Old slave TTL trigger unit

[SteveInNZ]

A while back I bought a backup DS51 and it came with a "TTL Slave" sensor. This is a similar case to the EV Controller but is light gray in color, has a Min-Max adjustment and takes a battery.

Even though it's called a "Slave TTL" or "TTL Slave", I suspect that rather than being TTL, it's closer to the "Auto" or thyristor control from pre-TTL days. If so, that would be ideal for use as a slave trigger in caves. Can anyone confirm that it works that way and do you know what type of battery it takes ?

Thanks.

Steve.

 

[tursiops]

It works, it uses 6 LR44s. I've used it off camera with my OM-D M10.
Here's the good news: it does not need any batteries if used with a DS strobe, it takes its power from the strobe!
Here's a link to the manual: http://www.photodive.ru/manuals/ikelite_ds_41005.pdf

 

[spoolin01]

I've asked Ikelite about these once or twice in the past and got the impression they were not very reliable at handling pre-flash triggering. They always seem to demur over recommending their use, advocating for the EV Controller instead. Of course, if they work for you...

Unless I'm mistaken, some of these took batteries, others had the same casing including the battery marking, but underneath the battery cover was a pre-flash switch (as shown in the pdf). I had 3 or 4 at one time, I don't recall any of them showing "flash selector" on the casing. It appears to have been a time the technology was undergoing rapid evolution.

 

[SteveInNZ]

Thanks. So it does. The manual in your link is a little different in that it has a preflash switch under the door, whereas this has a battery compartment. But it does seem to work without batteries.
It also seems to behave more like a mimic flash than the thyristor control that I thought it was. I like that I can switch the camera between manual (no preflash) and TTL and the strobe appears to play along. Time to get it wet I think.
Thanks.

Steve.

 

[scubaho]

There was an early version that took batteries. The newer version used power from the strobe and had a switch under the bat. door. It provided good TTL for some cameras but could not handle the short pre flash of some newer cameras.