Newb G12 & Strobe

[bmorescuba]

For many years now, I have been shooting with a humble Canon SD1100 & WP-DC22 housing (no strobe). Through heavy photoshop post processing, I've managed to achieve some halfway decent snapshots. But now that my diving has progressed a little beyond total novice, I'm ready to try and step up my photography. So I've put together a system from buying used components:

Canon G12, WP-DC34 Housing, Fantasea BigEye Wet WA Lens, Sea & Sea YS-110a Strobe, iDas arms, Fiber Optic Trigger Cable

This is obviously a big step up. I've verified everything works and familiarized myself with the G12 on land. I have some pool time booked before an upcoming trip to Bonaire (my first time to Bonaire, so excited). I plan to just make sure everything works in the pool. I want to have a simple strategy when I get to Bonaire. The number of configurable parameters with this new setup is somewhat overwhelming. I have made my way through Martin Edge's Underwater Photographer book, and I've scoured guides like this, but I still have some very basic questions:

Should I just give up on TTL altogether? All the guides recommend manual strobe settings - take a shot, adjust, another shot. From readings, it's my understanding that in M, Av, or Tv the G12 can't do TTL with the 110a anyway. I was hoping I could do some P/TTL to minimize the amount of stuff I have to remember at first.

Should I shoot with and without the BigEye (it came with the G12 I bought)? And why does the BigEye say to always set the G12 in Macro mode? This doesn't make sense to me if it's not a macro shot. I know opinions on the utility of the BigEye are varied...

Some things are very clear to me. I'm excited to be able to shoot in RAW, to be able to review Histograms, and to use a strobe. But the specifics of the interaction between the YS-110a, the G12 modes, and the BigEye remain unclear. Any advice is welcome. Thanks

 

[asha]

Congratulations on your new purchase! I think you'll love it. I went from an SD1100 to an s90 a couple years ago and it's improved my photos dramatically. I'll take a stab at your questions...I haven't ever used TTL (my camera doesn't support it) but I think you'll actually get the hang of manual strobe settings pretty quickly. I take a few test shots at the beginning of my dive to make sure my strobe power is set appropriately, and then basically don't mess with it unless I change my aperture or if the ambient light changes dramatically.Regarding the BigEye: Also never used this, but in general, wide angle lenses are great! They really help in a lot of situations. Perhaps their most productive use is in that they allow you to get much closer to your subject (thereby minimizing light falloff from your strobe) while still fitting it in the frame. Try shooting a coral head or something both with and without it. Using the wide-angle, you'll be able to get much more color in your photo (because you can get closer), as well as possibly fitting "snell's window" or a sunburst into your composition.With the caveat that my understanding of optics is very limited, I have been told in the past that one should always use macro mode when shooting behind curved glass (dome port, fisheye wet lens, etc.) because the camera is focusing not on the actual subject, but on a "virtual image" of the subject that reflects in the glass. Hope that helps!Ashley

 

[Interceptor121]

As far as I know the G12 can use TTL on Tv and Av but not on manual unless you use CHDK
With CHDK you can also set aperture, shutter speed, iso and use TTL

Should I just give up on TTL altogether? All the guides recommend manual strobe settings - take a shot, adjust, another shot. From readings, it's my understanding that in M, Av, or Tv the G12 can't do TTL with the 110a anyway. I was hoping I could do some P/TTL to minimize the amount of stuff I have to remember at first.

 

[Mullet Spearer]

When are you going to Bonaire. First time for us too. 4/21-4/27. I have a G-10, Ikelike Case and Ikelite DS 51 and a DS 160. Very satisfied.

 

[bmorescuba]

April 14th-21st - A shame I'll just miss you. Going with my LDS. Really psyched - the trip leader claims 5-6 dives a day are possible. And for someone who gets seasick - no boats!

Thanks to everyone for replying.

 

[Hawkwood]

bmorescuba,

I use a G7 with essentially a similar set up. I also use the Canon housing. I use a manual controller for the flash (DS51), and adjust the power of the flash as needed to control exposure.

I have had great results with the BigEye - yes, you have to set the camera to macro in order to use the BigEye. That is just the way it is. If you do not set the camera to macro, the photos will be blurred.

I set up the C1 and C2 with the common settings I will use.

The attached photos were taken with the BigEye.

 

[acooper]

I shoot a G11 and a YS110 strobe, a Canon Case and an Ultralight tray/arms. I have never had much luck with TTL, not that I have given up, it is just that I have found it much more reliable to use manual when it counts. After a couple dives you will know pretty much where to set the flash power for a given shot based on range to subject.

Hawkwood is right, experiment on land to learn the camera and flash combo. Save the setup into one of the custom memories and you will be ready to go with one setting when you hit the water. My default is ISO 80, Av f/8, strobe white balance, and raw. Set the display to show the histogram in the review mode so you can accurately evaluate the exposure before shooting again.

 

[Hawkwood]

.....Set the display to show the histogram in the review mode so you can accurately evaluate the exposure before shooting again.

That is a very good point and one that I was taught in my photography course.

My vision is pretty bad, I use progressives, but in my mask I just have basic correction. As such, I rely on having as much info on the screen a possible. I rely on the grid for composition, the histogram for exposure, and the autofocus indicator light to show me things are okay focus wise.

I have just upgraded to the G12 with the Canon housing, but have not had it in the water yet.

 

[bmorescuba]

Thanks for sharing your pictures Hawkwood, and I enjoyed looking at DarkerView, acooper. The macro possibilities of the G12 have me very excited! I booked a pool session with my LDS - they doing an intro course and I'm just gonna hang out in the deep end, test everything, and familiarize myself with the strobe settings. Sounds like manual is the way to go, but that it's not too hard to get the hang of it.

 

[PatW]

The knock against TTL is that it can put you into inappropriate shutter speeds or apetures without you knowing about it. Also TTL does not KNOW what your intentions are for the photo. If the critical part of your photo is properly exposed, the TTL does not know that.

That being said, you can use TTL and check it every so often to be sure that it isn't going off the rails. I would tend to set the F stop and check periodically to be sure that the camera is not putting me into a long shutter exposure.