lens and strobe questions for A520 with DC60?

[nvert]

I have this nice little combo that has done pretty well so far on deep and shallow reef dive trips. I'd like to upgrade and have two particular questions:

Are there any WA or Macro lenses for the DC60?

What do you think about the Ikelite DS50 or the 125 strobe/arm setup for my camera? Manual or TTL control (I'm still lost on the TTL thing).

Thanks!

 

[alcina]

I don't think the ttl will work with this set-up. I prefer manual control on my strobes for the most part anyway!

Check out the Inon site for options or contact ryan@reefphotovideo.com or yuzo at ummm...don't have his address but it's something like www.naturephoto.jp.co I think...hopefully someone else will chime in.

I adore my Inon lenses and strobe! Ike's are also great products...the 125 might seem overkill for this rig, but it will move with you if you decide to change in future.

 

[nvert]

Thanks for your input alcina. I understand that the manual would be better but what exactly is the TTL option? What is TTL for that matter?

It would be rather funny to see the 125 on my rig...the strobe would be larger than the housing!

 

[alcina]

ttl is "through the lens". In a nutshell, the strobe decides how much power to put out by using the information for exposure from the camera. An excellent resource for this and for a great deal more (IMHO this book should be on everyone's shelf for sure) is Jim Church's Essential Guide.

The probem with ttl is that sometimes you don't want the camera to decide your exposure. TTL can also be tricked quite easily in some situations: bright shiny fish against a dark background, for instance.

TTL can work great in some situations, but the more I learn how to use manual the more I went away from ttl. My new strobes don't even have ttl capability.

I'll bet if you do a ttl search here or at www.digitaldiver.net or www.wetpixel.com you'll find a lot better explanation. On digitaldiver there is also a strobe finder feature which is an excellent place to start choosing a strobe.

 

[nvert]

Thanks for the explanation and the links. Everything makes much more sense now.

On land, I use everything from P&S to full manual manipulations depending on what effect I'm after. It has taken LOTS of snapping for me to better understand how to manipulate exposure, f/stops, aperature, iso, etc to get a pic. I guess it's going to be the same learning game underwater.

I love the digital cameras. You can go from simply P&S to fully manual. This has helped my learning. Is there a strobe that can do likewise?

Brad

 

[alcina]

Strobes don't work quite the same way.

You can use ttl or similar, but the results can vary wildly depending on the conditions and I personally feel like you don't learn much shooting this way - even when you get good results. At least with PS shooting you can look at the settings later and work from them.

Setting strobe power (manual) isn't difficult. Easiest way I have found to get started is to pick a setting by guess work (if you are two inches from a bright subject against a white background, guessing not full power isn't too much of a reach!) and then adjust up or down. The more manual settings (power output options) you have on the strobe, the finer control you have. Remember you can also control strobe power by increasing/decreasing distance to the subject, too.

Power is pretty easy - especially with digital as you can review right away. Aiming is where most ppl have the most difficulty...there are so many options that "correct" lighting will depend on the image you are trying to portray.

Jump in and have fun. For me, not having ttl or similar isn't an issue with a strobe, but there are strobes out there that offer tll and manual. For me, more power and control over that power are paramount...

 

[nvert]

I'd like the same....having a strobe with several settings to play with and fine-tune to the situation.

You have some awesome photos on your website and it's apparent you know your media. From your 'professional' advice, what would be three strobes that I should look at? Some needs are:
1-a variety of controls, both light and arm mobility
2-fast recyle
3-size for travel

Also, after reading the articles you posted, I'm still trying to better understand how the camera and the strobe actually communicate. What is the best path?

Thanks so much for your help Alcina.

 

[alcina]

Wow, thanks for the kind words!

I'd say hit the strobe finder at www.digitaldiver.net to start narrowing choices. I chose the Inon 220s strobes; the D2000 didn't have enough power/control for my taste and the new strobe in their line-up, replacing the 220 series, looks to be maybe disappointing. I am adding anther 220 to my kit soon.

The Ike 125 is an awesome strobe, too. It has, I think, the fastest recycle time. Recycle time, while important, isn't the be all, end all for me either...especially when shooting nonDSLR...you have to wait for the camera to write before shooting again anyway. Fastest is great, but it's only one thing to think about.

Arm mobility is a separate issue. YOu can get whichever arms suit you the best. I currently use locline arms and love them. Cheap, flexible, light. My second choice would be ULCS arms. Ike's arms are good, but bulkier, heavier and less flexible.

The Inons are small, light and use AA batteries. I use rechargeables and can easily get five or six dives out of a set, at least! The Ike uses a proprietary battery but I have heard that it also lasts ages between recharges.

Some like the Sea and Sea strobes and use them with great results, too. I haven't used them extensively myself...when I was first looking around I tried a couple that friends had, but liked the Inon better for my needs.

Hard wired strobes are great, but I have had zero problems with my fibre optic cable on the Inons and my Canon housing/Oly housing, so I guess I don't really have an opinion. I have even used a slave sensor with my old Ike 50 strobes - the internal flash on the camera itself fires it. I like this as it gives me great flexibility to position the strobe (just have to make sure the light hits the sensor), but my Ike 50s don't have any manual controls...they are predigital.

HTH

 

[nvert]

I did the comparison at ddiver and was overcome!!!! So much info and choices. I like the Inon D2000 and the IKE50 &125 but since I've never played with, nor even seen these guys in real life, I just don't know! That's the trouble of living in SWVA. By the way, as I worked through the comparison refingin, Epoques kept climging to the top. Why I do not know...another example that this is completely new territory for me.

I don't know how old the review is http://www.digitaldiver.net/images/strobearticle/strobearticlescrn2.pdf but it's swaying me to the Inon although he had great things to say about IKE50. I like the IKE125 because of the modeling light and it's abiltiy to grow as my camera grows.

This is just as bad as buying my first BP/W combo!

 

[alcina]

I wouldn't go the D2000 because of the power thing - I think I just read somewhere, maybe the new Inon strobe thread over at DDN, 1100 for the 220 vs 600 for the 2000. More power is better.

If you are thinking you might change uw cameras and/or do a lot of wide angle in the future, I'd skip the Ike 50s, too. Though several have them and love them...

It is all overwhelming, for sure! I wouldn't buy an Epoque - too many problems, not enough power.

From what you've listed I'd have to go with the Ike 125 or the Inon...if you can't lay hands on the 220 series, I'd probably go to the Ike's...then again....