Which strobes do you use with your nikon?

[-hh]

Nikonos V with dual Ikelite SS-200's.

The SS-200's are rated as having a 1.6 second recycle time from a full dump, but I usually shoot them at half power, so they cycle back up in around a second...about as fast as I can crank the next frame in.

This fast recycle time facilitates getting more photo's of fast critters (turtles, rays, sharks, etc), plus when I'm dialed in, I can often shoot a full 3-shot bracket (f/8, f/11, f/5.6) of a sponge or whatever on a single approach and breath hold...no more waiting for my exhaust bubbles to disappear out of frame, etc.


-hh

 

[louisianadiver]

The Ike SS200 is a great choice for Nikonos shooters. Not only is the recycle time nearly instant, escpecially when shot at half power (1/2 power with 100 speed film, f8, from 3-4' will give a nice exposure), but the wide choice of power settings is very useful when shooting wide angle manually. With 100 speed film at f8, try 1/2 at 3-4 feet, 1/4 power from 2 feet, and 1/8 power from 1 foot for CUWA. I don't feel a need to bracket f-stop or strobe power from those distances, but I do bracket my shutter speed from 1/30 to 1/60 to 1/90 to get a nice ambient exposure--generaly shoot at 1/90 toward the surface at depths to 60 feet, 1/60 toward the surface deeper than 60 feet, 1/30 when shooting horizontally or in low light (my old Sekonic MMII will let me know where to start). -Clay

 

[topflowerrubberforever]

hey guys
I just bought the SB105 for my nikonos V, does anyone use it? can anyone send me some photos of their Nikon photos?
I am a bit nervous because the speedlight is on it's way over here and i didnt read about anyone having an SB105?

Jalal

 

[clive francis]

I'm very happy with dual DS-125's and manual controllers....my wife shoots mainly macro, so we got her dual DS-50's and manual controllers....smaller, lighter, cheaper and nearly as bright....just not great for extreme WA

Karl

i have the ike housing with a single ds 50 and had terrible trouble getting it set up, it kept putting too much power out, it was doing my head in.

what basic settings do you set the camera for with the ds 50 (flash, aperture etc.) and what do you set the manual strobe to?

thanks for your help

clive

 

[dbh]

I shoot a D70 in a Nexus housing with dual Inon Z200 strobes. As far as DSLR's go, it is a light and compact system. I have used the 60mm, 105mm & 12-24mm. I plan on using the 18-70mm kit lens some on my next trip.

The Sea & Sea housing is plastic and expensive for a plastic housing. If I were going to spend that kind of money, I would go aluminum (IMHO). The Ike 125 is a good strobe but is large and heavy (compared to the Z220).

A housing will not change the quality of your pictures. You have to weigh out how much you want to spend, how often you are going to dive and how long you plan to keep your system.

HTH,
Dave

 

[kdietz]

Our starting point when shooting macro with 60 or 105....1/125 @ f22 and strobes at -1 on the manual controller.....shoot and adjust from there....fyi, the strobes are very close to the lens port w/ macro

For wide angle when shooting the 12-24 or 10.5.........1/60 @ f8 and strobes at -1 on the manual controller

Hope this helps

Karl

 

[clive francis]

Our starting point when shooting macro with 60 or 105....1/125 @ f22 and strobes at -1 on the manual controller.....shoot and adjust from there....fyi, the strobes are very close to the lens port w/ macro

For wide angle when shooting the 12-24 or 10.5.........1/60 @ f8 and strobes at -1 on the manual controller

Hope this helps

Karl

for wide angle that is roughly what i had it on, but i was suffering from over exposed pictures, i wonder if there is a problem with the manual controler as well?

i am reading right, the higher the number the more power?

i had to send the housing back as the pins in the backface strobe connector came out when i disconnected the sync lead, tried pushing them back in but only succeeded in pushing through the end of my finger ......... ouch!

 

[kdietz]

Do you have your strobe set to TTL?...even though you are using the manual controller? If you set it to manual, it will give a full dump even if the manual controller is set on something less. I know this is true for the DS-125's and I assume it's true for the DS-50's also...that's the way we set ours up

Karl