Using Slave Strobes with Digital Cameras

[Grognard]

I have two old slave strobes (Ikelite & Helix) with built in sensors. I would like to use these with my new digital camera and strobe. The problem I'm having is that the slaves go off on the pre-flash rather than the main flash. Any suggestions on how to use the old strobes with the new camera system?

 

[herman]

Assuming your camera is capable, turn the preflash off (slave mode) and shoot the camera in manual mode.
Welcome to the board.

 

[Rick Murchison]

I have two old slave strobes (Ikelite & Helix) with built in sensors. I would like to use these with my new digital camera and strobe. The problem I'm having is that the slaves go off on the pre-flash rather than the main flash. Any suggestions on how to use the old strobes with the new camera system?

E-bay. (They won't ever work with digitals that pre-flash)
Use the money towards a strobe that'll work with digital preflash.
Rick

 

[Rick Murchison]

Assuming your camera is capable, turn the preflash off (slave mode) and shoot the camera in manual mode.
Welcome to the board.

Hmmm.... never heard of this... so - I grabbed my 8080, set it to manual, and grabbed my A35 strobe and gave it a try. In 15 test shots at shutter speeds all the way down to 1/30 sec, I got one successful sync flash at 1/80 sec (but 4 failures at 1/80 sec). The A35 fired every time (I'm guessing early).
Have you actually had success with this on your 5050?
--
Test two... in multiple tries I got three syncs in a row at 1/125 sec and thought I may have stumbled upon a setting that'd work, but then got 5 in a row that failed to sync.
So... ebay's the ticket
Rick

 

[2Narced]

If you have a digital camera in a housing and you use a one newer, modern strobe that has pre-flash cancel capabilities, would you be able to use a second older slave strobe as a slave to the new modern strobe?

Seems like it'd work, as the main strobe gets fired by the camera through a fiber-optic connection, unless of course enough of the light still emits from the flash in the camera housing to trigger the slave early. I'd think the slave head wouldn't see that light, since it's pointed out away from the camera, but maybe it would.

I'm considering a Sea & Sea DX-1G with a YS-27 strobe, and thinking I can stick my old massive YS-100 Duo on a second arm to use as a slave for wide stuff, and just turn it off and use only the YS-27 for macro.

Anybody tried this?

Thanks for any input!

 

[wwunder]

Hmmm.... never heard of this... so - I grabbed my 8080, set it to manual, and grabbed my A35 strobe and gave it a try. In 15 test shots at shutter speeds all the way down to 1/30 sec, I got one successful sync flash at 1/80 sec (but 4 failures at 1/80 sec). The A35 fired every time (I'm guessing early).
Have you actually had success with this on your 5050?
--
Test two... in multiple tries I got three syncs in a row at 1/125 sec and thought I may have stumbled upon a setting that'd work, but then got 5 in a row that failed to sync.
So... ebay's the ticket
Rick

Rick,

Once in manual mode on the camera, you should be able to set the flash mode to "slave" and that eliminate the preflash. I have done this with my sp-350 and use it with an old ikelite MS strobe. It works from 1/30 to 1/2000 shutter speeds every time.

Good Luck!

Warren

 

[tedtim]

Rick,

Once in manual mode on the camera, you should be able to set the flash mode to "slave" and that eliminate the preflash. I have done this with my sp-350 and use it with an old ikelite MS strobe. It works from 1/30 to 1/2000 shutter speeds every time.

Good Luck!

Warren

Holy smokes. How did you manage to get the flash to work at 1/2000 shutter speed? I know that even my DSLR will not sync with any flash at that speed.

 

[wwunder]

I think its because it is a PnS.... your DSLR still uses a shutter so it is limited by the mechanical speed of the shutters. My understanding is that the PnS only needs to read the sensor in that fraction of a second and there is no mechanical shutter.

 

[herman]

Hmmm.... never heard of this... so - I grabbed my 8080, set it to manual, and grabbed my A35 strobe and gave it a try. In 15 test shots at shutter speeds all the way down to 1/30 sec, I got one successful sync flash at 1/80 sec (but 4 failures at 1/80 sec). The A35 fired every time (I'm guessing early).
Have you actually had success with this on your 5050?
--
Test two... in multiple tries I got three syncs in a row at 1/125 sec and thought I may have stumbled upon a setting that'd work, but then got 5 in a row that failed to sync.
So... ebay's the ticket
Rick

I do it all the time. I recently shot a friend wedding with my 5050 and Inon D180, fired every time. Looked funny but worked well. The key is to keep the sensor in a position where is "sees" the main flash. A stobe arm, hand or anything else in the way will make the flash iffy. This is the same method all of the less expensive strobes use. Before I got my Inon I used an old Ikelite strobe...don't remember what the model was....whatever came with the inexpensive 35 housing Ike had for some time. I have synced my 5050/Inon up to 500th. If it did not sync, you may not have had the preflash off. Never tried it on an 8080 so can't help with the setting but on my 5050 I have to set the flash mode to "slave". The level only needs to be set to a value high enough to fire to slave.....1 seems to work fine dry but I need a little more underwater.

 

[Grognard]

If you have a digital camera in a housing and you use a one newer, modern strobe that has pre-flash cancel capabilities, would you be able to use a second older slave strobe as a slave to the new modern strobe?

Seems like it'd work, as the main strobe gets fired by the camera through a fiber-optic connection, unless of course enough of the light still emits from the flash in the camera housing to trigger the slave early. I'd think the slave head wouldn't see that light, since it's pointed out away from the camera, but maybe it would.

I'm considering a Sea & Sea DX-1G with a YS-27 strobe, and thinking I can stick my old massive YS-100 Duo on a second arm to use as a slave for wide stuff, and just turn it off and use only the YS-27 for macro.

Anybody tried this?

Thanks for any input!

I can see where you are going with this. The strobe I use has settings for different numbers of preflashes and I have set it for my camera. So if I make a fiber-optic link between my strobe and the slave, everything should be in sync. I may have to shield the sensor on the slave since the case for the camera is transparent. Does anyone know a source for large photo grade fiber-optic cable that would be useable for this type of set-up? I work with satellite communication equipment and the kind we use is much too small for this.

Thanks for the good idea.