Strobes??

[Nwbrewer]

That's what I'm doing for now. I will say using my LED as a "focus" light/strobe has helped my depth of field a lot vs just the internal flash. I need to work on my composition and the Artistic part of taking pictures before I bother with a more $$ setup.

[Octoloco]

I agree with all yours suggestions and will need to go back to the basics of photography. I think that I'll look into the strobes though because I don't want to do another tropical vacation (in May) without a little better setup. My husband is convinced that I need the new Canon but I think I'll do a little work on the operator before going forth with more equipment.

[cardiver]

I'd put my Casio up against any other point and shoot on the market for picture quality and ease of use.

[Octoloco]

but you have experience on your side.

I loved my little Z1000 but like I said, this one needs more operator input and this operator isn't providing it! I'll get it one of these days.

[cardiver]

but you have experience on your side.

I loved my little Z1000 but like I said, this one needs more operator input and this operator isn't providing it! I'll get it one of these days.

It's the same camera as the 1000 with more mega pixels.
If you don't want a complicated camera then don't get the new Canon..........

[DiverBob]

Has anyone tried the Ikelite AF-35 strobe? For just a simple digital camera like mine, Canon A570, It looks like a good system. Any opinions? Thanks

[Dusty2]

If you don't want a complicated camera then don't get the new Canon..........

Why? It can be as easy or as complex as you want it to be. Just because it can do so much more doesn't mean it can't be just as simple as any other POS camera. They are only complicated when you start into the manual modes. As long as you leave it in Auto or one of the program modes it's just a POS camera.

[cardiver]

If you don't want a complicated camera then don't get the new Canon..........

Why? It can be as easy or as complex as you want it to be. Just because it can do so much more doesn't mean it can't be just as simple as any other POS camera. They are only complicated when you start into the manual modes. As long as you leave it in Auto or one of the program modes it's just a POS camera.

I was referring to a post last week by a frustrated Canon user......Not trying to bash Canon.

[Dusty2]

Has anyone tried the Ikelite AF-35 strobe? For just a simple digital camera like mine, Canon A570, It looks like a good system. Any opinions? Thanks

It should be a good system but awfully pricey for what your getting and I'm not thrilled with that long flex arm setup. Ask Jack about the new ultra max strobe he is selling. It's a pretty nice strobe for the money and it comes with the fiber optic cable!

http://www.opticaloceansales.com/strobe ... d_203.html

[Octoloco]

Dusty, when are your new strobes due in? I'd like to see if Larry and I can meet up with you to check them out and do a dive? We met you at Redondo once and I see that you post reports from there quite often so if you're available on a weekend I'd sure like to see what you've got. I need to get something going soon; we're leaving in 2 months so I want to have time to figure out new equipment...

[Dusty2]

Weekend dives?? Not high on my list but I guess I could maybe make an exception.

Dad and I are hitting either Redondo or Les tomorrow morning for the 10AM high tide. But I am not sure on the weekend. I think we are taking the boat over to KVI Friday or Saturday if the weather allows.

As far as when will I get it? It arrived this afternoon! How's that for service, I ordered it from Jack yesterday and got it today. Can't beat that kind of service! Pretty well built unit. nice solid build. A little heavy above water but supposed to be positive underwater. Now we just have to performance test it. It doesn't come with a diffuser but I can fix that with a quick little DIY project.

[4ster]

I may have missed it in the discussion above. If your camera has the ability, have you tried white balancing? You have to carry a white balance card with you and white balance when lighting conditions/depth change. The pictures at the beginning of this thread would not have needed photoshop (or much photoshop) with a good white balance.

PADI makes a nice white balance card that has some reference colors on the card to check your white balance. At depth your eyes will not see the colors on the card. When you execute a white balance with the camera you will see the correct colors on the card through the view screen of the camera.

A strobe works for close subjects, but for shots farther than a few feet a white balanced camera can correct for the loss of color at depth.

[Octoloco]

No worries Dusty. But do let me know how your new strobe works out?

Thanks for all the help.

The strobe you (and Jack also) recommended is $600.00 - That's more than the camera and housing cost total. It'll work on an upgrade so may just go forth. Take take $$ with you.

Thanks to all

[Dusty2]

Took the new strobe out today for it's first run and I think it's going to be a winner. Nice controls and easy to read LED's. Very well built and good output. For the bucks I can't see any competition.

[Tom Nic]

Did you get this one? http://www.opticaloceansales.com/strobe ... d_203.html

I'm interested in taking a look at a dive site in the near future.

[Dusty2]

That's the one

[Nwbrewer]

That's pretty cheap. Post some pics!

So could I just use that one on my little canon? Does it slave off the flash, or does it need a special attachment to the camera?

[cardiver]

That's the one

Do they offer a strobe/tray pkg with a focus light for that set up?

[Tom Nic]

That's the one

Thank Dusty. I already have a very good tray and arm for a strobe. This just might be an inexpensive fit...

My issue was with the strobe that I had purchased only firing when it "sensed" the camera's onboard flash - which it almost never did no matter how I positioned it, thus rendering it for all practical purposes useless - and I paid around $200 for it. ](*,)

So, if I understand correctly, there is a "wire" that comes out of the strobe that can go down the arm, that "wire" having a "sensor" that can then be affixed directly in front of my POS' flash so that it will fire more efficiently? I guess that to be what "Includes Fiber Optic Sync Cord!!" means?

Looking forward to seeing it in the near future.

Do they offer a strobe/tray pkg with a focus light for that set up?

Ron, I bought a tray and arm from these folks at the dive expo last year. It is GREAT - Rawlings uses and endorses them, and you can pretty much build the set up you need all at once or a piece at a time. You can pretty much attach any strobe to it as I undertand. It is reasonably priced, and VERY FLEXIBLE - you build it according to your needs. The web site can be a bit daunting, but when you see it in person it is a pretty cool dea. Check them out - the show would be a great time to buy what you need.

[Dusty2]

That's the one

Do they offer a strobe/tray pkg with a focus light for that set up?

I'm sure Jack would put something together for you. He has lots of tray packages available. He has an awesome tray that is very versatile and real reasonably priced. http://www.opticaloceansales.com/trays- ... ead_review

My issue was with the strobe that I had purchased only firing when it "sensed" the camera's onboard flash - which it almost never did no matter how I positioned it, thus rendering it for all practical purposes useless - and I paid around $200 for it. ](*,)

As for your question Tom, The fiber optic cable is not a wire but kinda looks like one. It attaches to the strobe and runs down to the camera and has a self adhesive pad that sticks onto the camera case to transfer the the light from the cam to the strobe sensor. They are required to have a dependable flash on every shot. Most MFG sell them as an accessory but they really should be part of the strobe settup. You need to get one that is made for your strobe so it has the proper adapter. Just another way to get more bucks from you. Another bonus is that they cover the sensor on the strobe so random light such as someones dive light won't set off your strobe. This is what it looks like. http://www.opticaloceansales.com/strobe ... od_23.html

[Octoloco]

Thanks for your questions nwbrewer. I know so little about the subject that I don't even know the right questions for ask. This helps alot. Thanks to you too dusty for sharing about your new toy. I've got to sit down and talk more to Jack so that he can help put together "just the right package".

Thanks everyone for your input on this thread.

[Grateful Diver]

The thing you also need to keep in mind is that if you're using a strobe, you need some way to cover the internal flash so it doesn't also light the subject (and therefore defeat the whole reason for having the strobe).

Depending on the camera, there's different ways to do this. For the Casio, a piece of duct tape on the diffuser works pretty well. There are more elegant solutions, but the objective is to prevent the subject from also being lit by the camera's built-in flash.

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

[Octoloco]

I love duct tape

[Dusty2]

The fiber optic cable kits come with a piece of black tape or plastic to cover the camera flash but the old standby DT will work. How'd we ever get by before they invented that stuff?