UW digital photography flash unit recommendation please

patto_chan

Anyone here into underwater digital photography?
I have a Canon Powershot S40 (4 mega pixel) and its underwater housing (WP-DC300).

As you can guess there is very little you can shoot in Irish waters with our visibility and light levels. And when the onboard flash goes off there is wicked back-scatter in the photos. I had more luck in the Red Sea but even then just limited myself to natural light photography.

I need an external strobe (for extra light) mounted off axis (to prevent back-scatter). Can anyone recommend a suitable strobe system from their experience? And where it can be got ?

NordicDiver

My suggestion is to do something else: Buy a good torch that you can use with a video reflector or one with no hotspot and good wide beam. Now you have a good light you can use when your not taking photos and probaly will save you some cash too. This setup are used by some friends of mine that have the same setup as you, with very good results.
And remember to turn of your internal flash.

Here you will find hrs of reading:

www.digitaldiver.net/yabbse/index.php

Here is a very good free web uw-photo magazine, just download and enjoy:
www.uwpmag.com

And here is also a very good uw-photo forum:
www.wetpixel.com

Jan-E.

patto_chan

I haved tried illuminating the target with dive torch (hi strength one) but that is far from perfect. You're trying to juggle a camera in one hand and a torch in the other. You can ask a buddy to help but it's difficult to coordinate. And even then the results were disappointing.
I have tried it in the Red Sea using natural light conditions and got some decent photos but the in the majority you lose the red end of the spectrum and everything looks blue-ish.
To improve I think I need an external strobe.

raphaelS

Just my 0.2 cents...

The blue-ish cast might have something to do with your camera white balance... I know it might be difficult to test underwater but you might need to look into that to improve the colours...

Then, you could fix that on your PC by adding some red in your favorite software...!

Raphael

NordicDiver

Raphael is right to say that the blue-ish in your picture is a white balance issue. But here are my flash suggestion.

Ikelite camera tray 9523.01 55£
Ikelite DS-50 Package, comprising: DS-50 strobe, diffuser,
4100.5 sensor, 4075.1 strobe arm. 350£

www.camerasunderwater.co.uk

To hold the flash in the left hand is something you have to do very often with a flash also..

Jan

dublinbay

Guys for camera deals go to www.bhphotovideo.com New York. I got my VX2000 from them for $2500 plus vat, half the cost here (4700 euro). Good selection of housings, strobes etc. Great selection of everything else photo wise