Fiber Optic vs. Real Sync Cables

[Wisnu]

One advantage of syn. cable, your strobe will not flash accidentally triggered by other strobe.
It happened when I tried to take picture of mandarinfishes - there's another 5 divers with the cameras. From bunch of shots, most of them very dark (flash too early by other) or over exposure (i trigered other flash).

 

[Gussy]

Thanks for all the help.

I've used the Ikelite DS50 with a Canon S1 on a Canon housing once. The DS50 came with an EV controller. The strobe didn't fire half of the time and it was a paint to constantly adjust the flash power on the EV controller and then the camera.

If I go with the FO, I'll get something like an Inon D2000 and match it with my existing Canon G9 w/ Canon housing. If I go with the sync cord I'll need to get an Ikelite housing for the G9 and then replace the DS50 with the DS51.

 

[Gussy]

Thanks for all your help.

The only experience I have was using a Canon S1 with Canon housing attached to an Ikelite DS50 that comes with a EV controller. I had so much trouble with it not firing half the time. It was also a paint to constantly adjust the power setting on the EV controller and camera. I was told that both FO and sync cord will enable me to shot on auto.

If I go with the FO, I will just need to buy the Inon D2000 kit for my Canon G9 w/ Canon housing. If I go with the sync cord, I will buy an Ikelite housing and then replace my DS50 flash with DS51...and get rid of the EV controller.

Since either one produce better pictures over the other, which one would be easiest to use?

 

[Jim Ernst]

Just my 2 cents worth, I see a lot of great pro's and Con's for both different options.
I have used both and with both my full feature camera and my SLR I use and prefer my hard wire sync cord.

I do carry a spare cord at all times though..

 

[DiveGirl 500]

I have recently changed from fibreoptics to cables.
As discussed above, fibreoptics have the advantage of no leak points, and can quickly be removed.
But, towards the end of a double dive after taking lots of photos, I was becoming very frustrated with the wait time between shots while the internal camera flash recharged. No such problems with cables - my limiting factor is only the recharge time on the strobes