Pics just no good unless close up

[oly5050user]

See if there is a "slave" setting on the camera internal strobe..I do not have the camera here in front of me now,but there may be a setting for that.If so should have the external strobe on ttl and can have the camera on manual or apert. priority or shutter priority.May even work on program..

 

[MMM]

Yes, the 5050 has a slave setting. I've been messing around all day and get a blinding amount of light most of the time when flash is set as slave. I have set the flash to "fill in" (the jagged symbol) and then have been messing around between slave and flash/internal.

There is no similar option for the 1010. At least not that I've been able to find so far.

 

[MMM]

I wrote to Olympus and here is the answer I got. In short, I am hooped. Maybe I'll just wait for that new camera that is supposed to come out this month.

The UFL-1 is not compatible with the Stylus 1010. The Stylus 1010 is an older camera and the TTL technology used in the UFL-1 is not recognized by the 1010. Also, the 1010 has a pre-flash system that cannot be turned off, so it is impossible to properly sync the 1010 with the UFL-1.

The C-5050 also because it is an older camera does not recognize the TTL codes of the UFL-1. You will have to use the UFL-1 in manual mode. Also you need to make sure that the Flash is set to the "Slave" setting and that the Flash Mode is set to "Slow". If you are using the flash on an arm, you can also run into situations where you get the UFL-1 to far away from the camera strobe and it does not see it to be able to fire properly. You may want to consider hard wiring it with a fiber optic cable, so you are assured it fires every time. Lastly, the UFL-1 is meant to be an entry level UW strobe and it's guide number is only 14. The closer you can get to your subjects the better, which is proper technique in all UW photography. You may not be getting close enough or with a C-5050 setup you may want to step up to a more powerful flash?

These UFL-1 was introduced just about two years ago and was designed to be fully operational with our cameras from the generation going forward. It is not compatible with many of the older cameras and on the models that it is, it is not 100% functionality.

 

[Larry C]

So, with the C5050 set the camera on slave and slow and use the manual settings on the strobe. Adjust your shutter speed to get the background water color you want and adjust your aperture to get the best lighting on your subject. If you're shooting a wide shot, trying to get a blue water picture with a large reef or something, you might turn off the flash and do a manual white balance. (Set white balance to custom and press the OK button at the depth of the picture, I think.) Then adjust the color of your picture in a program like photoshop, or photoshop elements. If you shoot in camera RAW, you can set the color temperature in photoshop, etc. and add some of the red back in that is lost underwater. Look in the tips and techniques forum for lots of help with that. I strongly recommend that you add a fiberoptic cord from your housing to the sensor on the strobe. They're relatively cheap and easy to use, and will make strobe firing much more reliable. If you cover the area in front of the camera flash with black tape or exposed negative film, you'll prevent the flash from reflecting off bubbles and particles causing backscatter.

 

[under water]

Thanks Marg for posting your reply from Olympus. That will be helpful for others in the same position.
Larry pretty much summed up what your options are if you go with the 5050.

 

[MMM]

I pointed out to the Olympus guy that their website shows the flash as an accessory for the Stylus 1010 so he was going to follow up with the parent company. I imagine it's an error on the website, which was what pointed me in the wrong direction to start with.

Thank you Larry for the suggestion about the fiberoptic cord. I have no idea what kind or how to install. Maybe I'll just go and buy some complete underwater system from someone so I don't have to dick around. :blinking:

 

[slowhands]

The big selling feature by Olympus was that this particular strobe is supposed to sync to the camera's internal flash. It doesn't have a lot of switches: only TTY and M on one switch and 1/2 and full on another.

Olympus - UFL-1

So in short, I don't have either a fiber optic cable or a sync cord (assuming they are not one and the same thing). Maybe I'm missing a needed piece of equipment?

The UFL-1 is an entry level strobe. It's low powered, so only good for close ups. Here is what Olympus says:
"This underwater slave flash requires no cables and enables divers to capture stunning images even in the darkest waters. The UFL-01 is incredibly compact and light weight. It has been designed and specially customized for use with Olympus Digital cameras and Underwater Housings. Waterproof to 40 meters, this underwater flash is one of only a few that allow TTL underwater flash photography in slave mode - ideal for multiple flash applications and single flash macro shots. "

I like the C5050 and I have used it a lot with an external flash. It will still work very well today for taking great pics underwater, witness that there are many people still using it. But you have to get the settings right. These settings are a starting point that works with your UFL-1 strobe.

With your C5050, you have to:
SET the camera in Manual exposure mode so it does not pre-flash; use F4 and 1/100 exposure for starting.
SET the camera flash mode to "int + ext (picture of a flash) and SLOW1
SET the UFL-1 flash to TTL.

Why?

The flash can't handle the rapid pre-flash of the C5050, so don't use pre-flash (the only mode that does not preflash is M).

INT+EXT insures that your internal strobe will fire, but tells the camera there is an external flash.

SLOW1 is first curtain sync, you want this.

Lastly, the UFL-1 needs to be in TTL mode so it will time its own flash to match the camera's flash. The flash does not come with a fiber optic cable and you don't need one, it has a sensor that triggers when your camera flash goes off.
​

If you still have problems, post some pics of what you get, and the camera and flash settings. Something is not set quite right. If you want to get a better flash, I suggest the INON S2000, it's much better and quite compact also. Still you will have to set the camera right to get good pictures, but the INON will probably be less forgiving. In particular, it can handle preflash, so you can use the P, A, and S modes which allow easier shooting or more creativity.

For more advanced info, definitely read:
Splashdown Divers - Boynton Beach, Florida - Underwater Digital Photography - 5050 Settings - 5060 Settings

 

[MMM]

Thanks for that info, Slowhands. I will try it. Port is closed today but I am supposed to dive tomorrow. I can mess around all day today. Meanwhile, the Olympus guy sent me this correction he received from head office re: the Stylus 1010's compatibility with the Olympus flash I am using:

"I stand corrected. I just learned that the Stylus 1010 was a typo on the UFL-1 compatibility chart I was issued and is compatible with the UFL-1. It will recognize the pre-flash sequence in that camera. The reason it may not be synching is that you may have it to far away from the on-camera flash, in which case you would want to use a fiber optic cable to fire it. If the exposure is too dark you are too far away from your subject and are overshooting the flash power."

 

[Larry C]

You can get something like this 10Bar Sea & Sea F/O Sync Cord - Sync Cords - Strobes & Lighting - Optical Ocean Sales Underwater Photo - 800-359-1295! to connect the strobe to the housing, optically. The fitting goes in the little black coupling on the base of the strobe in front of the strobe mount. You can velcro the other end to the camera housing in front of the flash. I can't honestly recommend the velcro. I had one of these and the velcro kept popping off under water, as well as the stickum that held it to the housing coming loose. Better to tape or glue it in place and cover the flash to avoid backscatter.
Olympus and Sea & Sea both sell "L" type fiberoptic cables, but they're 2-3 times as much money and require a fitting on the camera housing.

 

[Puffer Fish]

As it is a Sea and Sea strobe, any S & S fiber optic cable will work, but I like what Larry suggested.

Using it without a cable only works if it is not very bright out.

I actually like the strobe a lot, if and only if you can use it in the TTL mode. It sensitivity is much better than many of the bigger strobes.

Maually, it is a terrible stobe... you have full power, half power. If you also take the defuser off, that would give you a giant total of 4 setting.

Would not be fun using either of those two camera's to adjust an over exposure, given the limited f stops, and flash sync options.



This was shot, if I remember correctly, at around 3 to 4 feet: