gummybun
Contributor
Underwater Photography or DIY - I'm not sure, so here is my DIY Snoot
It is composed of a 2-part Canister (Cap and Tube) an Attachment Clip System, and a set of Fibre Optic Armatures. This is my first Snoot (as well as my first Strobe). The Snoot is made specifically for the Inon Z330 Strobe. I would like to move to a universal fitting but I am not there yet!
I made it last year, after receiving my new Strobe in the post (thank you Threshers NY!) It was a last minute delivery as the entire continent seemed on back order! I had a couple of weeks before leaving for the Philippines, and I could not find a compatible unit for my strobe that had features I felt I needed, so I built this. The critical feature was being able to use the focus light for aiming an active Fiber Optic Arm. This allowed me to get reasonable results on my first use - well almost.
What I made is this,
1- A fully (in water) de-mountable Snoot casing to fit the Inon Z330.
2- This device attaches over top of the Z330 rotating cap and over diffuser caps - so nothing else needs to be done underwater to transfer from one use to another.
3- This device can mount 1 to 4 Fiber Optic or rigid tubular arm/s and can be changed underwater.
4- 2 of 4 ports are centered on each flash element.
5- 1 port is ‘ambient’.
6- 1 port (3/4”) is ‘oblique’ collector across the focus light and the bottom flash. This allows for the focus light aiming and simultaneous firing of the strobe.
7- The snoot is comprised of a Cap, a Tube, and Clip Assemblies as well as Fiber Optic Arms.
8- The Cap can be Modified to suit variants. The Tube is Strobe specific.
9- The Tube and Cap are separated by a Baffle Gap to allow fresh water exchange during use. This allows water cooling of strobe dome - according to INON this is needed.
10- The Fiber Optic arms are the type using LocTite links with screw mount both ends.
11- The Fiber Optic is ‘fashioned’ to stay fast inside the tube so as not extend backward into the strobe lens or forward towards the subject. This allows for glass like finish both ends and predictable light transfer. This required a bit of a ‘trick’ to accomplish.
12- 3 tubes are 1/2” one is 3/4” (In the future I would do 2 x 1/2” and 2 x 3/4”)
The build took some 'old school' time as I did not have a 3D scan of the Strobe and contrary to what appears to be a regular casing at first glance - it is not. And also fitting over the rotating cap was a royal pain! During the process, while I was still figuring out how snoots actually work (yes, I really didn’t have a full grasp) I thought to myself, ‘wait, what am I doing, why don’t I just use a tiny flash, each with a single snout - as needed?’ Well my hat goes off to Backscatter for their new Mini Snoot package - it really is the answer to where snoots can be going - very nice product! Very Smart! But their product came out 6 months after my return to Canada! That said, mine does its' thing too, I can create mutable lighting spots with the one unit, as well this year I am planning to try a back lighting Fiber Arm (so all was not a loss).
If there is interest I can go into more detail, but I am a week or two away from our trip down to Roatan and I still need to make my 24” arm still so I will keep it short for now. Here are some of my first tries. I usually used 2 arms and did not try to do the 'spotlight' thing as that is not really me thing - also I doubt I am good enough!
I hope that some of you find this process interesting and maybe of value to your own pursuits. It is certainly easier and usually cheaper to buy a product - but building this gave me insights I would never have had. I absolutely love using the snoot. It (as well as the strobe) has given me control I was never able to find using a Video Light only. I am super excited again looking forward to underwater photography. Finally I should add that using a snoot requires you to be extra vigilant as a photographer as you tend to spend more time in close quarters with your subject - and that is always too close. I contend that a well designed snoot, that allows the photographer a more direct and 'easy' mechanism to find and 'profile' the subject is a win-win, and I hope to think this little project does that. Thanks for getting through all the text!
It is composed of a 2-part Canister (Cap and Tube) an Attachment Clip System, and a set of Fibre Optic Armatures. This is my first Snoot (as well as my first Strobe). The Snoot is made specifically for the Inon Z330 Strobe. I would like to move to a universal fitting but I am not there yet!
I made it last year, after receiving my new Strobe in the post (thank you Threshers NY!) It was a last minute delivery as the entire continent seemed on back order! I had a couple of weeks before leaving for the Philippines, and I could not find a compatible unit for my strobe that had features I felt I needed, so I built this. The critical feature was being able to use the focus light for aiming an active Fiber Optic Arm. This allowed me to get reasonable results on my first use - well almost.
What I made is this,
1- A fully (in water) de-mountable Snoot casing to fit the Inon Z330.
2- This device attaches over top of the Z330 rotating cap and over diffuser caps - so nothing else needs to be done underwater to transfer from one use to another.
3- This device can mount 1 to 4 Fiber Optic or rigid tubular arm/s and can be changed underwater.
4- 2 of 4 ports are centered on each flash element.
5- 1 port is ‘ambient’.
6- 1 port (3/4”) is ‘oblique’ collector across the focus light and the bottom flash. This allows for the focus light aiming and simultaneous firing of the strobe.
7- The snoot is comprised of a Cap, a Tube, and Clip Assemblies as well as Fiber Optic Arms.
8- The Cap can be Modified to suit variants. The Tube is Strobe specific.
9- The Tube and Cap are separated by a Baffle Gap to allow fresh water exchange during use. This allows water cooling of strobe dome - according to INON this is needed.
10- The Fiber Optic arms are the type using LocTite links with screw mount both ends.
11- The Fiber Optic is ‘fashioned’ to stay fast inside the tube so as not extend backward into the strobe lens or forward towards the subject. This allows for glass like finish both ends and predictable light transfer. This required a bit of a ‘trick’ to accomplish.
12- 3 tubes are 1/2” one is 3/4” (In the future I would do 2 x 1/2” and 2 x 3/4”)
The build took some 'old school' time as I did not have a 3D scan of the Strobe and contrary to what appears to be a regular casing at first glance - it is not. And also fitting over the rotating cap was a royal pain! During the process, while I was still figuring out how snoots actually work (yes, I really didn’t have a full grasp) I thought to myself, ‘wait, what am I doing, why don’t I just use a tiny flash, each with a single snout - as needed?’ Well my hat goes off to Backscatter for their new Mini Snoot package - it really is the answer to where snoots can be going - very nice product! Very Smart! But their product came out 6 months after my return to Canada! That said, mine does its' thing too, I can create mutable lighting spots with the one unit, as well this year I am planning to try a back lighting Fiber Arm (so all was not a loss).
If there is interest I can go into more detail, but I am a week or two away from our trip down to Roatan and I still need to make my 24” arm still so I will keep it short for now. Here are some of my first tries. I usually used 2 arms and did not try to do the 'spotlight' thing as that is not really me thing - also I doubt I am good enough!
I hope that some of you find this process interesting and maybe of value to your own pursuits. It is certainly easier and usually cheaper to buy a product - but building this gave me insights I would never have had. I absolutely love using the snoot. It (as well as the strobe) has given me control I was never able to find using a Video Light only. I am super excited again looking forward to underwater photography. Finally I should add that using a snoot requires you to be extra vigilant as a photographer as you tend to spend more time in close quarters with your subject - and that is always too close. I contend that a well designed snoot, that allows the photographer a more direct and 'easy' mechanism to find and 'profile' the subject is a win-win, and I hope to think this little project does that. Thanks for getting through all the text!
