Positioning the Spotting Light on Nauticam EM-1 Housing

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Randallr

Contributor
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Location
New York, NY
# of dives
200 - 499
Hello, all - here’s a little question for Jack or Phil or anyone else in the know: On the Nauticam EM-1 housing, there’s a threaded socket on the top right that can take a small ball head. Do any of you use that for a focus/video light? Or do you use the cold shoe on the top center of the housing?

Here’s why I ask: I’ve been using the cold shoe to hold my Sola L&M light. But I’ve never liked it, because it almost always twists loose underwater - I’ve even had it twist off once or twice. The screw-in mount seems more secure. I wonder if anyone has opinions on this?
 
Hello, all - here’s a little question for Jack or Phil or anyone else in the know: On the Nauticam EM-1 housing, there’s a threaded socket on the top right that can take a small ball head. Do any of you use that for a focus/video light? Or do you use the cold shoe on the top center of the housing?

Here’s why I ask: I’ve been using the cold shoe to hold my Sola L&M light. But I’ve never liked it, because it almost always twists loose underwater - I’ve even had it twist off once or twice. The screw-in mount seems more secure. I wonder if anyone has opinions on this?
I use a ball in the threaded socket. More secure, and leaves the accessory shoe free for something else that does not need a ball.
 
I have the EM5II housing wich is similar...

Initially I also was using the "hot-shoe" with adapter from Inon. It was loosening all the time and shaky. WA domes produced a shadow (when video).

I now use the treaded socket with a ball and even a small additional arm for extension to avoid shadows - much better...

Wolfgang
 
I use the cold shoe, the attachment is the Nauticam one if I recall correctly and it stays put, even on shore dives where you get pushed around a bit. It's this one:

Nauticam Cold Shoe Long Mounting Stem with YS-mount

I crank down on the nut by hand and I've never had it come loose. As a precaution my focus light has a lanyard with one of those squeeze locks, I loop around the bottom strobe clamp handle and cinch up the squeeze lock.
 
Wolfgang, Chris - VERY helpful, much thanks to you! I didn't know there was a cold shoe YS mount; I already have the adaptor for my Sola, so I'll use the next time.

Here's another dumb question, regarding strobe positioning, which came into play on my most recent macro photo trip. I switched my default strobe position from side-by-side, to the "12-and-3" position, with one strobe positioned directly above the port, angled slightly up, and one at the 3pm (or 9pm) position on the side. That positioning of the strobe directly above the port mostly blocks the focus light. Any suggestions for how to remedy that?
 
My first thought is to place the strobe at 11 o'clock right next to the focus light with the other strobe at 3:00. Or place the strobe above the focus light. It shouldn't make a huge difference to the lighting. Alternately I've seem people place focus lights on a triple clamp on the arms or using an adapter to clamp to the arm itself. The issue I see with this is the aim of the focus light shifts every time you adjust your arms.
 
I use the cold shoe with Nauticam strobe mounting ball to mount my focus/video light. So far no issue. Some time for night dive I mount two (2) video lights using triclamp.
For macro set-up, I use two S&S D1 with Nauticam 90x170 CF float arms and short single ball arm. My typical strobe arrangement for macro are at 9:00 & 03:00 or at 10:00 & 02:00 as close as possible to the object.
 
IMG_20180828_140852.jpg



Sorry for the Bintang.
Taken at Tulamben after third dive, 3 m away from the entry point of liberty wreck.
 
I use the cold shoe with Nauticam strobe mounting ball to mount my focus/video light. So far no issue. Some time for night dive I mount two (2) video lights using triclamp.
For macro set-up, I use two S&S D1 with Nauticam 90x170 CF float arms and short single ball arm. My typical strobe arrangement for macro are at 9:00 & 03:00 or at 10:00 & 02:00 as close as possible to the object.

Thanks for this advice, I've been doing 12 and 9, going to try your 10 and 2 suggestion on my next dives :)
 
You may want to consider using different intensities on your strobes. Have one brighter and the other more for background lighting. I have also seen the use of a white card in the 5-6-7 o'clock range for fill light.
 

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