embarassing nOOb question re:strobes

[divergal65]

We got a Panasonic Lumix TS2 (without the case)and took it on a recent trip to Bonaire, and really liked the results. It really is waterproof to 33 ft. or less - we were concerned but its under warranty so why not try it. But its obvious that lighting is going to be a problem because the built in flash didn't work very well at all at depths ~ 30 ft.We were shooting some macro but also had some diver portraits (I was the model) and when hubby was greater than about 5 feet away from me, the colors were primarily just shades of blue and my skin tone looked almost green ... yuck!
So we need to get some more lighting. But, what do we get and how do we set it up?
Obviously we need the housing to take it deeper than 33 ft. and saw some on Amazon for ~ 250.00, but we also need a strobe - and would like to attach it to the camera housing - but how
I told you it was embarassing:blinking:
Also, is it possible to get a strobe that is detachable from the housing, so it's activated by the cameras flash - some kind of wireless connection?
I'm pretty new to SB so maybe this has been mentioned before. I've looked on other forums but haven't had the time to be thorough - job/kids/life keep getting in the way.

 

[ggibson]

Have you tried the "scene" modes of the camera? Maybe there's an underwater setting that adjusts the white-balance. Something like that would probably compensate enough at snorkeling depths (<20 ft).

If you want a flash, you could get something like a Fantasea Remora. You'd mount your camera with the tripod mount on the base plate and connect the strobe using a fiber-optic cable taped to the flash on your camera. Whenever your flash fires, the slave strobe will trigger.

 

[Scott]

I'm not endorsing these setups specifically but all the parts are here.

The tray along the bottom is what your camera housing will mount to. The flexible arm attached to the strobe allows you to point the strobe in different directions. The fiber optic cable is secured to the housing in front of the cameras flash.

Some systems will not have a cable and rely on 'flash sensor' to fire the strobe. Similar to the one below

 

[dwhthediver]

make sure but you can probably attach a tray under the camera housing with a finger wheel screw, and Sea and Sea makes a strobe mask kit designed to cover your in camera flash and work with their fiber optic cable, and fire the strobe through their fiber optic cable. I use 2 YS-01 with my camera setup, but if you are looking for something a little less money with fewer features the YS-02 is a good entry level strobe, and with a sea arm VII kit you get the arms and tray

 

[diver 85]

not always do you need(have to have) a strobe.......a strobe surely helps(ALOT) but some good(decent) pics can be obtained without.....see some of my pics in my sig below.....

EDITafter reading DD's comments)-Picasa 3 & PS(CHEAP-about 5o bucks for both) is your very best-est friend in any UW photography......

 

[Doc]

Two perfect answers above.

The first: Yes, you can add a wireless optical slaved remote strobe
The second: Most pictures can also be shot with the existing onboard strobe flash

For the vast majority of micro/macro subjects, things out to 2' away, an on-board flash of almost any camera will work fine.

Before you run out and buy an external strobe, why not exhaust the capabilities of your existing gear?

You will likely find out a number of things:

- There are a lot of interesting images that are within the capability of your original camera

- There are precious few things out past the camera's existing range that are catching your eye, after you get used to diving

- You can only have so many pix of you and your buddy in full length- face shots work fine.

- The extra weight and airline restrictions might cause you to rethink your gear.

- You are quite likely to quickly grow out of your first camera's capabilities, making the addition of an external strobe a bit premature.
The Lumix TS2 has a very quirky and poorly regarded white balance system.

Log some more dives, make some pictures, push your existing camera's limits. Like Diver85, I use on-board strobe flash for my macro shots. It isn't National Geographic results, but it satisfies me.

Here are some of my "point and shoot" images, some with an Olympus 5050 and some with a Canon G10 at Odd Shaped Bottom Dwellers pictures by Doc_Adelman - Photobucket

 

[joe8mofo]

But its obvious that lighting is going to be a problem because the built in flash didn't work very well at all at depths ~ 30 ft.We were shooting some macro but also had some diver portraits (I was the model) and when hubby was greater than about 5 feet away from me, the colors were primarily just shades of blue and my skin tone looked almost green ... yuck!

It sounds like you are not adjusting for the differing white balance when you are at 30 ft. Most cameras have the option to adjust white balance on the fly by pointing at a "off-white" object or grey card and taking in the adjustment. Read your manual for adjustment of the white-balance and that should remove the green-tint from your skin in photos when you take them.

 

[Matt S.]

Generally I agree with learning to get the most out of the camera you have now... that way when you do get a fancier rig you won't be completely lost. UW photography is a complex subject!

There is a lot of good reading here.

Underwater Photography Guide

 

[DandyDon]

Really the wrong forum, but oh well.

Did you photoshop the darker pics, or any of them. My bud shot a few with no flash on our last trip, but we pulled out some surprising results. see http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/sealife-station/352577-if-you-not-using-any-photo-shop.html

 

[diversteve]

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