c5050 question(again)

[zaf88]

alright, i got my 5050 today and it is so cool i could die now. anyway, i have the pt15 and the camera now so im on the hunt for a tray and arm set. i really like the sea&sea multi stay base with the flexible light arm but i dont know if this will work with the pt 015, does anyone out there know this or have this setup? what trays do u guys use? as far as the strobes im still stuck between the 90dx and the inon 180.

 

[Bacchus]

You shouldn't have any problem with the multistay tray, but I might recommend something other than the lockline arm. It will work just fine (and relatively inexpensively, too) but I guess I still don't trust it to hold together if someone hands you your camera or lifts it out of the water by the arm itself. Also, I find that having a handle is nice. If you can put a handle on the multistay and then use the lockline then it might work pretty well. Myself, I just ordered ultralight arms to go with my PT-15. Had a custom tray made that will give me plenty of room to use the side controls on the housing.

I'm sure that whatever you choose, it will work well for you. The key is to have fun with it! YOu've got a great camera and housing, I've got the same and use the YS90DX and love it.

Steve

 

[Dee]

The S&S multistay tray will work fine with your PT-15. I use a flexible arm made out of Loc-Line segments (L&M's Infinity Arm) and it's quite sturdy. In fact I have held mine by the strobe and 'bounced' it up and down (over the bed!). I can't pull the sections apart on purpose. But I understand being leary of them. This is the second camera system I've used them with so I'm very confident it will hold. I like being able to bend them around to any angle.

I'm also a fan of the YS90DX. I prefer a manual strobe and the 12 power settings will get me the perfect output level.

 

[Bacchus]

Dee once bubbled...
In fact I have held mine by the strobe and 'bounced' it up and down (over the bed!). I can't pull the sections apart on purpose. But I understand being leary of them.

I'm sure that Dee is right, but I guess I'm just a little over cautious. I guess the more important consideration for me is to have a handle to hang on to. I'm sure that you can find a way to put a S&S handle on the multistay tray and then use the lockline. BTW if you look up lockline on the web you can find their national distributor. I purchased a couple of feet to use as extentions for pennies compared to what I would have paid through a photography shop. Same stuff, just not through a specialty store! Also you can get it in different colors. I'll try to find the name of the company again and post it here. Gee, here I am talking myself back into lockline

And Dee....bounce away!

Steve

 

[Dee]

Bacchus once bubbled...
And Dee....bounce away!
Steve

Gee...I knew that didn't come out right! I just meant that I tested it to see how much weight the Loc-Line sections would hold and I couldn't get them to let go no matter what I did.

By having a handle, do you mean to carry the rig by? If you fold the strobe(s) over the top of the camera, you can carry it by holding it at the base of the arm. When I had dual strobes, with both strobes bent over it formed a handle like a picnic basket which was very handy.

FYI...I've got two links for Loc-Line....Loc-Line 1 Loc-Line 2

 

[Bacchus]

Dee once bubbled...
By having a handle, do you mean to carry the rig by? If you fold the strobe(s) over the top of the camera, you can carry it by holding it at the base of the arm. When I had dual strobes, with both strobes bent over it formed a handle like a picnic basket which was very handy.

Actually, I like to have a handle (like on your fisheye) to hang on to underwater. As far as out of the water it's certainly handy too. Using the lockline as a handle isn't as stable or comfortable as I would like above or below the water.

Now bouncing around on the bed with it....I really haven't tried!

 

[Dee]

Yeah...another thing I like about the Fish Eye tray is the handle. I agree I prefer a handle to just the Loc-line but if it comes down to one or the other, Loc-line wins.

 

[TedJ]

I also like a handle so I've adapted an Aquatica tray and dovetail handle with a polycarbonate base plate to hold the PT-015. In addition, it has a flip tray. Haven't had it in the water yet but I'm hopeful. Will work with all TLC arms.

 

[Bacchus]

I had Ron at Digitaldiver fabricate a tray for me. The handle, with dovetail for ULCS arms, angles back a few degrees. It seems easier to position that way. There is a drop down on the right side for another set of arms, which I won't be using, so I'll take it off for now. One addition to the tray is a bracket for a spotting light. It can be placed anywhere underneath the camera. The tray also has slots for the PT-15 to "sit" in so that there is no movement. (A problem that I had with my PT-10 and multistay tray. I just picket up a laser that I plan to mount (probably rubber band) to my YS90DX to help with aiming. We'll see how it works!

 

[Dee]

Ron has my FE tray now, making my bracket for a spotting light. I wish I could think of a reason to have him make a new tray . I think he may have a new career!