting options
- and ofcourse more light and wider coverage
Cons:
- the setup becomes more complex to use
- very heavy and un-gainly
I use one with a manual controller (let's call it strobe A) and one with the TTL (strobe B) only because I had a TTL controller to start with. I slave the TTL controller to strobe A so strobe B will 'mimic' strobe A exactly - fire when A fires and quench when A quenches*. This way I can control both strobes with a single manual controller. To provide un-even lighting I vary the distance and aim of the strobes. I think the easiest option is to use two manual controllers to vary the lighting but it means you will need to turn two dials.

*I run a fibre optical cable from strobe A to the TTL controller to get accurate results.

 

[jlyle]

ReyeR said it all. I now use two DS-125's and manual controllers for the same reasons. While ungainly, I find that the two strobes balance the rig and make it easy to fire with one hand.

 

[scubajoe]

I will soon have my two strobe set up set up and running. I will shoot full manual with both strobes hard wired to my Nikon. I hope it all balances, as Mr. Miagee says "balance is key".
Joe

 

[ssra30]

I switched from 1 to 2 DS125 recently also. Initially I used to have 1 strobe usually above the housing with various distance and angles depending on what I was doing. When I switched to 2 strobes, one on each side of the camera, it took awhile to get used to adjusting the strobe position again, and with 2 strobes, it is twice the work. Slowly I am getting used to it though. I use 2 manual EV controller. With the controller close to the handle, it is much easier than adjusting the strobe at the strobe itself. Mine you, 2 DS125 strobe with DSLR setting is incredibly heavy on land and I am very envious of my friends who are using Inon strobes. Underwater it is not big problem.

 

[lindner514]

ReyeR
*I run a fibre optical cable from strobe A to the TTL controller to get accurate results.

I don't quite get the picture. How do you set that up.

 

[ReyeR]

ReyeR
*I run a fibre optical cable from strobe A to the TTL controller to get accurate results.

I don't quite get the picture. How do you set that up.

A little bit of DIY involved. In theory you should be able to aim the TTL sensor at the strobe that is controlled by Manual controller (strobe A) and it should mimic it, but in practice it gets confused by camera's flash and the light reflected back from the scene.
To isolate the TTL sensor so it only 'sees' the light from strobe A I run a fibre optical cable from strobe A to the TTL controller. I drilled a hole in strobe A's diffuser and installed one of these connectors: fiberopticproducts.com. I also found a cap (I used one from a sunscreen tube, you can probably get free samples from here: niagara plastics) that fits on the TTL sensor and installed another connector to the cap. Then attach an end-glow type plastic (not glass) fibre optic cable from one connector to the other like the EG8 shown here: (fiberopticproducts.com). Now attach the diffuser to strobe A and the cap to the TTL controller and ... Tada!