Single Strobe - Will it work?

[Cacia]

Hey Catherine,

RU using iTTL? Curious what peoples experience are with this setup. I've got a D200 in my near future, and am thinking of biting the bullet, and getting the Ike Housing for that camera.

Hi Ron,

Is that the flash sync? TTL? No, I don't. I think it wasn't out yet when I bought. I am sure you already have an excellent connection on cameras, but Mauricio Handler (pro) tipped me off to Royal Caribbean in St Thomas (I go BVI) for duty free cameras. And they will haggle. My prices were better than Adorama, which I use for most things.

Aloha, and thanks, as always, for your great posts and photo-support to us beginners.

Catherine

 

[Warren_L]

I use TTL for macro Ron and usually 1/2 power for wide angle.

I'm actually the opposite. I manually set for Macro. I've tried TTL but I always seem to get blown out with too much on TTL, so I generally set for 1/4 power, but then again, this depends on the shot and how I set up the strobe. For much of my wide angle I've used both TTL and sometimes manual. Often times, I go full out as I shoot cold water wrecks with limited visibility to begin with, so too much power may not be an issue, but iTTL seems to work reasonably well. Convenient, for sure.

 

[alcina]

I love seeing that there are so many ways to skin a cat!

I use a single strobe at the moment. I don't use ttl, in fact, my Inon doesn't even have that. I have Ike strobes for my film set up that have ttl - I used it sometimes, but much preferred manual control.

I also tried not using my diffuser for WA and I don't like it as much, so have the diffuser back on now. I also had it off for macro stuff and decided I also like the play of light better with it on. There are going to be instances where it works better without it, I'm sure, but it's a simple matter of removing it uw.

Shoot, review, adjust, shoot, review, adjust

 

[RonFrank]

I use TTL for macro Ron and usually 1/2 power for wide angle.

So RU using iTTL (like with D70)? Can you use flash exposure compensation? I ask because I think it would be VERY useful to setup flash exposure compensation to maybe -2/3 to even -2 stops in iTTL mode just to add a bit of pop, and open up shadows. I shoot like this a LOT topside, but don't have the experience UW to know 1) how easy it is to adjust exposure compenstion on the flash (or with the flash controller) and 2) if the results of having iTTL and balancing the light using less flash exposure results in the pleasing non-flash type look that one can get with so many subjects topside using this technique.

Maybe this is not as useful UW as it is topside as even full on exposure from the flash is going to provide better color UW. However I certainly got a LOT of keepers using no flash at all UW, and I would think that having just a bit of flash would have been ideal on these shots. I chose to turn it off mainly because of the backscatter issue, and the fact the flash on my S70 has an effective range that can be measured with a yard stick that has been broken into several pieces.

So what is your method using TTL? Fire away, and adjust as needed, or do you have a perferred setting you start with? How good is the Ikelite iTTL?

 

[Rooster]

So RU using iTTL (like with D70)? Can you use flash exposure compensation? I ask because I think it would be VERY useful to setup flash exposure compensation to maybe -2/3 to even -2 stops in iTTL mode just to add a bit of pop, and open up shadows. I shoot like this a LOT topside, but don't have the experience UW to know 1) how easy it is to adjust exposure compenstion on the flash (or with the flash controller) and 2) if the results of having iTTL and balancing the light using less flash exposure results in the pleasing non-flash type look that one can get with so many subjects topside using this technique.

Maybe this is not as useful UW as it is topside as even full on exposure from the flash is going to provide better color UW. However I certainly got a LOT of keepers using no flash at all UW, and I would think that having just a bit of flash would have been ideal on these shots. I chose to turn it off mainly because of the backscatter issue, and the fact the flash on my S70 has an effective range that can be measured with a yard stick that has been broken into several pieces.

So what is your method using TTL? Fire away, and adjust as needed, or do you have a perferred setting you start with? How good is the Ikelite iTTL?

Ron,
I'm using iTTL with my D-70 in an Ike housing. I find it works quite well. The best (IMHO) feature is that the flash exposure compensation is operated by two buttons on the back of the housing. These can be operated by my left thumb. Top button to increase, bottom to decrease. You can adjust in 1/3 stop increments, four up, and four down. There are LEDs to show what level of compensation you have selected. Works great. The same buttons can be used to adjust flash output in manual setting. There are eight 1/2 stop manual settings.

You do have to use one of Ike's digital strobes to use the iTTL, DS-125 or DS-50. I have one of each, but will soon be using dual DS-125s. You can use other Nikon compatible strobes, (as long as the have and Ike connector), but you have to shoot in manual. I have tried both my old s100 and ss200. Though I am just getting the hang of this housing, this is the way I shot Macro this weekend. I was using a 105mm macro, DS-125 with sync cord and a slaved DS-50 (getting the dual sync cord soon). I first tried a few test shots and found that I was blowing out the highlights. I adjusted the exposure compensation on the camera to -1. This got me in the ball park. Then I just shot and adjusted up or down as needed with the iTTL exposure compensation on the back of the housing. I thought it worked well.

I too will have a D-200 soon, (currently it's lost in the mail!). You might also want to take a look at the Aquatica housing for the D-200. I have a full Aquatica set up for my F-100 and I really like it. I went with the Ike housing for my D-70 because it had the iTTL and the Aquaticas were out of stock (getting close to a trip to Palau). Aquatica is now shipping their D-70 housing with iTTL conversion circuitry and will also be installing the iTTL circuitry in their D-200 housing. I'm not sure which way I'll go as I now have strobes and ports that will work with each housing. I do like the iTTL on the Ike D-70 housing but it won't be the same on the D-200 housing.

I like all the other controls better on my Aquatica. Since I just got the D-70 housing I’m in no hurry to get the D-200 housing, so I’ll have time to check out both the Ike and Aquatica before I make a decision.

Oh, and like Dennis, I use manual for wide angle. The manual adjustments on the housing make it easy.