Question Backscatter Mini Flash Accessories

[MrChen]

I recently purchased 2 MF2 strobes, snoot, IR filter, color filters, and remote muck stick. The snoot also comes with 2 aperture cards. How are you organizing this mess of accessories underwater? In addition, the snoot has a lanyard cable which isn't long enough to reach the back of the strobe. The filter holder has a lanyard cable which does reach the back of the strobe. The snoot also needs the two aperture cards attached with their lanyards. The IR filter and color filters have to be stored somewhere. Then what happens if I want to take the snoot off, where do I safely put it? If I could give any product feedback, it would be to find a way to securely store all these items without having a mess of lanyard strings everywhere and accessories flopping around.

I've been watching product videos on YouTube. One thing I did pick up was a rubber band around the snoot so that the aperture cards could be tucked away. While this keeps the card from flopping around, it's still part of a dragon's nest of lanyard strings.

Any other tips out there? Pics would help too!

How do you organize the mess?

 

[trygon]

I don't have the filters or muck stick, but I do use the snoot. I use a large o-ring instead of a rubber band and replace the supplied lanyard strings with something heavier. I only take the snoot if I plan to use it, not every dive. Dive Rite make a nice thigh pocket you could use for the other accessories.

 

[davehicks]

I put a small bolt snap on about 6 inches of bungie and ziptie an o-ring onto the ball adapter. I always carry the snoot and just tear it off and let it dangle if i dont need it for the shot. I can clip it off the the camera or bc as needed.

 

[davehicks]

duped post - deleted

 

[MrChen]

Thanks Dave. I put a 1 inch oring around the neck of the ball mount, but I like how you did it. I considered using the OEM landyard around it, but it's too long, so I might copy what you're doing since it's a cleaner solution to what I was trying to do. Do you carry the oval aperture card with you as well? I also have the color filters, but haven't dove with them yet. It means an additional mount on the end of the snoot which has a lanyard, with the color inserts which have a lanyard. It's lanyard hell! lol

 

[MrChen]

I'm a snoot beginner, if you're curious to see my first successful uses of it, see this post: Blue Heron Bridge Trolls III

I appreciate your advice!
Chris

 

[AggressorBLUE]

It seems a bit of a miss to me that at least the Snoot can’t be optioned with a flip style bracket to facilitate quick flipping of it on and off.

Similar to this:

(Not mine, found on thingiverse Snoot for UW strobe (Ikelite DS160) by jkepic)

Of course, if someone wants to loan me a Mini-flash and a snoot I’d be happy to design such an adapter for 3D printing

 

[davehicks]

Thanks Dave. I put a 1 inch oring around the neck of the ball mount, but I like how you did it. I considered using the OEM landyard around it, but it's too long, so I might copy what you're doing since it's a cleaner solution to what I was trying to do. Do you carry the oval aperture card with you as well? I also have the color filters, but haven't dove with them yet. It means an additional mount on the end of the snoot which has a lanyard, with the color inserts which have a lanyard. It's lanyard hell! lol

No, I just use the round one. I don't find the two styles to be that different. The way I snoot does not benefit from round vs oval. I don't like the "spotlight" effect, and almost always have a second strobe at low power providing "fill light" to accentuate the snooted subject.

[Mosshead Warbonnet - Nikon D850 w/Nikon 60mm lens, f16@1/250s iso160, Inon 330 & BS MF-2 strobes]

 

[davehicks]

I'm a snoot beginner, if you're curious to see my first successful uses of it, see this post: Blue Heron Bridge Trolls III

I appreciate your advice!
Chris

Those are all really well done! Good job.

As mentioned, I prefer the ones that have natural negative space around them or a bit of ambient light graduating off to the sides. I find the sharp defined spotlight to be jarring and sort of unnatural.

 

[MrChen]

No, I just use the round one. I don't find the two styles to be that different. The way I snoot does not benefit from round vs oval. I don't like the "spotlight" effect, and almost always have a second strobe at low power providing "fill light" to accentuate the snooted subject.

[Mosshead Warbonnet - Nikon D850 w/Nikon 60mm lens, f16@1/250s iso160, Inon 330 & BS MF-2 strobes]
View attachment 788777

That's a really cool idea. I love how your colors pop, I need to learn how to do that.