Fiber Optic Cable Vs Sync Cord

[Midget]

Without having one of each to look at and compare I don't know if there are physical differences between the 2.
I know there is a difference in function.
If I have the proper connections/adapters, can I use the actual cord from a sync cord to be a fiber optic cable?

Thanks in advance

 

[doctormike]

No, they are completely different things (that essentially do the same thing).

They both cause your strobe to fire when you take a photo, but the fiber optic cable does this by channeling light from the camera's flash to a light sensor on your strobe. It doesn't need to pass through the housing, it just needs to pick up that flash through some transparent part of the housing.

The sync cord is an electrical cable that needs to pass through a watertight bulkhead in the housing, and then plugs into the camera. An electrical signal from the camera is sent through this cable to strobe.

 

[Midget]

So the two are not interchangeable. Thank you!

 

[doctormike]

You're welcome! Dive safe...

 

[bvanant]

Sync cords (the old fashioned ones) are coils of copper wire terminated at each end to plug into your housing and your strobe. The carry electrical signals not optical ones. Fiber optic cords are glass or plastic fibers that carry light from your housing to your strobe. The advantages of sync cords are that in general they allow for much faster shooting since your camera strobe is not involved and of course they are needed for cameras that have no built in flash. The downsides of electrical sync is that cords can fail from a flood/corrosion or wires can break. Fiber probes can be fixed in the field if one breaks. Also fiber probes can be fabricated at home for a few dollars, sync cords require much more technology to manufacture.

Bill

 

[Midget]

Thanks, Bill!
I plan to make my own fiber optic cable ( requirement for my Inon strobe), and wanted to make sure I had the correct bits & pieces first.

 

[bvanant]

You will need a cap for the Inon end; what housing?
Bill

 

[Midget]

You will need a cap for the Inon end; what housing?
Bill

Hi Bill

Oly PT-EP06. I see them at divervision out of Taiwan. XIT404 sells one end, but not both.
I am open to suggestions. I have a SeaLife cable already.

 

[smoore]

The housing should come with two plugs for the optical ports. You can buy proper plugs to put on the end of the sync cables or simply punch holes with a cake tester in the supplied plugs and then just plug the optical fibre cable into the holes you have created. I have done that with a number of Oly housings and it has worked just fine. Saves you trying to find the non-Inon end of the cable. Incidentally I am using Inon S2000 strobes. Hope that helps.

 

[Xscream100]

Hi Bill

Oly PT-EP06. I see them at divervision out of Taiwan. XIT404 sells one end, but not both.
I am open to suggestions. I have a SeaLife cable already.

I had an issue with warranty support with DiverVision.com. Ask them about product warranty and their return policy before you buy anything from them.