Lighting Help

[fins]

Hi folks,

I need your help with a lighting decision.

I currently have a C5050 and PT015. My plans were to slowly piece together the rest of my setup (fisheye tray, Inon Strobe and WAL).

Well, I have purchased the fisheye tray but it looks like it will be a while before I can purchase the strobe. So I was wondering.......

I've seen some setups where a AA dive light is mounted on the tray handle to assist with the autofocus of the camera. Is this worth the effort? Do you know of where I might find the proper clamps etc. to work with my fisheye?

Thanks,

 

[Dee]

Are you intending to use the dive light as a strobe replacement? If so, it won't work. You have to be careful when using a spotting/focusing light so you don't get a hot spot in your photos, especially at night. A faster shutter speed can help. So can diffusing the light. One great thing about the INON D-180 strobe is the focusing light that turns off when the flash fires.

I would mount it under the housing, directly under the lens port so you'll know what the camera will see. You can use zip-ties, rubber bands, even duct tape!

 

[ssra30]

I personally like a strobe with a built in flashlight better since I find strobe placement to be the trickiest part. When the modeling light point at the right subject, I know the strobe is aiming properly as well. I suppose putting a flash light on the strobe will work just as well. Since you are getting an Inon strobe, you already have a built in modeling light so I don't think the flashlight is very neccessary. The Oly C5050 does a pretty good job of autofocus in low light situation already. However it would be very useful for nightdive. Personally I think you can do without it until you get your strobe as the flashlight will become unnecesssary after you get the Inon strobe.

 

[Gilligan]

This is my

Use a small dive light.
Somehow connect it to your tray handle, leaving some flexibility.
Take your camera off "Full Time Auto Focus" and use the half way shutter button down method to focus.
Shine the light on the target with your left hand while holding the handle and the light at the same time.
Press the shutter half way down to focus with your right hand.
Twist/rotate the light up or down with your left hand so the beam is out of the photo.
Click the shutter the rest of the way with your right hand.

With some practice that can be done rather quickly.

 

[clementyn]

hi,

you can make a super easy DIY bracket for an ikelite PC or PCa lite with an annodized rain gutter bracket you can get at any hardware store. i mount mine on my free strobe arm. particularly usefull at night.

most people like their's mounted to their housing tho. i am sure you could modify a bracket like this to make an easy on/off mount for your light that way too.

this one was made with one rain gutter bracket, industrial (outdoor waterproof) velcro, 4 rubber plumbing washers, an eye bolt and wing nut.

have fun,
lorien

 

[fins]

Thanks everyone.

I don't intend to use the dive lite as a replacement for the strobe. I was just curious about using it as a modeling light/focusing aid until I can swing the Inon purchase. In fact part of the reason for the Inon choice is because it does have the modeling light built in.

Gilligan...a question if I may. Using the method you described, how does this effect exposure? (doesn't the exposure lock at half shutter just like the focus? ... does removing the light source before taking the picture adversely effect the exposure)

Thanks again,

 

[nwdiver2]

Another possibly is to purchase a strobe with a built in modeling light like the Ikelite DS 125. I use a pair of Ikelite 100a with my coolpix 5000 and have the two modeling lights which helps the camera focus very quickly. I found they worked better for my n90s in its housing also; any auto focus function needs lots of light.

 

[Gilligan]

I don't think it would using the internal strobe. I say this because the internal strobe fires a pre-flash prior to the main flash which determines the amount of exposure. Maybe someone more techno on this will chime in here on that.
The pre-flash on digital cameras is based on land use not underwater use so it's off anyway. This is one of Inon's marketing points. They claim their strobe intensifies the cameras pre-flash reading to compensate for water density and the fact their strobe is farther from the lens.
I use all manual camera settings so the lens aperature and shutter speed are pre-determined.