Hello again. Here is a review from the trip and the end result.
Eventually I ended up using:
- one of this https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01LWOV...liid=I3PGVEOBFMFLI2&colid=2V0DE09Y5ACZD&psc=1 (48US$ shipped)
- one of this New Waterproof 5000Lumen XM-L2 LED Underwater 100m Scuba Diving Flashlight Torch | eBay (15US$ shipped). I used a home-made diffuser for the torch (a plastic cover from an underarm roll deodorant secured with a rubber inner tube)
- and a tray, something like this http://www.flex-arm.com/en/underwat...ng-tray-with-handles-34-flex-arm-base-st20202 with appropriate clams for the lights.
Andoer lights are very nice and good quality (for the price). But the torch proved to be not reliable. The spring used at the positive battery pole is glued (not soldered!!) to the circuit board and became separated. Having it loose inside the torch squeezed by the battery would usually make contact so the torch was usually operating ok. But frequently the contact was getting lost and I had to shake/hit the torch to restore it. Now I have fixed the spring (glue it properly in place) and the torch seems to be fine.
The week long trip to Raja Ampat was wonderful. As for the pictures for first try I am quite satisfied. Compared to my gopro clone this rig is MUCH better. Lights and raw editing helps a lot (eg white balance was easily corrected at any depth).
The major problem I had was that due to limited light power I was restricted to large apertures (for reasonable exposure times) hence shallow depth of field which ruined a lot of my shoots. I either got wrong focus all together or very shallow depth of field blurring important parts of the subject.
Still I managed to get few decent shoots:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/80807752@N06/albums/72157693354013751
During the trip I also met a great guy (Vlad Tataru) who let me use his Inon +6 diopter close up lens (and he showed to me numerous tiny creatures to shoot at). Using that lens was difficult but it was a great hands-on introduction to macro photography for me.
Now I am collecting money to buy my first strobe (and maybe a wet close-up lens
).
Thanks a lot for all your suggestions.
Eventually I ended up using:
- one of this https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01LWOV...liid=I3PGVEOBFMFLI2&colid=2V0DE09Y5ACZD&psc=1 (48US$ shipped)
- one of this New Waterproof 5000Lumen XM-L2 LED Underwater 100m Scuba Diving Flashlight Torch | eBay (15US$ shipped). I used a home-made diffuser for the torch (a plastic cover from an underarm roll deodorant secured with a rubber inner tube)
- and a tray, something like this http://www.flex-arm.com/en/underwat...ng-tray-with-handles-34-flex-arm-base-st20202 with appropriate clams for the lights.
Andoer lights are very nice and good quality (for the price). But the torch proved to be not reliable. The spring used at the positive battery pole is glued (not soldered!!) to the circuit board and became separated. Having it loose inside the torch squeezed by the battery would usually make contact so the torch was usually operating ok. But frequently the contact was getting lost and I had to shake/hit the torch to restore it. Now I have fixed the spring (glue it properly in place) and the torch seems to be fine.
The week long trip to Raja Ampat was wonderful. As for the pictures for first try I am quite satisfied. Compared to my gopro clone this rig is MUCH better. Lights and raw editing helps a lot (eg white balance was easily corrected at any depth).
The major problem I had was that due to limited light power I was restricted to large apertures (for reasonable exposure times) hence shallow depth of field which ruined a lot of my shoots. I either got wrong focus all together or very shallow depth of field blurring important parts of the subject.
Still I managed to get few decent shoots:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/80807752@N06/albums/72157693354013751
During the trip I also met a great guy (Vlad Tataru) who let me use his Inon +6 diopter close up lens (and he showed to me numerous tiny creatures to shoot at). Using that lens was difficult but it was a great hands-on introduction to macro photography for me.
Now I am collecting money to buy my first strobe (and maybe a wet close-up lens
).Thanks a lot for all your suggestions.
