Mounting Video and Strobes

[jmottle]

This week I'm pulling the trigger and upgrading my underwater “rig” from a SeaLife with iPhone to a Nauticam Housing with a Nikon Z8. I am an avid photographer on land, so thought it was time to get the same quality underwater.

Looking for some advice on strobes and video lights. Considering Retra Flash Pro Max or Sea & Sea YS-D3 DUO for the strobes and probably Kraken Video lights. Something like the Hydra 12,000. Debating whether I should mount the strobes and video lights to each arm, or getting a single brighter light mounted to the center/top of the housing. I shoot probably 80% photo and 20% video. Have read that center mounted is likely to amplify backscatter. Thoughts and advice regarding selection and usability?

Attached a photo of the dual mounting I am describing.

 

[TostitoBandito]

Yeah certainly if you're going to be doing video at night, in cold water or poor vis, or a lot of macro in nooks and crannies you will absolutely want lights. I think it mostly depends on what type of video that ~20% for the OP is going to be.

 

[Nemrod]

What the others said, no video, photos only, do one thing and try to do that one thing well. Looking at videos for me of nudis or some sort of whatever kinda fish is like scratching a chalkboard with fingernails, just will not do it or look at them. Second the statement about S&S/YS making good door stops.

Good luck with the new outfit, hope you love it.

 

[icarusaxu]

I think you do sometimes need to pick your poison re: stills vs video. Either you are carrying 2 x the amount of lights, or trying to bump the ISO to get that shot in sub par lighting conditions. I just went with stills and got Z330 mk2 strobes. I can go real wide angle easily enough and the images come out clean, where as it would be a struggle with any kind of video lights that I'm aware of.