Strobes for idiots - tg5

[Pegz2]

Hi all,
I am currently shooting with an olympus tg5 in a seafrogs housing with two video lights, based in the UK.
I am wanting to buy a 2nd hand strobe (budget reasons) for an upcoming trip. I am totally confused on what exactly I need to make it work.
There seems to be a few different TTL strobes on ebay, would this work? I have never had hands on a strobe never mind shot with one, so I am struggling to make sense of it in an abstract concept.
Is there any chance anyone has a good resource please for what will work for this housing/camera on a budget please? Or even better, is looking to sell one of their own.
Thank you!

 

[hedonist222]

It depends on whether you want to shoot macro or wide.

For the latter, buy the highest GN (power) flash you can afford.

For the former, something compact with suffice seeing as you don't need very much power for closer subjects.

Look for clamps and arms to mate your housing to the strobe.

 

[pns444]

Hey sorry, have the same issue as you. Could I check which strobes and connectors/cables you ended up going with?

 

[CF L]

Hey sorry, have the same issue as you. Could I check which strobes and connectors/cables you ended up going with?

As your location is Singapore, might be worth a visit to the Divesea shop, they specialise in underwater photography.

I plan to visit the shop when I am in Singapore soon.

 

[Anish]

Hey sorry, have the same issue as you. Could I check which strobes and connectors/cables you ended up going with?

I just bought the backscatter MF2 from scuba warehouse. They had the strobe plus snoot on sale. I’m planning on using it with my Tg7 on a trip to Anilao later this month. I’m new to UW photography so don’t know how it will turn out yet but based on reviews and my plan to shoot macro it seemed a good choice

 

[bvanant]

For idiot proof (except idiots are so smart mostly) get any strobe that supports RC mode (MF-2, AOI etc.) Just point and go.
Bill

 

[Searcaigh]

I just bought the backscatter MF2 from scuba warehouse. They had the strobe plus snoot on sale. I’m planning on using it with my Tg7 on a trip to Anilao later this month. I’m new to UW photography so don’t know how it will turn out yet but based on reviews and my plan to shoot macro it seemed a good choice

Good choice, learn how to use it with BackScatter's tutorials.

The power knob on the strobe should be the only thing you need to adjust initially and then play around with positioning the strobe angle.

I'm still using the MF1 strobe / snoot with my housed Nikons with pleasing results.

 

[Anish]

I

Good choice, learn how to use it with BackScatter's tutorials.

The power knob on the strobe should be the only thing you need to adjust initially and then play around with positioning the strobe angle.

I'm still using the MF1 strobe / snoot with my housed Nikons with pleasing results.

I was hoping using ttl would be okay to start. I want to learn positioning before anything else

 

[tursiops]

I

I was hoping using ttl would be okay to start. I want to learn positioning before anything else

I would avoid TTL (or, for your TG, RC) mode. The automatic modes are sometimes OK, but not always. You still need to adjust things after a shot and then shoot again.
Manual strobe power is easy to do, and easy to learn.
The MF-2 is a good choice.