Ikelite ds-125 battery paks-how long do these last?

[okiediver1]

Im all for a cheaper strobe! I just want to make sure I get the right one! I keep reading that the ys-90 dosent light up enough area with a WAL. I am hesitant about the sensor thing, but how does the cable thing work? Is it a fiber optic cable or a sync cord? Are they the same thing? Can you use either on this strobe--a sensor or a cable? I guess that might be ideal...

Thanks for any input as I need it!

 

[ssra30]

I think it depends on what features you want. Some of the reason I like about DS-125, the battery I thought was actually one of the advantage. It lasts quite a long time and with a Smartcharger, as long as you have an access to the a power outlet on the boat, it is quite easy to recharge your batteries quickly. I find the sensor for the Ikelite easy to work with. What you want to get with the DS-125 is the deluxe package rather than the standard package. It is $100 more and it comes with a Smart charger instead of standard charger and it has ball and socket arm which will let you attach the sensor to the base arm.
You can then adjust the strobe in any direction you wish without affecting the aim of the sensor to the internal flash. The only annoying thing about this sensor is as I stated earlier, sunlight/wave at the surface will activate it continuously and sometimes other people's flash may activate it as well if it aims at the right direction.
TTL is not perfect and it does not automatically works in every situation but since I just started on underwater photography, it is a convinient starting point. DS-125 does have a crude manual control that you can use, allowing 4 steps power level for the strobe when not using TTL. However Ikelite does have an add on manual control with 12 steps power level. DS-125 does have a built in modelling light which is useful to help with aiming the strobe and bright enough to use for night dive according to some people (I'll try that at Similan island in a couple of weeks).
Ikelite claims that DS125 is a more powerful strobe than S&S, better specs etc. However I never see a direct S&S DS125 comparison. I think you just need to check out Ikelite and S&S site, look at all the features and your budget.

 

[Dee]

okiediver1 once bubbled...
Im all for a cheaper strobe! I just want to make sure I get the right one! I keep reading that the ys-90 dosent light up enough area with a WAL. I am hesitant about the sensor thing, but how does the cable thing work? Is it a fiber optic cable or a sync cord? Are they the same thing? Can you use either on this strobe--a sensor or a cable? I guess that might be ideal...

Thanks for any input as I need it!

I have a S&S WAL L lens which has a 90º coverage. If I remember correctly, the YS90DX has 100º coverage, or very close to it....anyway the YS90 covers the lens very well, I've never had a problem. It already has 12 power settings so you don't need to buy a manual power control source to add on. Some strobes are sold with the fiber optic cable kit included, some not, just depends on the seller. But other than that. the YS90 needs no add ons for anything!

The fiber optic cable is very simply a small cable that connects to the front of your strobe via a cover with a connector port attached. The other end fits into the same type port in a velcro patch that will cover the diffuser panel on the housing. This fiber optic cable has nothing mechanical in it meaning that it can't flood. This is the difference in a sync cord which can flood and also cause damage to your strobe. (Been there, done that in a past life!)

You'll hear people say that the velcro patch isn't secure or that it doesn't completely block the light from the internal flash causing at least some backscatter. I've got over 60 dives on mine and I don't find either statement to be true, at least not in my case. I have never had the velcro come undone unless I did it myself.

No, you can't use an Ikelite sensor with this strobe but you can use it and a sync cord with an Ikelite housing. That's another great thing about this strobe is it's ability to be used with a sync cord with other housings that have a hotwire connection. Turn the pre-flash off and use it with regular film cameras like the MMII or Nikonos. The pre-flash works with alot of digital cameras, or set it on slave and use it strictly as a slave strobe. You can't get more versatile than that!

I can also use any strobe arm and tray I wish. I think the Ikelite sensor requires a special connection. For instance, I like the flexible Loc-line arms, ie. Fisheye and S&S. But there's no connection to it for the Ike sensor.

My SmartCharger...that is really becoming a very generic name for fast chargers....cost me less than $40 and it came with 8 AA 2100NiMH batteries. From full drain to full charge it takes about 2.5hrs. If something fails with my charger or batteries, I can also use regular alkaline AA batteries from any store.

I've never seen a direct comparison between a S&S YS90DX and an Ikelite DS-125 where the same photo was taken with each system....which is the only way to fairly compare them. They both are good strobes, they will both cover a wide angle lens and as you can see you'll find people that swear by one over the other. So it's not the quality of the strobe you need to decide on, it's those other features like I've pointed out that will make up your mind!

Oh...did I mention it was cheaper and there aren't any add-ons?

 

[okiediver1]

Thanks so much for the input--a couple other ?'s.....

What does a "diffuser" do and do you need one? Where is a good place to buy a YS-90? Is there any special arms that are required? My Ike already has a tray and an arm.

You've been a great help, Dee, now I just have to decide what is best for me. The whole manual thing scares me. Can you really see your LCD screen well enough under water to tell if your shots are good enough? Sometimes I think I got a really good shot, or really bad shot, and when I downloaded them to my laptop they were just the opposite!

 

[raxafarian]

Dee once bubbled...


My SmartCharger...that is really becoming a very generic name for fast chargers....cost me less than $40 and it came with 8 AA 2100NiMH batteries.

the ikelite smartcharger will plug directly into any ac power source in the world (you might need a plug adapter to physically fit, but not a voltage converter). It starts with a fast charge and then as the battery reaches full charge, it slows down to a trickle, then once completely charged, turns off. It will do the same no matter what the battery level is at the start of charging. It also conditions the cell for best performance and keeps the battery cooler while charging. Hence the "smart"

I can't comment too much on the ike 125. Only owned one for a week before deciding to move to the ike 200.

 

[Dee]

okiediver1 once bubbled...
Thanks so much for the input--a couple other ?'s.....

What does a "diffuser" do and do you need one? Where is a good place to buy a YS-90? Is there any special arms that are required? My Ike already has a tray and an arm.

You've been a great help, Dee, now I just have to decide what is best for me. The whole manual thing scares me. Can you really see your LCD screen well enough under water to tell if your shots are good enough? Sometimes I think I got a really good shot, or really bad shot, and when I downloaded them to my laptop they were just the opposite!

A diffuser...gee, how do I describe this? It 'diffuses the light! ut: It will help spread the light and soften the harsh shadows. \

Don't let the manual thing scare you, I know how you feel. Yes, I can see the screen well enough to know if I need more or less light power. But I found that I was changing the power setting according to the light available at my depth. If I went 15-20ft deeper, I increased the power 1 setting. If I went shallower, I decreased it. So unless I zig-zag up and down....which we all avoid for safety reasons!....I may only tweak the setting once or twice each dive. It's really one of the more minor things to worry about!

No, the YS90DX doesn't require a special strobe arm. Just the opposite, it can be used with all the major brands out there. If you already have an Ikelite arm, you just have to make sure the connector at the end of the arm is for S&S. Ask Ike, they'll make sure you get the right one.

Rax....I should have been more plain. My MAHA-204F200 IS a smart charger and works exactly like you describe. The new deal is a little different but still a great price.

 

[raxafarian]

Dee once bubbled...



Rax....I should have been more plain. My MAHA-204F200 IS a smart charger and works exactly like you describe. The new deal is a little different but still a great price.

yes.... the maha's are good units. I like that they have a 12vdc adapter, but their ac adapter is for us only, I think.

 

[Dee]

raxafarian once bubbled...
yes.... the maha's are good units. I like that they have a 12vdc adapter, but their ac adapter is for us only, I think.

Ah...you mean the voltage thing! Yes, it is based on US currents. But I haven't been anywhere that it's a problem. I guess if you were on a liveaboard or far off country with weird currents you'd need an adapter. So far Honduras and Mexico haven't been a problem!

 

[okiediver1]

Okay, on this whole slave sensor item....on the ds-125 does this device stay put? Do you have to constantly adjust it? Does it get in the way with moving the arms around for close/WAL shots?

I cant tell much from the picture......

THANKS FOR EVERYTHING!

 

[Dee]

okiediver1 once bubbled...
Okay, on this whole slave sensor item....on the ds-125 does this device stay put? Do you have to constantly adjust it? Does it get in the way with moving the arms around for close/WAL shots?

I cant tell much from the picture......

THANKS FOR EVERYTHING!

.....some say no!

I've never taken an Ikelite underwater so I can't say from personal experience. I've had some people tell me the sensor stays put and is never in the way. And on the other hand others have said just the opposite...that they were constantly having to adjust the sensor to get the strobe to trigger and that it made some shot almost impossible when mounted on the strobe arm. I suspect the true answer is somewhere in the middle.

Maybe ReyeR will chime in with his experiences with it.