Very embarrassing "solution" to my strobe strangeness problem.

[M DeM]

After 18 months using them, my strobes were acting strange. They were either giving me an all-white picture, or it was pure black. Manual worked for some reason, but TTL just died.

You guys had *great* suggestions (thank you) and I tried them all. Swapped sync chords, used a different bulkhead, etc. Nothing worked.

So I sent everything to Reef Photo for repairs....
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My housing/computer board isn't TTL compatible -- and never has been.

HOW COULD I HAVE POSSIBLY KNOWN THAT? I mean, after all, when I used TTL in the past, my exposure was *perfect*. Just take a look!

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I was able to capture the very seldom seen "Startled Albino Fish", during a snowstorm.
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[MaxBottomtime]

Without a TTL converter on the sync chords, it is difficult to expose a light colored fish. You will have much better photos simply by shooting with the camera set to manual mode as well as the strobes. Even with a TTL converter, I had very few photos I liked until I began turning the strobes down.

 

[M DeM]

View attachment 529676

Without a TTL converter on the sync chords, it is difficult to expose a light colored fish. You will have much better photos simply by shooting with the camera set to manual mode as well as the strobes. Even with a TTL converter, I had very few photos I liked until I began turning the strobes down.

It'll be the first time I've ever used manual (obviously) so I'm guessing it's going to take a lot of shooting before I get it right. Thing is, I use manual on my speedlight - but obviously I"m having trouble with using that knowledge for strobes!

 

[tursiops]

After 18 months using them, my strobes were acting strange. They were either giving me an all-white picture, or it was pure black. Manual worked for some reason, but TTL just died.

You guys had *great* suggestions (thank you) and I tried them all. Swapped sync chords, used a different bulkhead, etc. Nothing worked.

So I sent everything to Reef Photo for repairs....
.
.
.
My housing/computer board isn't TTL compatible -- and never has been.

HOW COULD I HAVE POSSIBLY KNOWN THAT? I mean, after all, when I used TTL in the past, my exposure was *perfect*. Just take a look!

View attachment 529674
I was able to capture the very seldom seen "Albino Trigger Fish", during a snowstorm.

Not sure what the details are of your configuration, but (a) that picture is greatly overexposed and (b) it is not a triggerfish.

 

[M DeM]

Not sure what the details are of your configuration, but (a) that picture is greatly overexposed and (b) it is not a triggerfish.

(I was joking --- it's insanely overexposed, that fish was mostly dark blue!)

 

[Bierstadt]

"Nothing goes over my head. My reflexes are too fast. I WOULD CATCH IT."

 

[tursiops]

Thing is, I use manual on my speedlight - but obviously I"m having trouble with using that knowledge for strobes!

Aren't a speedlight and a strobe the same thing?

 

[M DeM]

Aren't a speedlight and a strobe the same thing?

In function, yes. But how you manipulate settings? Very different. Or did you mean what's the difference between a speedlight and a strobe? Well in my case there's no (badly needed for my camera shaking) hi-speed sync. Not to mention strobes are much more powerful. But really for me the big difference is the interface of a above-ground speedlight and the interface of underwater photography strobe. But in terms of knowledge of lighting -- it's exactly the same.

 

[tursiops]

I interpret from your answer that you use "speedlight" to mean a land flash, and "strobe" to mean an underwater flash. Right?

The lack of a high-shutter-speed-sync between your camera and your strobe is a function of the camera, not the strobe. Not sure why you say strobes are more powerful....there can be strong ones and weak ones, just like with speedlights.
The interfaces to the strobes depend on the strobe and on the camera/housing combo; many strobes allow for both wired/electrical connections or optical connections, while some allow only wired. Many housing do not have any wired connections, and support optical only.

So you can't really make many valid generic statements strobes.....