Question Backscatter Mini Flash Accessories

[MrChen]

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: View attachment 788773

(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

Cool idea.

 

[MrChen]

I wanted to share some of my solutions, hoping it will help others.

1) The aperture card, I secured with a hair band when not in use

2) The snoot lanyard, I added a 1 inch oring around the neck of the mount and secured it to that.

3) When not using the snoot, I added another hair band to the end of the battery compartment. I loop it through when not in use. This keeps it from flopping in front of my lens or the flash.

My daughter bought me the color filters. I haven't dove with them yet, so I haven't figure out how I'd best store them. The muck stick, I hook the double ender into the highest joint ball mount which is high enough to keep it from dragging around. When I want to use it, it's easy enough to take off and move the strobe to. I then unplug the optical cable and hook up the remote light aim thing.

 

[Searcaigh]

I've been running my BS MiniStrobe V1 with a snoot fairly recently slaving it off a YS-D3 with varying success depending on what lens I'm using. Aiming the damn thing sometimes can be challenging though.

@MrChen I like the idea of the hairband to hold the aperture card

Sometimes I get lucky

 

[Searcaigh]

Today I snooted using the 105mm lens on my Nikon D7200.

The Backscatter MS strobe really struggles to put out enough light with the snoot, and I had to open up to f8, whereas with the 60mm lens I'm shooting between f16 to f22.

 

[davehicks]

Today I snooted using the 105mm lens on my Nikon D7200.

The Backscatter MS strobe really struggles to put out enough light with the snoot, and I had to open up to f8, whereas with the 60mm lens I'm shooting between f16 to f22.

I typically set my ISO to 160 when shooting with the snoot for this reason. There is going to be less light, even on a high power setting. These strobes are not that powerful. Set your aperture based on the DOF you want. f14-16 might be just fine much of the time. I often shoot macro with a +5 lens, and that really lowers the DOF on it's own. Using a smaller aperture does not add much to the image and reduces light further.

Also, be sure your aim is accurate! An off-target snoot will also result in a dark image.

 

[BoltSnap]

Today I snooted using the 105mm lens on my Nikon D7200.

The Backscatter MS strobe really struggles to put out enough light with the snoot, and I had to open up to f8, whereas with the 60mm lens I'm shooting between f16 to f22.

I love this pic!!

 

[MrChen]

Today I snooted using the 105mm lens on my Nikon D7200.

The Backscatter MS strobe really struggles to put out enough light with the snoot, and I had to open up to f8, whereas with the 60mm lens I'm shooting between f16 to f22.

I haven't had any problems with the mf2, Nikon d850, 105mm, f22, 1/200, with the snoot.

 

[Backscatter::Jim]

Just want to add in some thoughts I had after reading this thread, there's plenty of great ideas here!

As far as how to "store" all this stuff underwater, I use double end clips for everything and clip it to my BC. Personally, I hate the lanyards, it just gets in the way. But people want lanyards, so that's why we include them. For the snoot the mounting loop is specifically made to be big enough for a double ender, and also the color filters have a notch made big enough for a double ender. For the aperture cards I use the biggest hole in the card and put that thorough the double ender. That's also why the IR filter has the large loop on it.

I also want to address where some people are using the snoot an saying that it's not bright enough, and others saying they don't have a problem with brightness even at high apertures. The snoot was designed for macro work at close distances. The further the snoot is away, the less light that reaches the subject because it was designed for optimal efficiency for close up use. This is a common issue for people coming form other snoots, as other snoots work at a much longer distances and when they use the Backscatter snoot, they aren't close enough. As a rule you should shoot wth the biggest aperture hole possible at a closer distance rather than a smaller hole at a greater distance. The optimal distance is when you move the snoot closer until you have a very sharp clear edge to the beam, this is the brightest transmission of light. If you want a softer edge, just pull the snoot back slightly. Keep in mid if you do this on land the distance is much closer than when you are in water due to the optics. On a recent trip to Little Cayman I snooted a pike blenny at ISO 40 f36 and wasn't even at full power.

Regarding the oval aperture cards vs. the circle aperture cards, I find myself using the oval cards the most. I usually have the snoot on an angle rather than being perpendicular to the bottom. This produces somewhat of an oval shape without a card or with the circle card because of the angle. If I use the oval card I can then rotate the snoot to either eliminate the oval and turn it back to a circle, or I can turn it 90 degrees the other way and exaggerate the oval shape more. This is great for things like nudis and gobies which tend to be longer than they are wider so I can get the light just on the subject and not the surrounding area by rotating the snoot with the oval card.

Great thread and I hope this can give some answers/insight!

Jim

 

[davehicks]

New snooted MF-2 + Snoot shot from this last week.

Opalescent Nudibranch (Hermissenda crassicornis) at Seattle's Alki beach. Hundreds of these beautiful nudibranchs were perched on blades of eel grass in the shallows around 15 feet underwater.

Nikon D850 w/Nikkor 105mm lens, f18@1/250s iso160 Backscatter MF-2 strobe & Snoot + Inon 330 (fill)

 

[Searcaigh]

I haven't had any problems with the mf2, Nikon d850, 105mm, f22, 1/200, with the snoot.

I probably need to practice more