Which Strobe?

[orangeBloke]

'ello,
I've been looking at getting a strobe and have been looking at the Sea&Sea YS90 Auto and the YS25 Auto. I'm told that the YS 90 is better for panoramic shots and that the YS 25 is better for macro shots but that adding an extra part to the strobe arm will give a wider flash range making the YS 25 also okay for non-macro. Anyone know if this is the case?

Also, and this may seem like an obvious question to some, but how do you decide what strobe to get as you can't always know what you're going to see?
And even if you had both how do you decide which one to dive with if you don't have a specific subject in mind?

Thanks

 

[Dee]

You don't say which camera/housing you plan to use it on.

Of the two you mention I would get the YS90DX. I have one I use with a 20mm wide angle lens and it does just fine. The strobe has a 105º width and the lens has a 100º view so it's very close.

The YS25 is not nearly strong enough for underwater use. Yes, I suppose it could be used for macro but that would be about all. The YS90DX will suit for any lens you use.

Be sure to do your research to find all the differences in the YS90DX and the YS90DX AUTO. The DX model is totally manual, which to me is easierto use and simpler to learn. The AUTO model has to have the aperture set to match the aperture on the camera to get a poor imitation of TTL.

There is no arm extender that will make your strobe stronger! With the YS25, it's the strength of the light, ie. how far it will reach into the water, that makes it insufficieant for underwater work. The YS90DX is the minimum strobe I would use.

 

[orangeBloke]

Thanks Dee, the camera that I'm using is a Sony Cybershot. I know it's not everyones camera of choice but its done a good job for me so far
Thanks for the advice, I'll go find out more about the YS90s

Cheers
Jim

 

[scubaho]

Both mfgrs offer a variety of strobes and accessories. You should consider the angle of coverage, recycle time, power output, realistic guide #, future compatibility with new cameras should you wish to change cameras later down the road. Other things to look at would be how the strobe is connected to your housing. Hard wired, TTL Slave, or manual controller. Also, You might check into the service and support available from both companies. It is nice to have people to talk with if there are problems or questions about your camera settings and strobe configuration. Both companies have web sites. Check them out!
I hope that I have offered some good info for you.:doctor: