Fiber optic trigger option

[slowhands]

Rumor has it that Ikelite will soon add a fiber optic trigger gizmo for their strobes to the product line. Apparently it will be manual only, like a 4100.6 manual strobe controller. Well, I suppose that's a good first step. Ideally it would allow manual and TTL operation.

Many users prefer fiber connections for strobes, and other makers have figured out how to make them work quite well in manual and STTL. In my opinion, the ideal product to optically trigger the ikelite strobes would just screw onto the strobe and have an Inon style fiber connector, thereby converting the strobe to fiber only, no copper wires or electrical connectors.

In my opinion, this option would greatly increase sales of Ikelite strobes.

 

[BrettF]

slowhands,

Yes, a fiber optic system is indeed in the works. We hope to post information on the website soon.

Regards,

 

[usub]

Hello Ikelite folks,

Apart from making the Ikelite strobes work with fiber optics, do you have any plans to add the facility of using fiber optic flash connections to any of your housings ?

I'm about to upgrade from my G9 ikelite housing to a DSLR setup. I would like to go for ikelite again, but I guess it will be a problem to use my Z240 strobes and still have ttl.

 

[slowhands]

Hello Ikelite folks,

Apart from making the Ikelite strobes work with fiber optics, do you have any plans to add the facility of using fiber optic flash connections to any of your housings ?

I'm about to upgrade from my G9 ikelite housing to a DSLR setup. I would like to go for ikelite again, but I guess it will be a problem to use my Z240 strobes and still have ttl.

Ikelite housings are clear, so you can easily stick a fiber connector in front of the flash, provided the housing lets the flash head rise (many do not, it's wise to check before buying). Ikelite would probably love you to get rid of those nasty Inon strobes and buy new Ikelites.

 

[usub]

Well, thats someting I hadn't considered. good point. I'm doing the same thing with my G9 housing. I took for granted that there wasn't room enough for the flash to open in the Ike SLR housing.
I'm going for Nikon D7000, perhaps Ikelite people can tell if the flash are able to open in their D7000 house ?

 

[Ikelite Staff]

The built-in flash of the D7000 is not usable in the #6801.70 housing.

Regards,
Jean / Ikelite
IKELITE Underwater Systems

 

[slowhands]

Rumor has it that Ikelite will soon add a fiber optic trigger gizmo for their strobes to the product line. Apparently it will be manual only, like a 4100.6 manual strobe controller. Well, I suppose that's a good first step. Ideally it would allow manual and TTL operation.

Many users prefer fiber connections for strobes, and other makers have figured out how to make them work quite well in manual and STTL. In my opinion, the ideal product to optically trigger the ikelite strobes would just screw onto the strobe and have an Inon style fiber connector, thereby converting the strobe to fiber only, no copper wires or electrical connectors.

In my opinion, this option would greatly increase sales of Ikelite strobes.

Ikelite has announced formal release of the Fiber Optic Adapter, price $80 ??? See:
Fiber Optic Adapter for DS Substrobes

This is cute. Look at the thumbnails below. It plugs directly into the strobe, so you need no electrical cable and one less O-ring. It can accept both Sea&Sea fiber plugs and Inon plugs, at least the ones pictured. Kudos for the mechanical design.

Limitations: It is manual only, so you set strobe power on the strobe. It works only on DS strobes, current models. And your camera has to be able to emit a flash; unfortunately many Ikelite DSLR housings do not allow the flash to raise, so... check yours.

I suggested this product concept to Heinrichs Weikamp a few months ago. They replied there would be insufficient demand to justify the engineering effort and cost.
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