New to forum/Oly PT027 advice wanted please!

[alexindiana]

I'd like to start by saying hello to everyone - I've been reading the posts on the board for a few days now and everyone seems really friendly, helpful & toooo talented!

Bit about me - I'm a keen amateur photographer and still novice uw photographer. I've completed just 16(!) dives, all using an Oly 5050 in PT015 case. (For anyone interested my pics are at: http://www.alexindiana.smugmug.com )

After my last trip abroad I sold my 5050 and uw case on eBay to fund a CAnon "L" lens for my Canon 20D. Although I love diving, my wife and I didn't think we'd be heading back to anywhere tropical any time soon, and cold water diving doesn't appeal to me. However, things change and we are now booked to go to Sharm el Sheikh over Christmas this year.

I couldn't afford to buy a housing for my 20D but instead, yesterday managed to pick up a new C7070 for a bargain price. I'd like to get the PT027 housing for it (as it's so much cheaper than the IKE housing and I'm not sure how much use I'll get from it).

I'd like also to use an external strobe, but I'm not sure what to go for.

What I'm thinking of is:

1. Sealife Universal Flash - SL960D
2. Sea & Sea YS25
3. Other flash

And how do I get them to work with the case/camera?

If anyone can help or offer their advice I'd be hugely grateful. (and yes, I DO regret selling my Oly 5050!)

Many thanks

 

[f3nikon]

Welcome Alex

I am learning everyday from this board, which has the most open minded, knowledgeable and generous group of individuals you will find any where. I really attribute this “can do” spirit to the SB staff themselves. That said…

Congratulations on the 7070, I have an 8080 but the 7070 will work for me. The problem with both cameras like most, if not all cameras in the Olympus line, is the preflash. Now, I have not tested the strobes that you listed, I can only give you information on what works for me.

I have one or two Ikelite strobes, so naturally I want to utilize them in the most economical and reliable method of firing a strobe, via a hardwired sync cord system.
Below are some of the pictures on how I fixed it.

First I removed the Olympus (red) bulkhead feed through, then (may need a machine shop for this) I opened up the existing hole with a 7/16 inch drill bit. The next step was to install an Ikelite metal bulkhead feed through (#9104.55) then solder or crimp a hotshoe connector to the inside wires of the 9104.55 (only two wires, sync trigger and return).

You are now ready to connect the Ikelite sync cord to the Ikelite strobe and connect the hot shoe connector to the camera’s hotshoe, and you are all set (I would first make the maiden dive without the camera in the housing to test for leaks.

If I had to do it again I would have used the Permanent Cord Connector (#4006) also by Ikelite, so the cord is always attached to the housing. One less place to leak or misfire, due to one less connection and one less oring. Also with the 4006 you can use just about any non Ikelite cord with 3/16 or ¼ thickness cord cable. Just cut the sync cord’s connector and hardwire to the hot shoe of the camera via the hot shoe cord. This method really opens you up to all the low priced used strobes on eBay.

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

Good Luck

 

[Wolverine]

Congrats on your purchase. If you are using the PT-027, then I suggest that you fire the external strobe via an optical fibre cable, using the camera flash to trigger the external flash. Depending on which mode you use, the on board flash may or may not have preflash. In the slave mode, there is no preflash, while in aperture/auto/shutter modes, I think there is preflash.

I use the Inon D180 (which since has been replaced by the D-2000), which does have a dedicated cable to attach to the PT-027 housing (though I am using the Ike housing). I am sure that you would be able to DIY an attachment for any one of the strobes you mentioned. For a ready made solution, Epoque makes an attachment (velcro and double sided tape) to attach the open end of the optic fibre cable to a housing.

http://www.helixphoto.com/UW/epoque/ESFCF.html

For the strobes, make sure that they can be triggered by an external strobe. In the case of the Sea and Sea, you should consider the YS25 auto, or better still the YS90 auto. The Inon-D2000 is also a good choice. If you had the Ike housing, I would recommend using Ike's in-built TTL and get a Ike strobe. Look around for the features in the strobes and make sure they support BOTH preflash and non-preflash cameras, cos the 7070 can do both.

Good luck.

 

[AndyT]

I took my 7070 for it's first dives this weekend and was very happy with the
YS 90 Auto fired by fibre optic cable .

Safe Diving

Andrew

 

[Dee]

I'd suggest either the S&S YS90DX (I really don't think the YS 25 is strong enough) or Inon D-2000 (I have the D-180) triggered via fiber optic cable. This system is very secure and reliable and isn't subject to flooding. All you'll have to do is attach the provided velcro patch to the outside of the housing.

BTW...welcome to Scubaboard!

 

[bobf]

............The problem with both cameras like most, if not all cameras in the Olympus line, is the preflash.......

Why?

When set to manual mode, there is a slave flash option in both the 7070 and 8080 flash menus (also the 5050, and possibly others in the Oly line). This slave flash trigger may also be controlled by a 10 step power level adjustment option. According to imaging-resource.com:

....... The 8080 avoids the need for such special "smart" triggers though, by offering a special "slave" flash mode that causes its internal flash to fire only once per exposure. Olympus showed some welcome forethought in designing this flash mode, in that they give you a choice of ten different power levels for the internal flash when firing in single-pop mode.

http://www.imaging-resource.com/PRODS/C8080/C88A6.HTM

IOW, a single flash of light emanating from the onboard flash that triggers the external strobe to fire. The strobe chosen need not have a preflash cancel circuitry to operate in manual mode.

External strobes optically triggered by a slave flash from the camera is very doable and is a very popular system chosen for your camera.

Optically triggered strobes have an advantage of affording one less vulnerable area for floods.

Sync cord triggered strobes may allow for an upgrade path to a dSLR.

Some strobes may be triggered either way.

 

[alexindiana]

Thanks to everyone for replying. I'm still (as you may expect) undecided about what to go for - the price difference between the Sea and Sea universal digital flash and the YS90 is over £200 in England - that's a lot.

I may watch ebay for a few weeks with fingers crossed!!

Alex

 

[f3nikon]

Thanks to everyone for replying. I'm still (as you may expect) undecided about what to go for - the price difference between the Sea and Sea universal digital flash and the YS90 is over £200 in England - that's a lot.

I may watch ebay for a few weeks with fingers crossed!!

Alex

Actually Bob (Thanks) pointed out something out that makes using the 7070, 8080 and 5050/5060 even more inexpensive. On flash slave mode the preflash is by passed to fire any slave strobe, which in this case the Ikelite A35 slave that Leesa mention will be the best deal at $149 (B and H Photo) including the tray and arm!

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/con...737&is=REG&addedTroughType=categoryNavigation

Keep in mind that you still need the on camera flash to fire the strobe just like the fiber optic firing only, the hotshoe hardwire setup will save the battery power levels.

Good Luck

 

[alexindiana]

......On flash slave mode the preflash is by passed to fire any slave strobe, which in this case the Ikelite A35 slave that Leesa mention will be the best deal at $149 (B and H Photo) including the tray and arm!

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/con...737&is=REG&addedTroughType=categoryNavigation

Keep in mind that you still need the on camera flash to fire the strobe just like the fiber optic firing only, the hotshoe hardwire setup will save the battery power levels.

Good Luck

Bob - is the hotshoe hardwire setup what you have or is that something else? How would I do that? (Sorry for seeming stoopid!)

The flash is an amazingly cheap price!!! Thanks for putting me on to it..