Which strobe for A640 + Canon housing?

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nerobanchee

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I have tried searching in previous posts, but I cant seem to find any info about this that I can use...

I am planning on getting the Canon A640 with the Canon housing (I cant afford the Ikelite)...

After this adding up to about $500, I am not left with that much for the strobe.

I would say my budget would be under $300.

What is a good model that would fit this housing/camera? What is a good site to buy them from? Is the strobe essential? I am diving in lower vis water, so I assume it is, but I just had to ask.

Thanks so much, I am trying to make the best desisions I can on such a large purchase...

One last little bit...
Can you insure the camera incase the casing fails? I would hate to take a $400 camera underwater and have the housing leak and break it.
 
Hi There,

I recently flooded my Sea Life DC310 housing on the 1st dive of our trip and wrecked the camera in the process. A friend of mine has a Canon A540 & Canon housing and used my Sea Life strobe seeing as I definitely had no use for it at the time. It worked like a charm:D

I have the ordinary Sea Life strobe without the optical cable and it never missed a flash with the A540 (he took approx 700 pics on the trip). I've also now purchased the A640 with the Canon housing and can't wait to get underwater at the end of Feb. Have you taked any underwater pics with yours??

Have a look at the link attached, $299 with the optical cable and $199 without. http://www.divers-discount.com/viewprod.cfm?&DID=1&CATID=17&objectgroup_ID=154.
 
FYI: Those are two different strobes. The SL960D for $299 and the SL960 for $199.

I can't speak to the difference, but they are different. It is more than just the optical cable.
 
Check out the Pink Link in my signature for some details on strobes including the link to the best strobe finder out there :)

Lots of information and several good choices both for immediate needs and for strobes that will grow with you as you change systems years from now!
 
We have a very nice NanoFlash strobe, arm, tray and sync cord combo for starting at $179 plus shipping. Will work very well with your camera for macro and fish portraits. it's not super powerful, but lots of people buy them and they can be used as a second fill-in strobe if you upgrade later.

coolflashnanoset1a.jpg


See: NanoFlash Sets

Jack
 
My buddy has the A620/Canon housing. He uses the Sealife SL960D. The D model is for all digital cameras. By mounting the optical sensor on his housing in front of the camera flash, it fires as a slave. You can also buy the Inon Clear Photo Film, it's a piece of reusable film that mounts on the front of the camera's flash, it passes the infrared to fire the SL960D but blocks the on-camera flash so there's no backscatter.

LeisurePro had the SL960D for $229 before Christmas. Everybody else seemed to be around $300 except for some on eBay for $265.
 
Thanks guys!
I actually just bought the A640 and the Canon housing. I also bought the Sea & Sea YS-27 with the fiber optic cable so the pre-flash doesnt set off the strobe (it came in the package). I saw some pics of someone on this site that uses a set up like this (only with the YS-25) and the pics were amazing! I have used the camera on dry land already and it takes impressive pictures with great clarity and detail. I am very happy with the choice I made, but I would have rather had the Ikelite case... I put in the extra money for the strobe. I will put up pictures in April when I go to Mendocino. The diving vis where I am is about <1 inch so I dont think the camera would be too great here. Mendocino should be about 3ft (hopefully) so I think I could get some pics there! Unless pool shots are cool, I will have plenty of those!
 
jdcpa, thanks for the info. I just realised I've probably made a mistake in ordering the A640 (it's on it's way from my sister in Fort Lauderdale at this moment). When looking for something compatible with my strobe the A640 came up.

Now that I look properly, the compatible Sea Life strobe is not the SL960 but the SL960D. My SL960 has a sensor that picks up the camera's flash. I'm now wondering if the A640 has a "pre-flash" that will set off the strobe prior to the actual picure being taken.

Oh well, maybe I'll be shopping for a new strobe soon..............
 
You did not make a mistake ordering the A640. It is a great little camera.

You may have ordered the wrong strobe.

Yes, the A640 has a preflash.

I can't remember off the top of my head if you can turn it off though. That is what you need to take a look at.
 

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