MX-10 Upgrades

[diveski01]

My current setup is using the MX-10 with mxtender cable to the YS-40A on a Sea Arm IV so that strobe is away from the camera to reduce backscatter. It is too weak for the wide angle shots I'd like to take so I'm adding to or replacing it with a much more powerful strobe.

I just purchased a YS-90DX that has a fiber optic cable to trigger the slave sensor directly from a camera's internal flash which is covered by velcro sheet so no backscatter. (Same cable as in Seabat's post). That was designed for digital cameras, not film cameras. The MX-10 only provides 2 f-stops for use with the internal flash - a major limitation.

Option 2 is to attach the cable from the YS-40A to the YS-90DX and retain all useable f-stops. The YS-40A can be set to fire every time, regardless of f-stop.

Option 3 is to slave the YS-90DX remotely off the YS-40A and eliminate that second fiber optic cable. But, I've been told that the YS-40 is too weak to trigger the YS-90DX's slave sensor. That part needs to be proven u/w. It works in air so that's promising We dive locally in limited viz quarries so I have a worst case scenario to test this wireless slave theory.

If the YS-90DX will function as a slave off the YS-40A, then I'll have 2 strobes and only one fiber optic cable (mxtender to YS-40A).

Can't perform the tests until I get a second strobe arm. Waiting to see what Santa brings me before I run out and buy one. Since I've also purchased a ULCS pivot tray, I'm planning to buy ULCS arm and don't want to waste $50 on a Sea Arm IV that I won't need.

I love complicating things so I'm having a field day with all this


Once I figure it all out I'll take some photos of the final configuration for any of you MX-10 user's that want to expand your capabilities w/o buying new camera system.

 

[diveski01]

seabat once bubbled...
diveski01,

Nice to hear about your set up. I did get sort of lost on the fiber optic cord part though. Have you set it up so it triggers off the internal flash on the MX-10 or is the velcro connector attached to the YS-40?

You're off to a great start by getting the YS-25 strobe away from the camera! Nice system. Sea&Sea is FINALLY getting a clue about the MX010! gbundersea was the pioneer for improving the system with parts to enable the use of a strobe arm. I came a LONG way with my mxtender. Now I want MORE POWER!!

You will probably find that strobe has limited strength for wide angle shots where there is limited ambient light (deeper reefs, overhead environments, swim-throughs, etc). You are also limited to only 2 f-stops but f11 is one I use quite often.

If I'm wrong about the f-stop limitation with the internal flash please let me know. That will make everything easier for me.

 

[seabat]

"Option 2 is to attach the cable from the YS-40A to the YS-90DX and retain all useable f-stops. The YS-40A can be set to fire every time, regardless of f-stop."

When I purchased my 25 I was told that it would not trigger off the YS40 cable or the socket. The YS40 uses infra-red and the dx25 used "white light" (?). The Sea&Sea rep also said the cables are a different material.

It seemed to be true when I tried it out. I was only able to get the 25 to work as shown in my picture or as a slave from either the internal flash or the YS40 flash. I also tried the extender cable arranged as shown in my picture. No luck with that either.

Hope you dont have this conflict with the YS90.

 

[diveski01]

For "Option 2" I would attach the "camera" end of the YS-90DX fiber optic cable over the YS-40A "bulb" area - not to the IR socket on the camera for the YS-40A. That would already by occupied by the mxtender IR cable to the YS-40A. I either cover the entire flash or just a corner of it per gbundersea's post so I'd still have most of that strobe still useable. This approach would create a daisy-chain of strobes.

I'm hoping to avoid using the fiber-optic cable altogether. I really dislike how it is tightly coiled and it seems too fragile. It's also not very long so my strobe arm position will be quite restricted. Looks like a nightmare waiting to happen!

Hey gbundersea - you working on making a better cable for add-on strobes for digital or MX-10's yet??? I think there's a market!

OOH and another one: adapter between MX-10 and ULCS pivot tray for MMII would be nice

 

[gbundersea]

diveski01 once bubbled...
Hey gbundersea - you working on making a better cable for add-on strobes for digital or MX-10's yet??? I think there's a market!

Seriously - you guys tell me more about what's out there, what the shortcomings are, and a "wish list" for what you'd like to see in a better one. If there's a market, and such an item makes sense economically, I'm game!