S&S YS-02 - fiber problem?

[stepfen]

Hello,
I just got a second hand strobe (S&S YS-02) with a fiber. My camera is a sony a5100 with meikon housing. The strobe is manual and I need to set it up to the pre-flash mode which I do.
When I use the rig the way it supposed to be i.e. the camera in the case with one side of the fiber plugged to the case and the other on the strobe it won't fire.

When I try the following combinations the strobe fires properly even when I have the camera's flash to the lowest setting (i.e. -2 flash compensation).
- camera (without case) and strobe facing the camera's flash (without fiber at all)
- camera (without case), fiber attached to the strobe and I hold the other end of the fiber just in front of the camera's flash
-camera inside the case and strobe facing the camera (without fiber)
In all these cases the strobe fires properly (confirmed by recording pictures of it).

When I have them the normal way (camera in the housing with the strobe attached to it using the fiber) the strobe won't fire even when I use the highest camera's flash power (+2 flash compensation).

What can be wrong? I am suspecting the fiber has too high attenuation (won't let enough light trough it). Is that possible/probable? When I attach the fiber to the housing and I fire the camera/flash I can see light at the other end of the fiber (so the fiber is not broken) but the light seems not to be that strong. Can the fiber be destroyed - but then how it fires the strobe when the camera is outside the casing?

BTW I did clean all the plugs (strobe, fiber, housing) without much luck.

Any other suggestions?
Thanks

 

[stepfen]

I fount online something similar:
My review on Sony A6000 w/ Meikon housing w/ fisheye lens: Underwater Photography Forum: Digital Photography Review

It's for another camera with meikon housing but I think it might affect my a5100 too.
In that review the problem is described as:
"the other problem - which I think is more problematic - is that they didn't build a good place for the build in camera's flash , so it doesn't pop up well ( I'll attach a photo of that too) , and by well , I mean it just bending wrong , and if it doesn't bend the "correct" way - the light will not travel in the optic cable - which result of no flash firing. I also got a "work around" for this problem - just open the flash before closing the housing , put the tip of the flash on the tip of the housing , and then close it. that way it will work."
Seems it is an issue for Meikon housings. I am not at home to have a look at it at the moment, but I remember that in my housing the camera's flash doesn't fully pop-up too.
Anybody else have such issues??
Thanks

 

[2ndjetty]

Hi Stephen - Sorry if this is very basic, but are you inserting the fiber optic cable into the black plug with the flap when the camera is inside the housing? If yes, are you seeing the on-camera flash through the housing fiber optic port? Also, have you tried the different strobe modes? (e.g. one lightning bolt, two lightning bolts).

 

[stepfen]

Yes I have done all these. Fiber in the black port, tried all possible modes/combinations and when I fire the camera's flash I can see a bit of light coming through the fiber but seems quite faint. After all as I told you I can make the the strobe flash without the housing.

I think I fount the problem. The housing seems to have a major design flaw. The fiber port is not aligned with the flash! The port seems to be about 1cm off (higher) than the flash itself which BTW in this camera the bulb is tiny. Also most of the hole (including the center) through which the light is supposed to be coupled to the fiber is blocked by the (black) plastic of the housing itself. I will try to take some pictures of it later to send it to meikon and I will post it here too.
If meikon has done such important design flaws I don't think they deserve a single $ for these housings
I've already contacted them asking their opinion and I am waiting for their reply

 

[2ndjetty]

Yea, sounds like that’s the issue. Hope they can help resolve it!

 

[stepfen]

DSC02184

• stepfen
• Apr 20, 2018

DSC02185

• stepfen
• Apr 20, 2018

Here are 2 pictures from the housing's fiber ports - front and back view. The housing was lying flat on a white table and its' door was open in both images.

As you can see the lightpath in both of the fiber ports is severely blocked by the housing itself. Also keep in mind that the (tiny) flash bulb of my camera rests not inline with the ports but approximately 1cm lower i.e. approximately where the screw is in the first image. How they expect enough light to go through all these and enter the fiber??
I don't know - maybe I am wrong and it might be that even like this enough light can go through. I haven't got or seen any other housings with fiber ports to compare how they should be. Can anybody with more experience comment?

Meikon's reply was that since I bought the item from ebay I am not covered by their 2 year warranty and I should contact the seller instead - which I have done and I am waiting for his reply.
Thanks

 

[Chris Ross]

That would attenuate the light coming through the cable, S&S flashes are generally known for not having particularly sensitive sensors to pick up the singnal from the flash. You may get a reply back but there's really nothing that can be done if the ports don't align. there's an outside chance an INON strobe might work as their sensors are much more sensitive and a little bit of light will be bouncing around. The only thing I can think of is maybe some white tape on the interior surfaces in front of and behind the flash to better reflect light to the ports.

Unfortunately, you tend to get what you pay for, the time taken to develop a housing properly and support it costs $$.

 

[stepfen]

I saw this video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o_BC2fCH8rs where practically the same problem is addressed. I have already ordered some end glowing fibers to try make my own cable.
Let's hope for the best

 

[stepfen]

Just an update. I've ordered a pretty cheap end glow fiber with 2mm diameter from ebay (Fibre Optic Cable - 0.25 / 0.5 / 0.75 / 1 / 1.5 / 2 / 2.5 /3mm Dia - Light Guide | eBay) which I received today.
I used some thick rubber with the correct diameter and a hole in the middle to attach the fiber to the ports and the set works like a charm!
I made the fiber a bit nicer by bending it to a sharp 90 degrees angle for the housing end and to 180 degrees angle for the strobe end. To bend it I just put the part I wanted bend it in boiling water for few seconds and it becomes pretty flexible. When it cools it retains its shape. Then I used few tire ups to loosely attach it to few points along the tray and the handle and it's all done.
A thinner fiber (1mm?) would also probably do the trick and it is easier to bend/handle. I will try that next time I order some more fiber.
Not as neat as the original expensive spiral fiber but it works.
Thanks for the help

 

[davehicks]

I've done the same thing for use with my Ikelite and Inon strobes. After sealions chewed on all of my fibre cables, I didn't' want to spend hundreds of $$ on new cables. I ordered about 5 meters of the 2mm end-glow fibre for no more than $15 and reused the connectors from my dead cables. The DIY cables work great and are much sturdier and transmit more light than the thin and expensive "official" cables with their 10x ScubaTax applied.