Focus light

[ReyeR]

I'm in the process of 're-thinking' my focus light setup and would just like people's thoughts/ideas/experiences on this:

1. Do you use a focus light with your AF camera?
2. If so, what light do you use (torch make/model/built-in to strobe)
3. If not built-in to the strobe how do you mount it?
4. Do you find it bright enough, not bright enough, too bright it scares the fishies away?
5. There was a discussion about using a red filter in front of the focus light, does any one use one?

 

[cdiver2]

I use a focus light from sea & sea that sits in top of the housing and comes on as soon I start to depress the shutter button. Yes sometimes it will frighten fish. Never used a red filter in front of it.

 

[Dee]

Now that I have the D-180, I use the built-in focus light on it. After only one dive trip to 'good' water, I can only say I've been satisfied so far and I didn't notice that it scared the fish.

Until now, I have used a small Princeton Tec light (4 AA) which I lined the reflector cup with crumped foil. It diffuses and diminished the light so as not to cause a hot spot. Bright enough to see and focus by, dim enough not to scare the fish. I used this for several years. Just before I bought the D-180, and probably what Beast will use is a small Princeton Tec LED light. A soft white light that also has no hot spot.

Both of these small lights were used with the YS90DX and I strapped them to the strobe with strips of velcro....sometimes even duct tape!

I never got around to testing the red tape I had for over the lens underwater but topside, shooting stuff at night in the yard, it was pretty neat!

 

[ReyeR]

When I ordered the Ike DS125 one of the things that seem like a good feature was the built-in light. I thought it would (to start with):
- help aim the strobe and
- provide a focus light
The fact that it was bright enough to be a night diving light was a bonus.

But now I find that to minimise backscatter I rarely aim the strobe directly at the subject any more. Which basically means I've lost my focus light. Hence the re-think about it.

 

[justleesa]

Hey! what happend to the crab? (not that the new one isn't nice.....)

 

[Kim]

I'm a bit confused - I don't have my manual here but I thought the C-5050 used an infra-red focus light built into the camera - or is that getting totally drowned out U/W? As I don't use auto focus - I preset ranges with depth of field - I'm not too sure though.

 

[ReyeR]

Hey! what happend to the crab? (not that the new one isn't nice.....)

Couldn't resist putting the pigmy as my avatar. We saw this little bugger at Mabul, Malaysia (actually my buddy found it). Couldn't have been more than 2cms long and so well camoflaged.

If you can't see the image please click the thumbnail below:

 

[ReyeR]

I'm a bit confused - I don't have my manual here but I thought the C-5050 used an infra-red focus light built into the camera - or is that getting totally drowned out U/W? As I don't use auto focus - I preset ranges with depth of field - I'm not too sure though.

Yes there is a focus light built into the camera but it's not much use underwater....

 

[Kim]

Yes there is a focus light built into the camera but it's not much use underwater....

Really? Theoretically it should work up to about 2 meters - Red and Ultraviolet are absorbed at 5 meters. Anything longer than 2 meters shouldn't be a problem as the depth of field from 2 meters to infinity is quite easy to get at F8 or even F5. Focusing and depth of field become problematic the closer you get - especially macro work - but then I would have thought the infra-red would handle it. It IS however why I use fixed focus lengths X F stop settings in My Mode (it also speeds the shutter delay up as the camera doesn't have to auto-focus). I could have a completely wrong take on this - these are just my 'thoughts' ! (which is what you originally asked for!!)

One last thought - how does the C-5050 auto focus if you are not using a strobe and just the internal flash? It can't be on the pre-flash - there's not enough time in between the pre and main for the camera to focus?!

 

[chippy]

Reye

I've been looking at them too. I also use DS125's and have the same problem. If you use the diffuser it softens the modelling light so much it's more or less worthless as a focussing aid.

Light & Motion do a sexy (and hugely expensive $300) rechargable focussing light that has variable power settings, and mounts using a locline type arm. I believe they are on wetpixel (i'll take a look in a mo and paste the link)

The other option for me (with an Aquatica housing), is to buy a dovetail hotshoe block, a dovetail ball mount, a clamp, a short ball arm segment, another clamp, and then a balled torch mount, then the torch!!!! Ridiculous really and almost $200!!! :11:

I haven't really had too much in the way of lens hunting problems when using a F2.8 lens, like the 105mm, despite "my" water being green and gloomy, but I reckon that when I get the 70-180mm F4-5.6 in the water a focussing light will almost be mandatory.

For me, the light and motion is looking like the best option at the moment!