I have just started using a Fantasea Remora strobe light. After two dives I still haven't figure out how to avoid a huge shadow that cover most of the image. I did not put a diffuser on the camera. I thought that the inbuilt flash setting was too high so I lowered it down, then I kept adjusting the position of the strobe light without getting any improvements. I am wondering if the arm of the strobe light is too short, it's about 12 inches long, and I should replace it with a longer one.
I had the canon S90 setting at AV. I was controlling the aperture but not the shutter speed and I thing I should have changed that setting because all the images came out blurry . Out of frustration I began to take video clips instead and finally I was able to get some decent shots!
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The shadow is always at the bottom right corner of the image
Tubesnout23 wrote:I have just started using a Fantasea Remora strobe light. After two dives I still haven't figure out how to avoid a huge shadow that cover most of the image. I did not put a diffuser on the camera. I thought that the inbuilt flash setting was too high so I lowered it down, then I kept adjusting the position of the strobe light without getting any improvements. I am wondering if the arm of the strobe light is too short, it's about 12 inches long, and I should replace it with a longer one.
I had the canon S90 setting at AV. I was controlling the aperture but not the shutter speed and I thing I should have changed that setting because all the images came out blurry . Out of frustration I began to take video clips instead and finally I was able to get some decent shots!
First off, you should use the diffuser for everything but long distance shots (which you wont be doing here). Do you have your internal strobe blocked? If not you need to take care of that also.
cardiver wrote:
First off, you should use the diffuser for everything but long distance shots (which you wont be doing here). Do you have your internal strobe blocked? If not you need to take care of that also.
Thanks Cardiver for your reply.
Internal strobe? Do you mean the flash inside the camera?
cardiver wrote:
First off, you should use the diffuser for everything but long distance shots (which you wont be doing here). Do you have your internal strobe blocked? If not you need to take care of that also.
Thanks Cardiver for your reply.
Internal strobe? Do you mean the flash inside the camera?
Yes. The flash that fires your strobe. You want to block the light coming from that flash. Your pic is really underexposed, too. Are you shooting in manual (manual strobe) or auto?
cardiver wrote:
First off, you should use the diffuser for everything but long distance shots (which you wont be doing here). Do you have your internal strobe blocked? If not you need to take care of that also.
Thanks Cardiver for your reply.
Internal strobe? Do you mean the flash inside the camera?
Yes. The flash that fires your strobe. You want to block the light coming from that flash. Your pic is really underexposed, too. Are you shooting in manual (manual strobe) or auto?
Sorry for asking but is the diffuser not enough to block the light from the flash of the camera? If not how do you block it, putting black tape inside the housing?
Manual strobe or auto? That's a good question...uuummm...You know I don't have a clue! I have just read the Remora Flash manual and I cannot see anything about manual or auto settings! It has an output control with a scale from 1 to 9.
cardiver wrote:
First off, you should use the diffuser for everything but long distance shots (which you wont be doing here). Do you have your internal strobe blocked? If not you need to take care of that also.
Thanks Cardiver for your reply.
Internal strobe? Do you mean the flash inside the camera?
Yes. The flash that fires your strobe. You want to block the light coming from that flash. Your pic is really underexposed, too. Are you shooting in manual (manual strobe) or auto?
Sorry for asking but is the diffuser not enough to block the light from the flash of the camera? If not how do you block it, putting black tape inside the housing?
Manual strobe or auto? That's a good question...uuummm...You know I don't have a clue! I have just read the Remora Flash manual and I cannot see anything about manual or auto settings! It has an output control with a scale from 1 to 9.
How do you have your fiber optic cable mounted? Most strobes come with a velcro kit that has an attatchment for your cable and also blocks your internal strobe. It sounds like your flash is manual only. Try setting for f stop at 5.6 and your shutter at 250 annd play with your stobe power from there.
If you had your lens zoomed out all the way that might also be part of the problem that caused the shadow. Between your internal flash and the zoomed lens you will have a shadow from the barrel of the lens.
The pic u posted looks like only the camera's internal flash was "sync'd" to the exposure.
Your external flash unit should have some switch to select what "pre-flash" your camera uses in Av mode. In Av mode (Tv, auto or program modes as well) your camera uses pre-flashes before the exposure starts.
From that pic it looks like your external strobe is firing on those and hence finished by the time the camera's exposure started.
olyvtx wrote:The pic u posted looks like only the camera's internal flash was "sync'd" to the exposure.
Your external flash unit should have some switch to select what "pre-flash" your camera uses in Av mode. In Av mode (Tv, auto or program modes as well) your camera uses pre-flashes before the exposure starts.
From that pic it looks like your external strobe is firing on those and hence finished by the time the camera's exposure started.
olyvtx wrote:The pic u posted looks like only the camera's internal flash was "sync'd" to the exposure.
Your external flash unit should have some switch to select what "pre-flash" your camera uses in Av mode. In Av mode (Tv, auto or program modes as well) your camera uses pre-flashes before the exposure starts.
From that pic it looks like your external strobe is firing on those and hence finished by the time the camera's exposure started.
The external flash does have a switch to select "pre-flash". My buddy and I did set the "pre-flash" before taking the camera underwater but I guess we must have done something wrong...Did we have to select the AV mode before setting the "pre-flash"? I don't know in which mode the camera was in the first place.
Heres some food for thought, in av mode does it "preflash" or is it just one flash? Also IIRC the red eye setting has more than one flash but i cant remember if thats a setting on "AV" mode.....
Looks like you removed the diffuser from the external strobe...that or the housing is blocking the flash...but i would bet on the first....but then again, i haven't touched a camera in a few months...
Did you buy this strobe from jack connick? I have a left over strobe arm i can pass along with a focusing light arm for maybe 10$? That should increase your reach by 4 or 5 inches.
When i get back, I'll go diving with you and help ease you into single external strobe photos. Don't worry if you don't get it right at first, in 3 or 4 months you will be at a level of lust for another strobe or something that is a bit more challenging.
Dashrynn wrote:Heres some food for thought, in av mode does it "preflash" or is it just one flash? Also IIRC the red eye setting has more than one flash but i cant remember if thats a setting on "AV" mode.....
Looks like you removed the diffuser from the external strobe...that or the housing is blocking the flash...but i would bet on the first....but then again, i haven't touched a camera in a few months...
Did you buy this strobe from jack connick? I have a left over strobe arm i can pass along with a focusing light arm for maybe 10$? That should increase your reach by 4 or 5 inches.
When i get back, I'll go diving with you and help ease you into single external strobe photos. Don't worry if you don't get it right at first, in 3 or 4 months you will be at a level of lust for another strobe or something that is a bit more challenging.
Thanks Curtis.
No I did not remove the diffuser from the strobe light. I did not have the deflector on the camera housing (but then the manual says to use it with strobes with an EV controller...)
I git the strobe in Tacoma at the DIve & Travel Expo from a guy whose name I don't remember. I need to ask Sam I cannot find the receipt either!
olyvtx wrote:The pic u posted looks like only the camera's internal flash was "sync'd" to the exposure.
Your external flash unit should have some switch to select what "pre-flash" your camera uses in Av mode. In Av mode (Tv, auto or program modes as well) your camera uses pre-flashes before the exposure starts.
From that pic it looks like your external strobe is firing on those and hence finished by the time the camera's exposure started.
The external flash does have a switch to select "pre-flash". My buddy and I did set the "pre-flash" before taking the camera underwater but I guess we must have done something wrong...Did we have to select the AV mode before setting the "pre-flash"? I don't know in which mode the camera was in the first place.
Yes, you have to have your camera in Av mode when setting your external strobe's pre-flash switch. The number of pre-flashes vary with camera, hence the 4 different settings on your strobe. It should be obvious when you have the switch in the correct setting as the external strobe should over power the built in flash and the external strobe's light will be in "sync" with the exposure.
I dont use Av mode. Being i use my strobes in manual setting and my camera's internal flash is used only to trigger the external strobe, I dont see how ttl would work.
olyvtx wrote:The pic u posted looks like only the camera's internal flash was "sync'd" to the exposure.
Your external flash unit should have some switch to select what "pre-flash" your camera uses in Av mode. In Av mode (Tv, auto or program modes as well) your camera uses pre-flashes before the exposure starts.
From that pic it looks like your external strobe is firing on those and hence finished by the time the camera's exposure started.
The external flash does have a switch to select "pre-flash". My buddy and I did set the "pre-flash" before taking the camera underwater but I guess we must have done something wrong...Did we have to select the AV mode before setting the "pre-flash"? I don't know in which mode the camera was in the first place.
Yes, you have to have your camera in Av mode when setting your external strobe's pre-flash switch. The number of pre-flashes vary with camera, hence the 4 different settings on your strobe. It should be obvious when you have the switch in the correct setting as the external strobe should over power the built in flash and the external strobe's light will be in "sync" with the exposure.
I dont use Av mode. Being i use my strobes in manual setting and my camera's internal flash is used only to trigger the external strobe, I dont see how ttl would work.
I cannot see anywhere on the stobe the two settings manual or auto. I think it's just manual...
So if I want to use the camera on manual do I have to re-set the pre-flash with the camera in manual mode?
Down below is a picture that Sambolino44 took with the same camera and strobe light. He got a better result. He did not try to take a macro picture like me. I am wondering if a second strobe on the other side would have eliminated that back scatter on the left of the picture...
olyvtx wrote:The pic u posted looks like only the camera's internal flash was "sync'd" to the exposure.
Your external flash unit should have some switch to select what "pre-flash" your camera uses in Av mode. In Av mode (Tv, auto or program modes as well) your camera uses pre-flashes before the exposure starts.
From that pic it looks like your external strobe is firing on those and hence finished by the time the camera's exposure started.
The external flash does have a switch to select "pre-flash". My buddy and I did set the "pre-flash" before taking the camera underwater but I guess we must have done something wrong...Did we have to select the AV mode before setting the "pre-flash"? I don't know in which mode the camera was in the first place.
Yes, you have to have your camera in Av mode when setting your external strobe's pre-flash switch. The number of pre-flashes vary with camera, hence the 4 different settings on your strobe. It should be obvious when you have the switch in the correct setting as the external strobe should over power the built in flash and the external strobe's light will be in "sync" with the exposure.
I dont use Av mode. Being i use my strobes in manual setting and my camera's internal flash is used only to trigger the external strobe, I dont see how ttl would work.
I cannot see anywhere on the stobe the two settings manual or auto. I think it's just manual...
So if I want to use the camera on manual do I have to re-set the pre-flash with the camera in manual mode?
Down below is a picture that Sambolino44 took with the same camera and strobe light. He got a better result. He did not try to take a macro picture like me. I am wondering if a second strobe on the other side would have eliminated that back scatter on the left of the picture...
Yes, you will need to change the pre-flash setting on the external strobe if you change your camera to Manual mode. Manual mode does not use pre-flash.
A second strobe probably would not eliminate that backscatter but it would "fill" the other side with some light giving you a more evenly lit picture.
About the only way to eliminate backscatter in these waters is to get super close to your subject and try not to light-up the area between the housing port and the subject with your strobe light. So, position your strobe away from your camera and use the edge of the light to illuminate your subject.
olyvtx wrote:
Yes, you will need to change the pre-flash setting on the external strobe if you change your camera to Manual mode. Manual mode does not use pre-flash.
A second strobe probably would not eliminate that backscatter but it would "fill" the other side with some light giving you a more evenly lit picture.
About the only way to eliminate backscatter in these waters is to get super close to your subject and try not to light-up the area between the housing port and the subject with your strobe light. So, position your strobe away from your camera and use the edge of the light to illuminate your subject.
Thank you very much! I will try again and again and again...
olyvtx wrote:
Yes, you will need to change the pre-flash setting on the external strobe if you change your camera to Manual mode. Manual mode does not use pre-flash.
A second strobe probably would not eliminate that backscatter but it would "fill" the other side with some light giving you a more evenly lit picture.
About the only way to eliminate backscatter in these waters is to get super close to your subject and try not to light-up the area between the housing port and the subject with your strobe light. So, position your strobe away from your camera and use the edge of the light to illuminate your subject.
Thank you very much! I will try again and again and again...
Try shooting some macro without a strobe. I've been shooting macro for 5 years without a strobe and my shots have turned out fine. I recently purchased my first strobe and the difference shooting macro is negligible.
Last edited by cardiver on Tue Aug 24, 2010 3:10 pm, edited 1 time in total.
cardiver wrote:Try shooting some macro without a strobe. I've been shooting macro for 5 years without a strobe and my shots have turned out fine. I recently purchased my first strobe and the difference shooting macro is negligible.
It might be worth shooting some without a strobe, but as a general rule, unless you're in less than 15 feet of water, the difference WITH a strobe can be dramatic, simply because the water has absorbed so much color (reds and yellows) in the first 15 ft; below that, you can't get true colors without strobes, whether you're shooting macro or not.
I'm not saying you can't get some "good" photos without a strobe, and using a strobe certainly raises challenges with exposure and backscatter. But many/most photos will look more colorful and better with a strobe...IF the strobe is positioned just right and is at the right power. You'll ruin a lot more shots adjusting/trying a strobe, but when you get it right, you're likely to have superior results IMHO.
Bruce Yates
Photography: http://www.UnderwaterReflections.com "If at first you don't succeed, try, try again. Then quit. No use being a damned fool about it." WC Fields
cardiver wrote:Try shooting some macro without a strobe. I've been shooting macro for 5 years without a strobe and my shots have turned out fine. I recently purchased my first strobe and the difference shooting macro is negligible.
It might be worth shooting some without a strobe, but as a general rule, unless you're in less than 15 feet of water, the difference WITH a strobe can be dramatic, simply because the water has absorbed so much color (reds and yellows) in the first 15 ft; below that, you can't get true colors without strobes, whether you're shooting macro or not.
I'm not saying you can't get some "good" photos without a strobe, and using a strobe certainly raises challenges with exposure and backscatter. But many/most photos will look more colorful and better with a strobe...IF the strobe is positioned just right and is at the right power. You'll ruin a lot more shots adjusting/trying a strobe, but when you get it right, you're likely to have superior results IMHO.
Thanks Folks!
I have been shooting macro without a strobe since I began to take underwater pictures two years ago. When there is sufficient day light in shallow water I don't use the camera built in flash or my dive light but at night and when I am deeper I do otherwise as SeattleYates has mentioned the colors do not come out right even if you use a custom white balance.
I went snorkeling at a lake yesterday and did some more practice with the strobe light. I managed to get a better exposure but when I am a bit further away from the subject the backscatter still shows up! That probably means that I did not move the strobe in the right position.
Another problem that I have noticed is that it is a bit of a hassle to try to get the sensor, at the bottom of the strobe, to face the flash of the camera. Several times the strobe did not fire I guess because of that reason. I am wondering if a cable would make things easier.
The Fantasea focus light has turned out to be a bummer! It worked a couple of times and then BUM! Sambolino44 changed the batteries the other day and it worked once. Now it is dead again! Aaarrgghh!
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Last edited by Tubesnout23 on Wed Aug 25, 2010 8:00 am, edited 3 times in total.
The strobe light does not work anymore and the focus light broke a month ago...I am very disappointed with Fantasea underwater light system. I flooded the Canon A570 housing and now that camera is toasted. The Canon S90 Ikelite housing has some issues too so I have to send it back. What a poorly designed housing! Sambolino44 and I made a big mistake when we decided to buy an S90, Ikelite housing and a Fantasea strobe light!
blackwater wrote:What are the issues with Ikelite housing for the S90?
One button has popped out and sometimes the camera does not want to switch on at all while inside the housing! In manual mode I don't have control of shutter speed and the aperture at the same time that it is easy to operate. I have to mess with so many buttons that it becomes almost useless to try to do it when I want to take a picture of a moving subject. Beside I haven't been able to do it at all because the buttons in the housing don't work properly!
It is easy to mess things up. One minute you think you have set the camera in a certain way and the next you discover that the camera does not respond as it should be. Basically the buttons in the housing are very cumbersome and don't seem to push the buttons on the camera very well. Personally I don't like the S90 either and the combination of a clumsy camera (what I don't like is the way the buttons work, it’s very confusing and if you bump the wrong one everything is screwed up) with a clumsy housing is the receipt for a very frustrating set up. What I would like to get is a Canon G10 and a FIX housing...
At last I got the Ikelite housing and Fantasea Strobe light (which it has been discontinued )back! The Ikelite guys fixed the sticky button and Fantasea sent me a brand new strobe and focus light
I tested them during my last dive at Mukilteo and the results are much better. I hope they will keep working as they are supposed to from now on!
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That goatee beard suits you!
Can a fish look sad?
This Dungeness Crab is not a happy camper!
I don't know what's going on but I will keep being still hoping for the best...
I did not put a diffuser on the camera. I thought that the inbuilt flash setting was too high so I lowered it down, then I kept adjusting the position of the strobe light without getting any improvements. I am wondering if the arm of the strobe light is too short, it's about 12 inches long, and I should replace it with a longer one. 
. Out of frustration I began to take video clips instead and finally I was able to get some decent shots!
)back! The Ikelite guys fixed the sticky button and Fantasea sent me a brand new strobe and focus light 
