Nikonos V to digital

[mikayak]

OK, here's the story. I'm not any sort of good photographer - and I know, pretty much NOTHING about camera equiptment ...but I enjoy taking photos when I dive. I had a nice Nikonos V (that I got for $50, 25 years ago at a yard sale!) - and 2 VERY nice Ikelight strobes (a present from my wife) that I used along with it. And, while I enjoy TRYING to take decent photos, I really don't have the time, money or inclination to actually become proficient.

Well, it flooded in Bonaire. I knew it would happen eventually as I beat the heck out of it for 20 years - including many whitewater kayaking trips.

I would love to go digital - don't mind buying a new camera. But, does anyone know which cameras I can use my old strobes with. They all seem to have different plugs for camera attachment.

Or are there adapters available?

This subject has probably come up dozens of times....but if someone could point me in the right direction, I would be eternally grateful. Well, maybe not quite eternally - that's asking alot. But, I WOULD be happy!

Thanks

Souky

 

[cneal]

O
....I had a nice Nikonos V
.... 2 VERY nice Ikelight strobes
... does anyone know which cameras I can use my old strobes with. T

It's really not good. Digital cameras use a pre-flash to meter the subject instead of reading reflected light off of the film (sensor). This is because the sensor is _very_ reflective, to the point it just won't work. And the old strobes won't refresh fast enough to do preflash. So, you can't use TTL with the old strobes. You can set them up for manual, but that would be throwing away all of the computer assistance offered by the digital camera.

In short, you'll want a new strobe. Be sure and look at the entire package camera/housing/strobe before making any decisions. It's not as simple as it used to be. Every camera manuafacturer implements the preflash differently and the housing and/or strobe have to work together.

Nikonos V's are cheap on eBay.

 

[Bosun]

Mikayak - What model Ikelite strobes do you have?

 

[Gilldiver]

I'm in the process of going digital from the Nikes (sob)

If you stay with Ike you can reuse the arms etc. Just need to get the strobe head and a controler if your camera will not mate uo through a hot shoe. The good thing about all the Ike digital strobs is that they will also work with the Nikonos cameras.

What I am doing right now is getting the Ike D-51 with the manual controler. The controler reads the preflash and fires off the main strob at the right time and has something like 6 power settings so you can set it for what you need- back to the Nike III days, not TTL but workable.

Now what I am thinking of doing is using my old MS strobe (slave strobe) with the D-51 for a duel system. The D_51 is 50 watts and the MS is 45, so they should ballance out nicely to light up some space. I don't think they will work together all that well for macro, I may have to point the MS away a bit or it will overpower the D-51 when set at lower settings.

The key is to keep the MS from seeing the pre-flash so it only fires with the D-51. To do that I'll need to mod the Ike deflector into a 5 sided box around the camera flash.

A bit of DIY.

 

[alcina]

I'd talk to Ryan at ryan@reefphoto.com - he can help sort out your existing strobe issues and help you choose a system that will meet your requirements and even grow with you if that's what you want.

 

[Footslogger]

Been there, done that, got the T-shirt ...

Take the plunge !! Did the same thing about 3 years ago. Never thought I could make the transition, but 3 years later I am glad to say I've made it to the "other side"

Personally, with the exception of the knowledge and experience I had gained in 15 years of Nikon V photography, I pretty much started from scratch.

 

[bfdc]

....just a rank beginner here, but if can find compatible synch coords, connectors, etc, don't be too quick to give up on manual strobe...it can be done with a housed dSLR.

Up until three weeks ago, I had never shot manual strobe and had only done film ttl strobe about two times. Just went digital this summer, but had two Ikelite strobes (SS50 and AI) laying around....and being cheap.....

Depending on the type of diving you do and what types of shots you are looking for, it can be as simple as TTL in maco "mode" or as difficult as TTL in wide angle "mode" or other creative shots that TTL can't begin to handle.

For small stuff, with manual, you can literally set f/stop to f/16 or 22, set strobe to subject distance to 1 ft., keep it there and and shoot all day long just like the Nikonos framers, looking for subjects in that distance "frame". Lots of fun and instantly rewarding.

As you get brave, you start going to more challenging subjects - farther away and moving, moving the strobes, wider lighting, etc. At that point, you get introduced to the same strobe frustrations you had with film and ttl - backscatter, mis-aimed strobes, etc. but....TTL does give you some exposure margin of error there.

....and then you can get really creative like most of the good folks on the net. ...and assuming you have the water that they do! ;-)

Digital gives you all the tools to tell you when you messed up and what to do about it. Camera tells you instantly what you did. Good software at the "post" end allows you to tweak a lot of stuff that can't be reshot.

Plus, with manual strobe, you also learn a heck of a lot about photography and exposure...learn the rules and then break them! It's kinda fun in a geekish kind of way.

 

[Mycroft]

http://www.heinrichsweikamp.net/blitz/indexe.htm

Look at this little convertor and save your strobes.