backscatter

[buff]

I have rented a Sea and Sea MX10 and all of my photos had so much backscatter in them. I was thinking about getting a Sealife Reefmaster MAXX-I thought the double strobes and their distance from the camera would help reduce backscatter. Am I right????


thanks
Mike

 

[Dee]

The MX-10 produces backscatter because the strobe is fixed. The flash reflects off the particles in the water and directly back into the camera.

If your MX-10 has a tripod hole on the bottom of the camera, most newer ones do, you can mount it onto a single base plate and use a Sea & Sea or Ikelite (among others) strobe on a moveable strobe arm. This will eliminate the backscatter and keep you from having to buy another camera system.

HTH
Dee

 

[buff]

Thanks Dee.....now how do I take photos like yours??

 

[herman]

Hi Buff,

Were you using a F-stop setting that also used the internal strobe (in addition to the external one)? If so, that will add to the back scatter problem.
Dee, does someone make a flash deflector for the MX-10? I am assuming that you are talking about slaving off it. If so, would the internal flash not cause the same problems with a different external strobe (not the YS-40) unless you shade to internal flash some how?

 

[blacknet]

Hello,

some of the BEST methods i've seen to remove back scatter is:

a) hold the strobe at a 45° angle from the subject
b) shoot closer to the subject in cleaner water
c) drum scan the photo and touch it up digitaly and reprint the negative/positive
d) have the photo retouched to remove the backscatter, IF it's not seriously bad.
e) go ambient! and direct the natural light at a 45° or 180° angle

If you have a fixed strobe and you can't disable it (turn it off) then you can tape it

Ed

 

[Greg G.]

Yes and no (mostly yes). Backscatter is a result of the flash lighting up the area between the subject and the lens, any particles floating in the water in that space will show up as backscatter. An external strobe will help eliminate or at least reduce it, but not always. If the strobe is aimed wrong, you can still get backscatter. Also, get a macro kit for your camera. If the vis is such that you know you will have difficulty eliminating backscatter, try just taking macro shots, I've gotten better results that way.

Originally posted by buff
I have rented a Sea and Sea MX10 and all of my photos had so much backscatter in them. I was thinking about getting a Sealife Reefmaster MAXX-I thought the double strobes and their distance from the camera would help reduce backscatter. Am I right????


thanks
Mike

 

[blacknet]

Hello,

Well technicaly backscatter is particles in the water that's OUT OF FOCUS, i.e. to close to the camera that they can not be in focus. I.e. your close focus is 2' and it's the particles from 0" to 2' that are out of focus and show the diopter of the appature in the lens

I have found with my 20-35 lens I get less than all others.

Ed