How many use a focus light?

[ScubaSteve]

I have spare Ike batteries for my Strobe so I always have a charged one close by. Typically though, I will only do one night dive in a night, so all tends to be good. I will use my Ike PCa primary light all the way out until I am prepared to start shooting, at which point I will switch on my strobe modelling light and use that as my primary. If I want to see something farther away, I will use my Ike PCa. I have never had a problem with my strobe battery dying on a 1+ hour night dive.

I personally have decided that until I get a much more elaborate system, I am going to use that "Focus light" money on other things like my new(ish) XSi and lenses (topside only).

What Steve said!

I was just going to post that the DS125 and higher Ikelite models all have built in focus/modeling lights. I generally leave it off on day dives for the most part, but it's also a modeling light, and comes in handy for strobe placement as well.

At night these can act as a primary light. You will burn through the battery faster leaving it on however. A dedicated focus light will generally be brighter vs. the light on the DS125, but a good focus light can run $450, so those shooting Ike strobes would need to decide as to if the additional expense is cost justified.

 

[HudsonX]

I bought a Aquako Dokany 9 PLUS Light for video recording before.
And I use it as my focus light now..

 

[hammerhead man]

As with DS-125, the Sea&Sea YS-110 also has a built in focus light and I use that on night dives. It is also bright enought that I also use it as my dive light during the dive (although I always carry an another dive light with me in case the strobe focus light fails).

Regards,

Bill

 

[GrumpyOldGuy]

I have a better chance of getting a decent picture if I can see what I am shooting. Maybe it my old eyes or the tiny screen on my p&s, but the focus light helps - a lot! The cost was low, about $50 from Jack including a short arm. Well worth it for me.

 

[MauiScubaSteve]

I have a better chance of getting a decent picture if I can see what I am shooting. Maybe it my old eyes or the tiny screen on my p&s, but the focus light helps - a lot! The cost was low, about $50 from Jack including a short arm. Well worth it for me.

Sounds like you are using a focus light as a modeling light.

 

[GrumpyOldGuy]

Sounds like you are using a focus light as a modeling light. [/quote

Technically you are correct. I am not really sure about the actual differences in modeling lights vs focus lights when considering the lower cost hardware. The one I have is advertised as a "modeling focus light".

However this sems like an excercise in semantics since the original question was "do you use a focus light?". I think my point remains, for old farts with bad eyes using P&S cameras with tiny screens, the extra light helps.

 

[Larry C]

I think my point remains, for old farts with bad eyes using P&S cameras with tiny screens, the extra light helps.

I'll second that. Even with my weak contacts in and a little focus/modeling light I still can't be sure of focus on that stinkin' little 2" screen, especially when there's surge and the picture keeps going in and out of focus due to camera movement and crap in the water fooling the camera. I just take as many shots as I can and hope a few come out. Lately, I use manual focus pretty much exclusively on supermacro stuff, and I just go by the distance setting and try to frame the pictures from slightly farther to slightly closer. The little light does help though. If it's way off, I can tell.

 

[JackConnick]

I have a new mount for my S-Tray that is a short arm that screws on perpendicular on the underside of the grip. You can add a clamp and whatever arm you like to fit your lights on it. Testing has shown that a longer 6" arm allows it to be positioned above the lens port. I think it will be about $15. It only fits my S-Tray and the equivalent fisheye trays though.

It will be hitting the website fairly soon.

Jack