Olympus 7070 focusing

[bromley]

I have an Olympus 7070 in an Ikelite housing with a dome port and DS125 strobe. It gives great pictures with good ambient lighting but takes a long time to focus with low light levels. The modeling light in the DS125 does not appear to help much.

Any suggestions for improving this situation would be welcome.

 

[maynard.hogg]

I have the same problem—plus limited vision—so I bought a Fisheye spotter light (http://flickr.com/photos/maynard/489438190/), eight LEDs that shut off when the flash fires.

 

[fairybasslet]

Hmm. I would think that the modeling light would help. I have a 7070 and have the same problem and people kept telling me to buy one and it would help. I haven't had the $ yet. Maybe I'll save it and buy a new system.

 

[AndyT]

A decent modeling light definitely helps - I use a Fisheye HG20DX.
Here's a comparison of some focus lights http://www.reefphoto.com/frame.gen.php?content=focus.summary

 

[fairybasslet]

Thanks Andrew. I was just at Reef Photo last week. I broke my housing and they fixed it while I waited. Saved my trip to Jupiter. What light would you recommend?

 

[AndyT]

I have tried various torches with diffusers, bought a Fantasea 44 LED light and nothing beats the FisheyeHG20DX. The issue I had with the Fantasea is that it is OK on night dives and darker places, but it doesn't overide daylight at depth. The 7070 needs all the help it can get in low light conditions.

 

[maynard.hogg]

I would think that the modeling light would help.... I haven't had the $ yet. Maybe I'll save it and buy a new system.

What I really wanted was a new external strobe with the light built in, but that would cost far too much.

Then again, changing strobes would have eliminated the hassles of using a separate light. The gizmo for attaching to my housing cost almost as much as the light. It also means adjusting two units instead of one.

 

[fairybasslet]

I have tried various torches with diffusers, bought a Fantasea 44 LED light and nothing beats the FisheyeHG20DX. The issue I had with the Fantasea is that it is OK on night dives and darker places, but it doesn't overide daylight at depth. The 7070 needs all the help it can get in low light conditions.

Do you use the Oly housing? Does it fit on the Oly housing?

 

[AndyT]

Yup I'm using the PT-027. I have the light mounted on a locline arm attached to a tray. Perhaps there is a way of attaching it to the accessory fitting on the housing - hopefully someone else can jump in here ?

One more thing about the Fisheye - the 20W bulb doesn't have such a long life , there is a 10W one available which apparently lasts much longer.

 

[maynard.hogg]

so I bought a Fisheye spotter light (http://flickr.com/photos/maynard/489438190/), eight LEDs that shut off when the flash fires.

The gizmo (blue in the photo) for attaching the Fisheye to the slot on top of the PT-026 housing cost almost as much as the light!