Old but not yet vintage strobes?

[ThatDogDontHunt]

My impression is that most camera people are focused on the bestest newest gear. It seems like there are very few discussions about "slightly" older gear.

Does anyone feel there is any value to talk about best use of older strobes? Seems like the consensus is Manual strobe control. Old strobes do manual.

Some dive trips I feel like the "old guy" when I show up with a pair of YS110s. Makes me hesitant to pull out a set of SB105s or even worse my tiny YS15s.

Who else has a closet full of fully functional but old strobes?

 

[Searcaigh]

I still have two older Sea&Sea strobes and an old Ikelite strobe back from film days. I sold my SB105s with my Nik Vs

I still use my YS110s

 

[michael-fisch]

I finally gave up trying to find and buy great big flashbulbs a few years ago.

Michael

 

[arew+4]

Hello,
My name is Andy and I own a Nikonos V, with an Iklite SS100 A/I....

 

[Patrickweill]

I still have and use a pair of SB105 , I rigged a system to fire it with an optical fiber
It is way more powerfull than most of the mid range new strobes , but it is very heavy

 

[rmssetc]

My impression is that most camera people are focused on the bestest newest gear. It seems like there are very few discussions about "slightly" older gear.

Does anyone feel there is any value to talk about best use of older strobes?

Who else has a closet full of fully functional but old strobes?

I've got 2x Sealife SL961 strobes. Sort-of-TTL & manual, fibre-optic cable included.
Easy to find on craigslist, ebay, etc. for cheap -- mine were under $150 total -- one was brand new and included an unused SeaLife DC1200 camera kit (there's one on ebay now, with a DC600 camera, tray, case, etc. for $75).

 

[ThatDogDontHunt]

I still have and use a pair of SB105 , I rigged a system to fire it with an optical fiber
It is way more powerfull than most of the mid range new strobes , but it is very heavy

A manual Optical slave. Does it fire full power or does it provide full, 1/4, 1/16, 1/32 power levels?

 

[Patrickweill]

Yes it gives all the different powers but it has no preflash and does not work with TTL, I can show a picture of the set up of the cord

 

[ThatDogDontHunt]

Yes it gives all the different powers but it has no preflash and does not work with TTL, I can show a picture of the set up of the cord

Love to see it. Do you use the diffuser to mount the cable?

I once cut a cross section from a pen and glued it to a strobe to create a Sea & Sea optical cord plugin. Most pens are tapered so I cut a bunch of cross sections from several different pens. Did press fit tests on the cables and choose the best parts.

 

[Patrickweill]

@ joe
Yes I use the diffuser, I also use the rubber plug for Inon which is soft, I just made sure that the hole is properly located to activate the slave cell
If you need other infos or picture don't hesitate
Patrick