Fiber Optic Transmitter Installation // Update Your Ikelite Underwater

Most legacy Ikelite 200DL or 200DLM underwater housings that shipped with an electrical flash bulkhead can be converted to fiber optic strobe triggering quickly and easily. Logan Wood shows you how to upgrade your housing with a Fiber Optic Transmitter and hotshoe.

If you'd prefer to read, scroll down to view the article version of this video.

Converting to a Fiber Optic Strobe Connection

For years photographers have relied on our electrical sync cord for fast and accurate TTL and manual strobe communication. Today many photographers enjoy the convenience of the lighter fiber optic connection that offers the same fast communication but with the ability to easily hook up the system even when it's wet.

The TTL fiber optic transmitter being installed in this demonstration is compatible with Ikelite RC232, RC165, and Ecko Fiber strobes. For legacy Ikelite strobes that use an electrical sync cord, we offer both TTL and manual optical receivers that allow you to adapt to this fiber optic connection too.

Fiber Optic Transmitter Installation // Update Your Ikelite Underwater Housing [VIDEO]

Native fiber optic strobes are perfect for underwater photographers who want a simpler, flexible setup that won't compromise performance underwater. // From left to right: RC232, RC165, Ecko Fiber strobes.

The products used in this demonstration are the TT5 Canon TTL Fiber Optic Transmitter on a 200DL underwater housing. However, the installation will be the same for our Manual Fiber Optic Transmitter as well as the TTL transmitters for both Sony and Nikon, which are coming soon.

Note: Note you may need a new hotshoe depending on the age of your housing. Read New Auto-Switching Hotshoe and Bulkhead Updates Starting January 1, 2025 to learn more.

Removing the Electrical Bulkhead

1. Remove the hotshoe.

2. Remove the retaining nut on the bulkhead from the inside of the housing using a 5/8” wrench.

3. Remove the bulkhead cap from the outside of the housing.

4. Using an 11/16” wrench, remove the bulkhead from the top of the housing.

Installing the Fiber Optic Transmitter

Contents of TT5 Canon TTL Fiber Optic Transmitter include:

Transmitter
Hotshoe
Battery Holder (*Requires 2 x CR2032 batteries, batteries not included)

1. Unscrew and remove the retaining nut from the transmitter.

2. Clean the sealing surface where you’ll be adding the transmitter on the housing.

3. Lightly lubricate the visible surface of the transmitters o-ring and the sealing surface on the housing.

4. Feed the cables through the housing making sure that the o-ring sits flush with the sealing surface of the housing.

5. Carefully screw on the transmitter and avoid cross threading. Hand tighten to ensure a firm seal.

6. On the inside of the housing, feed the transmitter's wires through the retaining nut and fasten using a 5/8” wrench. While tightening, hold the transmitter from the outside of the housing to avoid loosening it. Don’t over tighten.

While tightening, hold the transmitter from the outside of the housing as pictured.

Now your housing is sealed again. We recommend installing the back of your housing and pulling a vacuum on the housing to ensure you’ve installed your transmitter properly.

Installing the Hotshoe

Fiber Optic Transmitter Installation Guide for Ikelite Underwater Housings

1. Ensure the fiber optic transmitter’s two sets of wires are not interfering with any of the gears or controls on the inside of your housing.

2. Attach the hotshoe by aligning the red wire of the transmitter with the red wire of the hotshoe and press together to secure the connection.

Installing the Battery Holder

Ikelite Fiber Optic Transmitter Installation Guide

This image shows the proper battery alignment in the battery compartment. The battery closest to the compartment's hinge should be positive (+) side up, and the other battery should be negative (-) side up.

Note: Some CR2032 batteries come with safety tabs, ensure these are removed before continuing.

1. Open the battery compartment and install two CR2032 batteries.

2. Put one battery positive (+) side up on the “inside” battery slot (slot located next to the battery compartment hinge). On the “outside” battery slot (slot located farthest from the battery compartment hinge) put the other battery negative (-) side up.

3. Close the battery compartment by clicking it down to secure.

4. Turn the on/off switch to the ON position.

5. Attach the fiber optic transmitter wire with the battery compartment wire by aligning black wire with black wire and red wire with red wire and push in to secure the connection.

6. Attach the battery cradle inside your housing and snap in the battery compartment.
Note: Where you place this cradle will vary from housing to housing but generally along the side wall of the housing should work as long as it doesn’t interfere with any controls or gears. We recommend placing it somewhere that allows for easy use of the ON/OFF switch. This cradle is easy to move if you find your initial placement doesn’t work.

These batteries should last you a full week of diving but we recommend bringing a few spare batteries in your spare parts kit, especially when traveling to remote regions where access to buying new batteries may be limited.

7. Now your fiber optic transmitter is fully installed on your housing. Insert the hotshoe onto your camera, make sure that it is pushed fully forward and flush with the hotshoe slot on the top of the camera

Level up your system while sizing down. A fiber optic strobe system simplifies your setup and delivers lightning fast flash.

Camera Settings for Canon

Depending on the camera model that you’re using there are some settings on the camera itself that you need to change to ensure that the camera can communicate with the strobes properly through the fiber optic connection. Consult the instruction manual for those settings.

Settings needed for shooting with a Canon camera: