Manual controller or slave sensor (for Canon A95)

[clgsamson]

I have a canon A95 in a wp-dc50 UW housing and in a month's time I would be buying an Ikelite DS-50 strobe (only strobe I can afford to buy). Ikelite has been marketing a package with a slave sensor and the other with a manual controller. What is more appropriate to my dgcam then? slave? or controller?

 

[HowardE]

We have an Ike DS-125 with manual controller to use with a Canon S-70. It can be set for pre-flash or no pre-flash, so it should work just fine with your A95.

 

[alcina]

I think the manual controller.

I'd ask Ryan at ryan@reefphoto.com as he is a wealth of information and quite good at getting you the system that works for YOU.

 

[bobf]

As Alcina says, Ryan's the man:

http://www.reefphoto.com/

Meanwhile, to answer your question, again it's just as Alcina says, the manual controller is the recommended choice. For more info on matching the DS 50 to the Canon A-95, follow this link directly to the Ikelite site:

http://www.ikelite.com/web_pages/gide_cA80.html

hth,
b

 

[clgsamson]

thanks everyone. Yup, the manual controller is the one for my cam.

 

[love2fishfork]

I'm a little confused about this as well. In looking at the pictures it appears that the DS-50 uses a slave sensor that appears to be kind of bulky. That is what is steering me away from this strobe. I think I like the idea of a FO cable attached to the housing. Am I wrong here? So what exactly is the manual controller?

 

[bobf]

I think I like the idea of a FO cable attached to the housing. Am I wrong here? So what exactly is the manual controller?

Some prefer the optical controller which is void of long FO cables. Some like the FO cable which insures that only the master strobe will control the slave strobe due to its "direct connection". And as you point out, the FO cable also takes up less space than a controller. Both stables have strong followings. As far as what the controller is and why some prefer it:

The Ikelite 10 step EV (Exposure Value) Manual Controller is an instrument that combines an optical sensor triggering device with a way to manually limit the amount of time the strobe is allowed to burn.

The controller is equipped with an "eye" or sensor that is capable of detecting abrupt changes in light intensity. If it detects a light "blip", it sends a signal to the strobe it is controlling to fire. The option of ten steps then controls how long the strobe is allowed to "burn". The 10 steps cover a range in intensity from full dump (all the power available from the strobe) down to -4.5 stops of light, in half step increments.

One advantage to the use of the manual controller is in its placement on the underwater rig. By positioning the manual controller close to the camera in order for the controller to monitor the onboard flash that it receives its optical commands from, it also places itself within easy reach of the photographer. Other strobes are equipped with manual controlling devices that are incorporated into the strobe itself. But sometimes that strobe is positioned at the far end of a strobe arm, especially in wide angle photography.

hth,
b