No strobe with Canon G9 housing?

[waynel]

I keep reading where you can't use an external strobe with the Canon housing for the G9. Why not? I'm as amatuer as you can get in UW photo but this is what I have researched. A TTL requires a connection through the housing to the camera, right? However, a "slave" strobe, such as a Sealife SL961, uses a fiber optic cable and the internal flash triggers the external strobe. Is this correct? If so, then all you need to do, to the Canon housing for the G9, is figure how how to keep the fiter optic contected in front of the internal flash. Am I just totally in left field on this? Because if that's the only problem, it seems that it is not unsurmountable. A little help, please?

 

[oly5050user]

need to have a hardwire sync cord for the ttl to work.Such as what ikelite uses on their housing.The fiber optic cord does not have the capability to "quench" the strobe ,so it fires at whatever power setting you may have it on.Must use ike housing/strobes for the ttl features to work.

 

[alcina]

No, you're not in left field. You're just talking about something else.

You won't get ttl capability with the fibre optic cable system. Does this matter? Not to me one teeny tiny bit. I don't use ttl.

I've used Inon strobes with the fibre optic cable on a variety of Canon and Olympus housings, no trouble at all. Loved the set ups. I've also used Ike's strobes with the remote unit (goes on the arm of your strobe). This also works just fine.

I've not used Ike's housings with my compacts. I know they are great products, but I haven't needed what they offer and have always been happy with the manufacturer's own housing.

 

[waynel]

Yes, that's my point. I'm not looking for ttl. The Canon housing, made by Canon, for the G9 has no ttl. However, my question is...can I simply use any fiber optic strobe, mount it in front of the Canon housing and power the external strobe that way. I had a Sealife DC600 and SL961 strobe (fiber optic). Does the G9 absolutely demand ttl? I know I will be limited to the power setting on the SL961, etc. But is it possible to use that SL961, and the Canon G9 inside the Canon housing?

 

[waynel]

Why, in all the reviews I've read on the Canon WP-DC21 housing (for the Canon G9) they all claim you can't use an external strobe with this housing. I mean, after what I've read so far on my post here, it seems that YES, you can use a strobe with fiber optic. Is it possibly because there's no way to mount it front of the internal flash?

 

[cicopo]

As long as you know how to shoot in MANUAL you can use the fiber optic cable route to fire your strobe(s). Here's how I have done it, borrow whatever ideas it gives you.
Picasa Web Albums - Larry - Canon G 9 / W...

 

[ejg62]

I don't know about the housing reviews but you can attach a strobe and fire it through a fiber optic cable attached in front of the internal flash. The internal flash via the fiber optic cable will trigger the external flash. There are many different strobes that can be used. However, because the canon strobe doesn't offer a ttl connection that is not an option. TTL is an option if you go with the Ike housing and strobe.

For myself I use the canon G9 housing and Inon strobe. I used it on the first dive this last weekend. Next time out I will make some tweeks a shoot again.

 

[scottg541]

Don't get too hung up on the fiber optic cable either, the light generally directed at the slave sensor should be plenty to trigger your external flash... plus, one less cable to deal with... i used that just fine with my old A620 and Sunpak G flash.

and not for nothing, but i've seen plenty of good results with just the diffuser and on board flash.

Scott

 

[ejg62]

A follow up to the message from Scott. I agree with many cameras the on board flash may be sufficient for macro shots, but that is not the case with the G9 and canon housing. Based on the flash location the lens port is in the way for the flash to light up the whole are in front of the lens. As a result a portion of the picture is well lite and the other portion of the picture is dark because the light is blocked by the lens. So in the case of the canon housing and G9 a strobe is required in my opinion.

 

[waynel]

Don't get too hung up on the fiber optic cable either, the light generally directed at the slave sensor should be plenty to trigger your external flash... plus, one less cable to deal with... i used that just fine with my old A620 and Sunpak G flash.

and not for nothing, but i've seen plenty of good results with just the diffuser and on board flash.

Scott

You lost me. Please remember, I am so new to UW photo, I'm desperate for just enough knowledge from all of you to know where to direct my research. Are you saying that simply firing the internal flash, and the light from that flash through the water, will be picked up by the slave sensor and fire the external strobe?

If you don't have a hard wire (TTL) connection, or a fiber optic cable (to trigger the slave) how can the internal flash fire the slave sensor from that distance (from the housing to the slave sensor) without a conduit (fiber optic cable). And if so, what kind of delay time are we talking about. Is the speed of light through salwater faster than the speed of light through a fiber optic cable. Am I completely confused, or does this make any sense?

Besides trying to learn...I'm about to invest $1,500 or more for a camera system, likely the G9, canon housing and strobe, and I want to make damn sure I can use an external strobe with that canon housing (the Ikelite is out of budget). This is on top of losing a $1,000 Sealife DC600 Elite on my first dive with it. So, I've really got to make these new dollars count. My knees are still recoverning from pleading with my wife to let me buy a new kit. As Martians will land long before I can upgrade anything, I've got to get quality gear that will work and last (within my budget).

Thanks for being patient with me.