I came across a post by Viz'art, and am trying to apply the information shared with relation to Aquatica housings, a Canon 5D Mark II, and TTL.

If I have understood correctly, the only way I can get TTL to work is as follows. Please verify, as I *think* I have done my homework correctly.

Prospect: Aquatica housing a Canon 5D Mark II, with TTL

1: Order the housing with S6 connector, and THEN
a: use an external Heinrich Weikamp, and from there use a compatible strobe
b: use Subal Strobecase to house a regular Canon topside flash
c: use a Sea and Sea TTL converter (Viz'art only referred to it needing a 6 pin connector and that Backscatter has been doing it, but I am not sure the 6 connector bulkhead referred to is the S6)
d: use some other compatible external TTL converter with a compatible strobe (like the one I will attach in my next post after this one...my next question)

2: Order a housing with normal Nikonos connector, but arrange for the installation of an internal Heinrich Weikamp

3: Wait for a native TTL solution from Aquatica, as Viz'art alluded to in another thread. Any details available here (solution, cost, availability, etc.)?

NOTE: The "compatible strobe" that I in particular am looking at using would be the DS series by Ikelite. I have a DS125, but will probably upgrade to DS161's unless I do something crazy like house a Canon flash (which I highly doubt).

Additional questions:
Most of the posts and the Heinrich Weikamp web site seem to refer to a model that optically detects the firing of an on body flash, but this solution I outlined above seems to suggest a hard wired version, such as what I believe you can find in the reefphoto webstore. Is this correct?

For each of the solutions I outlined above, I would like to know if it is possible to switch between TTL and manual during a dive.

In option "1d" of my previous post, I made reference to some other TTL converter.
I have one of these I just won:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewI...em=230405135968

I just grabbed this on the off chance it can work for me with the right bulkhead as TTL is the same from 5D to 5D Mark II for this purpose at least I would think. I like the idea that I could change from manual modes to TTL and back during a dive, although this is not a firm requirement. I will just re-ebay it if I can't really use it, or it is much cheaper/wiser to go a different route.

I had a chat with Jean when I met him at the PNW Dive show, this plus consultation with Backscatter seems to point towards an internal HW converter. The Aquaticas are set up so the HW internal converter is a fairly straightforward install. The S&S converter (depending on the version you get) have issues with corrosion or reliability. There's another thread here about the issues with the External HW converter and it's now apparently discontinued. A housed 580ex won't have the power of a dedicated UW strobe.

I'm waiting for the Aquatica 7D housing but since I have older strobes (YS120s), I'll shoot manual for now (been doing that since the 10D anyway) and wait for the internal HW converter that's for the 7D to be released this spring.

S.

I have installed the HW internal TTL converter + 3.6V AA battery in my Aquatica 5d mk II housing with nikonos 5-pin connectros, using dual YS-110 and it works great.
Installation was straight forward when using the datasheet from HW.
Now I just need a strong magnet to enable manual mode from outside the housing.

Good Luck

I have seen a few posts like this. Can you tell me what internal TTL converter you are referring to, as in brand, and where you sourced it from? I would need to know that, as there seem to be many options. Details, please!

/edit: Ah you mean a Heinrichs Weikamp I think. My brain saw HW and I read "hardware" in my mind. I would still be interested to know where you sourced it from. PM me if you like.

From the look of it, what you got on E-bay has a S6 connector on one end and two Ikelite bulkhead connectors on the other end, in order to use this, you would need a S6 bulkhead connector and 6 pins hotshoe installed on your housing, but before going down that road, I would first check that the converter you got indeed will work with the 5D Mk II. you see TTL Protocol have a knack for evolving in their own little universe and all too often, after market (and in some case original manufacture equipment) might not work with newer camera, so check with Ikelite to see if their TTL circuitry for the 5D is the same as for the 5D Mk II, if they are indeed the one that made it, then they should be able to answer, just make sure you send them as much info and picture of the converter as you can.

There is two type of 6 pins connector floating around, one is the S6 used extensively on European housing, it kind of resemble a Ikelite 5 pins connector at first glance but has that extra pin needed for Canon eTTL functionality, the other is basically your run of the mill Nikonos type connector with an extra pin set in the middle, like it or hate it, the Nikonos is still the most distributed bulkhead around and this mean that in case of failure of your 6 pins sync cord, you could run a easy to find 5 pins Nikonos type cord and still have manual.

This, as far as I know, covers the two most current 6 pins connectors on the market, if anybody has more info or additional type, by all mean let us know, I'm as curious as the next Joe.

I would resume your choice as such (no preference here just choices):

A) Get housing with dual Nikonos 5 pins and install an internal HW converter

B) Get housing with S6 connectors and use your e-bay converter (if it is compatible with the Mk II)

C) Get housing with S6 and use a single Canon Speedlight in a housing

The Native Solution has got to be a misinterpretation of my thread as I refer often to our Nikon camera housing as having TTL compliant connectors when used with converter, by that I mean that our connectors are ready to accept a converter right of the shelf, Canon due to the 6 pins dilemma does not.

The easiest way and very often the fastest IMO to go from TTL to manual is still to put the strobe in manual.

If I'd have seen that on ebay, I'd have bought it. Good catch!

Hello, i got the TTL converter directly from Heinrichs Weikamp:
http://www.heinrichsweikamp.net/#/en/oem_solutions/

I had looked on their web pages before and didn't think to look under OEM solutions. That makes sense.

Hmm, I just got an email back from Heinrichsweikamp, that they suggest I buy it installed already from a dealer (if I go this route) due to it being a difficult install. I do quite well with working on small things, soldering, and electronics, so I am not really believing it would be so difficult for me.

They also stated that while using Heinrichsweikamp, you can't switch from TTL to Manual during a dive if you want to. This doesn't make sense to me, because using Ikelite strobes, couldn't you just switch the strobe from TTL to a manual power level?

I asked those questions to Heinrichs Weikamp´s site:

Can i switch to TTL manual mode with the internal converter?

Only by switching the corresponding DIP switch to manual or by bringing a magnet near the REED switch.

If i turn the strobes to manual mode will it work in manual mode with the TTL converter connected?

No, because the converter can not "see" if the strobes are in manual or TTL.


So far i have not got a magnet that works but im working on it.
But by switching the camera between AV, TV & M modes and altering the flash compensation in the camera i can get the results i want.