Question Ikelite vs. Sea & Sea strobes

[Lu Y]

Hello,

We have a Sony A6700 camera with Ikelite housing, and are choosing strobes for wide angle photos.

Does anyone have any perspective on how Sea & Sea YS-D3 Duo Torch compare to Ikelite DS160 (https://nemophoto.co.uk/products/ike-40160uk)? Is Ikelite worth the materially higher price?

Many thanks,
Lu

 

[Barmaglot]

DS160 has a wider, more even beam, and overall higher power output. It also recycles faster. On the downside, it's bigger, heavier, more expensive, and uses proprietary batteries. If your housing is set up with the Ikelite TTL flash triggering kit, then, as far as I'm aware, it will only have TTL capability with Ikelite strobes, and YS-D3s will function in manual mode only. Do you have the DLM/E or the FP/T version of the housing?

 

[Lu Y]

Hi Barmaglot,

Here's the housing I have: Ikelite #69123 SONY ALPHA A6700 HOUSING

I understand from the Ikelite UK retailer that TTL is not really needed and manual control actually gives more flexibility, so we are planning to not use TTL.

Kind regards,
Lu

 

[Barmaglot]

Okay, so out of the box, this housing comes with a manual hot shoe connector and a wired sync bulkhead. In order to connect strobes, you will need a single or dual sync cord appropriate to your strobe type - Ikelite and Sea & Sea strobes use different plugs. Keep in mind that these connectors use o-rings to keep water out, so they will need attention and maintenance - a pinched o-ring can mean a housing flood. If you go with Sea & Sea strobes, you have the option of replacing the bulkhead with a manual optical trigger (part# 44700-G2) and using fiber optics instead., but this is a $250 part.

 

[Lu Y]

Okay, so out of the box, this housing comes with a manual hot shoe connector and a wired sync bulkhead. In order to connect strobes, you will need a single or dual sync cord appropriate to your strobe type - Ikelite and Sea & Sea strobes use different plugs. Keep in mind that these connectors use o-rings to keep water out, so they will need attention and maintenance - a pinched o-ring can mean a housing flood. If you go with Sea & Sea strobes, you have the option of replacing the bulkhead with a manual optical trigger (part# 44700-G2) and using fiber optics instead., but this is a $250 part.

Thanks a lot. I have to admit I know very very little about the technical aspects (my husband is the one doing the set up, I just use it to take some photos during the dive).

To summarise, are you recommending the ikelike or s&s housing, or they are similar?

 

[Barmaglot]

There isn't a clear-cut 'one is better than the other' choice. I would put it like this: DS160 is a better source of light, as long as you're fine with the additional weight and bulk.

FWIW, my own rig is a Sony A6700 in a SeaFrogs housing with Retra Pro strobes.

 

[PatW]

I have used both. For the Ikelite strobes, I used the hardwired connection. It has a disadvantage of introducing one more piercing of the housing. It never failed in hundreds of dives. It was frustrating getting the strobes connected right initially. You have to align the pins just so. The strobes are wider, more powerful, faster cycling and hold a charge a long, long time. It has plenty of charge for a day of diving. And the clamp on seal for the strobes is good but if it fails the strobe is toast. The strobes are heavy and large and unwieldly. So, moving them and adjusting their power was difficult and getting them in a tight situation was a pain in the …… and usually unsuccessful.

The Sea and Sea YS DS are nice strobes. I connect them via fiber optic and that works fine. The strobes use rechargeable AA batteries (4). The strobes give decent power and are enough (they say) for 200 shots at full power. I do not use full power that often so I can probably get more. I take about 70 shots per dive so 200 shots does 3 dives. Also my mirrorless camera is good for 200 shots (or so it says) but it depends on how you use it. For wildlife photography, a battery will get 900 shots for me (camera not strobe).

The pluses of the Sea and Sea are - if it floods the batteries are toast. But usually with cleaning and drying the strobe will work. The battery compartment is separate from the strobe. If the strobe does not work after flooding, I understand sending it in will get it going again. I have not done this yet. The strobe can be a bit tricky to seal correctly. You have to put it on a hard surface and press down on the battery lid evenly and hard (or that is what works for me).

The advantages of the strobe is it is a bit narrower in beam and for me that gives less backscatter. Also it is far lighter and more compact making it easier to adjust the strobe placement, get it into tight spots and to adjust the power level. I shoot macro and wide. For macro, moving the strobes is really nice.

That being said, both strobes are fine performers. They both have different strengths and it is a matter of deciding which you like better.

If you can, I would try to go to a shop that has these and see how they fit with your rig. Some shops will let you try them out in the water for a fee.

 

[bvanant]

Personally, I would go with the S&S strobes. Batteries you can get anywhere, smaller, quite good power, (depends on what you want to shoot of course). You will need the adapter to get FO triggering but that is enormously worth it.
Bill

 

[grantmac]

Any reason you aren't considering INON?

 

[Nemrod]

If you want to use optical strobes without all of the Ikelite paraphernalia there is this trigger:

Any reason you aren't considering INON?

The only strobe they have now is the cute little S220. Maybe someday they will bring the Z back. The S220 is a great little strobe that is more powerful and wider beam than given credit for. But still, where is the Z when you need it????????

As to TTL vs Manual, I use both as appropriate. TTL works just fine. In fact, better than fine. I set for ambient and let the TTL expose for the subject.