MX5II Camera

[andrea31419]

Hi all, new to this board...referred here by SeaJay out of Beaufort S.C. I'm new to underwater photography, I have a MX5II with the closeup lense and will be purchasing the strobe attachment. Does anyone have any experience with this camera, and can you give me a few pointers for good photos.

Thx.

Andrea
Savannah Scuba

 

[Dee]

Andrea,

Before you spend more money on the MX-5, ask yourself what quality of pictures you want to get from it. One of the major weaknesses of the MX-5 camera system is the strobe is very near the lens in a fixed position, basically acting like an internal flash. Even though it can be disconnected, it can't be repositioned, and will cause excessive backscatter. As I was telling Peter in another thread, the reason the internal flash produces the most backscatter is it send light straight out and it is then reflected straight back to the lens. Every little particle in the water between you and your subject will be highlighted and VOILA!....backscatter! This is something that cannot be changed with the MX-5.

I don't know how much money you have to/want to spend but you might want to think about an entry level digital camera such as the Canon Elph SuperShot S-30 or 40 series. The camera and housings for them are very reasonably priced.

As for better pictures with the MX-5 all I can suggest is to stay close, reduce the water between you and your subject. By close I mean within 3ft. Anything past that, unless you are in extremely clear water, will have backscatter. But if that doesn't bother you, go for it!

Here's something that's helpful to all photographers...10 Commandments for U/W Photographers

 

[andrea31419]

With the strobe attachment for the MX5II, do you know if you can use it while it is detached from the camera, or would it have to be attached. In my reading, the farther away the strobe, the better and clearer and less backscatter will be in the photo.

A.

 

[Dee]

I don't know about the MX-5 strobe, but the YS-40A strobe for the MX-10 has in infra red light that lines up when the strobe is attached to the camera. GB Undersea has develped an extension that allows you to put the camera and strobe on a standard tray and strob arm and use it like any other camera system. But I do NOT know if the MX-Tender works on the MX-5. I'll ask Greg and get back with you on that.

 

[andrea31419]

Thanks Dee, I'll be looking forward to your reply.

Andrea

 

[andrea31419]

Dee, following is a reply that I received from the manufacturer of the MXTender that you spoke of, the link which your provided. If I choose to go this route, using the MXTender with the MX5II, I'll let you know how it works.

Thanks for your help.

Andrea
***************

Dear Andrea,

Thank you for your email, and your question. Although I have not tested the MXTENDER with the MX-5II, I am almost certain it would work. From the looks of the MX-5II, it uses the same mount as the MX-10, which makes sense since it would allow Sea&Sea to use the YS-40's injection molds to manufacture the YS-20 strobe, saving them the huge cost of a new mold.

Naturally, I'd want to test it thoroughly, but I indeed think it would work fine.

Let me say that if you don't own a camera, I do NOT advise you to buy an MXTENDER and MX-5II. You could apply the $199.95 cost of the MXTENDER, plus that of the MX-5II and strobe, toward a better camera system. There are many choices available in the approximate price range of an MX-5II/YS-20 with MXTENDER, including digital systems.

If, however, you already own an MX-5II and are looking to solve its backscatter problem, then the MXTENDER may be a good choice for you. The alternative would be to sell the MX-5II, absorbing the loss you'd take, then step up to a higher system. It all comes down to your needs, wants, and finances.

Let me know if I may be of further assistance.

Most sincerely yours,

Greg Bunch
info@gbundersea.com
http://www.gbundersea.com

 

[gbundersea]

Dear Andrea,

I just saw your post, and now understand that you already own the MX-5II.

Honestly, I do not advise you to buy an MXTENDER and strobe. First, you'll have to spend $180.00 for the strobe (Leisure-Pro's price.) However, I think you'd be unhappy due to backscatter, so with the cost of the MXTENDER, you'd have spent almost $400.00 for add-ons. That's a lot to invest in a fixed-focus point-and-shoot.

As it stands now, you don't have all that much invested in the camera. You could sell the MX-5II, absorbing the not-too-bad loss you'd take, then step up to a higher system. The money you'd spend on the MXTENDER and strobe would be more wisely spent toward the purchase of a more capable camera. There are many choices available in this approximate price range, including digital systems. One of these would almost certainly serve you much better.

 

[andrea31419]

What if I went ahead and purchased the MX10, would that be a good choice?

Andrea

 

[andrea31419]

Approximately, what would the MX10 with it's strobe attachment cost?

Andrea

 

[gbundersea]

The short answer on the MX-10 is:

Pros: Better camera, variable aperture, more add-on lenses.
Cons: SAME backscatter issue. The strobes on these cameras are simply too close to the lens.

You'd probably still be disappointed with the backscatter you'd get, and would likely end up having to add an MXTENDER anyway.

Besides the digital alternatives, I saw that LP has the Motormarine II-EX with YS-60 kit on sale right now for $649.95. The difference isn't much, and you get a LOT more for the money.