View Full Version : Fiber Optic strobe cables
kidspot
August 26th, 2008, 01:05 AM
I've got a Nikonos SB-105 and a Canon SD630 P&S in a Canon housing - I've seen Fiber optic strobe cables, but how do I know if the cable is compatible with the strobe and camera housing? Or can any of them be Duct taped together to work sortta?
I was considering this one Scuba diving gear Camera Accessories Digital at Scuba.com (http://www.scuba.com/scuba-gear-540/...tic-Cable.html) (inexpensive, so not much lost if it doesn't work)
Thanks, Tim
rwe
August 26th, 2008, 02:11 PM
You can probably DIY with duct tape or some other method but your camera probably has a preflash which is not compatible with the Nikonos 105. The 105 will fire on the preflash and not sync with the main flash. I use a 105 with my Olympus C-8080 but have it connected with a HeinrichWeikemps adaptor so that it sync's correctly and provides TTL exposure as long as the camera is in manual mode.
kidspot
August 26th, 2008, 04:49 PM
Fortunately I can turn pre-flash off ... actually I'd have to turn it on ;)
gert7to3
August 29th, 2008, 03:25 AM
Here's a site with u/w fiber optic cables I found with google:
fiber optic strobe - Google Product Search (http://www.google.com/products?hl=en&q=fiber+optic+strobe&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=X&oi=product_result_group&resnum=11&ct=title)
The SB-105 has a slave sensor on its front face. It's not like more current model strobes where provision has been made for attaching an optical fiber cable. You may somehow be able to make an adapter, which attaches to the face of the strobe, but it would interfere with use of a diffuser.
The fiber optic kits usually either tape or velcro a cable socket over the camera's internal strobe or have a mounting bracket with a socket attached to the housing. The strobe end of the cable has a plug of some sort fitted over the slave window.
You may want to try placing a reflective shade directing the camera's strobe up, then see if it will reliably trigger your SB-105 slave trigger underwater. The reason you want to mask the internal strobe is so you can direct the strobe's beam on the subject. Yet illuminating as little of the water column in front of the camera as possible.