Shooting closeup in holes with G10 and D125 strobes?

[WOODMAN]

I have been wrestling with my G10 in it's ikelite housing with dual D125 strobes to get decent macro work, and have found particular problems trying to get a decent shot of something small which is sitting back a few inches in a depression or hole, like a hole in the side of a wreck. Any suggestions? I usually use TTL metering with the ikelite strobes, but perhaps this is not the best in this situation? Woody

 

[BHB ScubaTroll]

For many things macro, I use a focus light, no strobe and change settings to normal daylight settings. This has worked very well for most macro shots.

 

[HerraduraDivers]

This is a common and difficoult problem, as the camera exposes the whole image,
so small things in the background may be underexposed.
I am not sure if strobe exposure changes if the metering setting is changed, but you can try it.
- You may set metering to spot as well and center the object.

Other roads to take:
- Use the camera in manual mode and adjust exposure as you need it.
- build a snoot to concentrate the flash to the object
Looke here: DIY Strobe Snoots for Ikelite DS160s (From Keri Wilk's Article) - Wetpixel :: Underwater Photography Forums
if you get handy with it you may like build that: Fiber optic UW strobe modification - Wetpixel :: Underwater Photography Forums

- Build a "object in a hole scene", drop it in your pool and have fun playing with the settings.
This often "enlightens" complicate problems...

Chris

 

[jdcpa]

Actually you are trying to get the camera to do something it is not designed to do.

Canon designs their eTTL as a "Fill flash" and not a "main" flash.

The camera is filling in the light in the areas around the small object, but not lighting the small object.

You do have some choices on manual, but it will not work as you want it to on eTTL. It is just not designed to do that.

I am not familiar with the G series, but on most of Cacnon DSLR's you can set it to manual and select the power you want.

Trial and error. I like the pool idea.

 

[andymeng]

Some excellent suggestions above. For macro I would particularly go for using the modeling lights as long as they don't chase off the subject.

Some sample images or better description would be helpful. Consistantly over or under exposed? Or just exposures all over the place. Note that TTL is a tool, and you need to choose the right tool for the job. You have to understand it to use it, and if it's not the right tool for the job then try something different. I have the G11 in ikelite with DS161 strobe and up close I do switch to using the video light.

Are you sure you're aiming the lights correctly? And one last thought, if your photos are consistanly over or under exposed, the top left dial is for exposure compensation up to +/- 2 stops.