TTL Compact Camera for S&S YS 90 Auto?

[peebee]

I have an S&S YS 90 Auto flash which I currently use with a Canon S500. I've never been completely happy with the S500 (no aperture control, very slow to focus underwater), so I'm thinking about upgrading the camera & housing.

I'd like to find a compact which will be TTL-compatible with the YS 90 Auto, not sure if such a thing exists. I have in mind something like a Canon A570 or G9 or some such, but I suspect that no Canon is compatible with the S&S TTL, and can't seem to find anyplace on the 'net which lists TTL camera-strobe compatibility.

If possible, I'd like to find something that uses an electrical trigger (rather than optical), as the optical triggers seem to create a lot of backscatter and drain the battery really fast. Not sure if they make cheap housings for compacts with electrical TTL connections though.

To top it all off, I'd like to do this on a budget of maybe $500-600 for camera+housing. Used or older-model cameras might be a good way to help meet this goal.

If it helps, here's what S&S has to say about the TTL on the YS 90 Auto:
YS-90AUTO | Strobe | SEA&SEA |
The YS-90AUTO's built-in Duo circuit responds to N-type (used in MMIII and S-type TTL circuits, both used in SEA&SEA housings.

 

[Nemrod]

JFYI, the 570/590/640/720 series cameras do not have TTL. Using the Inon S/D2000 strobe they can simulate TTL with a strobe mode called sTTL. Since the Inon strobes trigger on IR then there is no visible light required to trigger the strobe and therefore no back scatter if you cover the camera flash with exposed slide film. The exposed slide film only transmits IR and blocks all visible light.

Here the exposed slide film is taped in place with cloth tape. I just leave it on all the time, the camera is a dedicated underwater use only:

Don't know if YS can do this trick or not. I believe that only the G9, G10, P6000, P5100 etc have TTL wire sync capability.

N

 

[scottfiji]

The ys-90 doesn't do optical TTL. You can get TTL if you buy a HeinrichsWeikamp TTL converter.

Like Nemrod said, you can get optical TTL with an Inon strobe or a S&S ys-110a, and there are ways to avoid getting backscatter, and ways to avoid draining the battery quickly. Or if you prefer, you can get electronic TTL with a canon g9/g10, an ikelite housing and ike strobes.

hope this helps
scott

 

[peebee]

Inon strobe or a S&S ys-110a... ike strobes.

Please note, I'm looking for cameras that will be TTL-compatible with the S&S YS 90 Auto that I already have. Any suggestions there?

 

[Nemrod]

Please note, I'm looking for cameras that will be TTL-compatible with the S&S YS 90 Auto that I already have. Any suggestions there?

G9, G10, P5100, P6000--maybe--with an Ikelite housing or possibly the Patima housed G9/G10.

N

 

[under water]

G9, G10, P5100, P6000--maybe--with an Ikelite housing or possibly the Patima housed G9/G10.

N

N, I'm pretty sure only Ikelite strobes are TTL compatible with Ikelite housings and a cable. There is a cable that will work, but it will be manual.

PB, Have you tried asking S&S?

 

[Michael Folise]

Nikon 5400 would be a good match. Shoots RAW, Nikonos 5 pin connector, full manual, auto and everything in between. Good news- factory refurbs (like new really) only $150.00. Bad news, housing will det you back $900.00. SLR like results though.