Canon G10 with 2 strobes

[scubadds49]

I have a Canon G10 in a Fisheye housing with a Sea&Sea YS-110a TTL strobe. I would like to add a second strobe to this setup. I would like to use my Epoque ES-230DS strobe and the 2nd strobe. I realize I will not be able to use the TTL function of YS-110a and will have to shoot both strobes in the manual mode. Any suggestions for camera and strobe settings to start with. Also I would like suggestions on strobe angulation-eg. both strobes pointed slightly away from the subject. Thanks for your input! Steve

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

I use a similar setup (G10, Fisheye housing, dual YS-110a strobes). I use dual optical cables, and the first thing I found out is that the optical cable attachment that comes with the Fisheye housing is too offset from the flash, and produced intermittent problems with the strobe connected to the outermost cable not firing. I fixed that problem by making my own attachment that put the cable ends more directly over the strobe.

I also have a Big Blue focus light ... which I have found immensely helpful, especially with macro shots.

For settings ... and keeping in mind that I'm using it primarily in the dark, murky waters of Puget Sound ... I use the following:

ISO = 100
Shutter = 100
Aperture = 5.6
Focus = Spot

I use these settings as a starting point, and usually keep the setting so that I can use the radial knob to adjust aperture as needed.

As for strobes, I find I get less backscatter if I can point my strobes slightly behind the subject ... but that doesn't always work because it sometimes leaves harsh shadows in the foreground. I'll start there, and as needed will move one strobe more to the front of the subject to reduce shadows.

I'm open to other ideas, since I'm pretty new at strobology and am learning by just playing around and taking lots of pictures.

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[Puffer Fish]

I have two ys110 (which are not as trigger sensitive as the YS110a's are)..and there are a huge number of ways to make the system work well.

I mostly use the strobes set very wide, almost level with camera (to avoid the shadow issue) and pointed at a spot behind where my focus plane is.

Setting wise, I start with using ISO 80, 1/60 second and use auto.

Most of the time, if you get the viewing angle correct, you get a nice exposure:

However, in clear water, shallow water the background will be too light...likewise, with fast moving things, they tend to be blurred... so I have shutter priority setup with 1/500 (for starters) and Aperture priority setup with F8 (or you can put the neutral density filter in).

Too much outside light looks like this:

If you want the background darker, just do the F stop or shutter adjustment.

The second strobe can be set as a fill flash and the main used on auto...just remember to adjust the fill flash with distance.

Here is a darker background image (using 1/500 due to the fish moving so fast).

i Have far more "mistakes" from using the wrong settings, so if someone ever wants to know everything one can do wrong.. just ask.