Need Advice on NEX-5n setup

[a_squeakycat]

I am considering the NEX-5N (18-55mm lens) with the Nauticam housing and tray with the handle on the left and hand grip on the right. I'm thinking of using the Sea&Sea YS-01 strobe, any opinions on this ? Also since it is a smaller strobe is there a flex arm package that will mount on the Nauticam left handle ? Would that be a good idea ?

Next I aslo want a light that can double as a focus light and video light. Would the Light & Motion Sola 1200 be a good choice for this ?

Thanks in advance for any words of wisdom.

 

[JackConnick]

hi;

I think you're on the right track, except that usually we don't use a flexarm as it actually isn't as good as ball and joint arms for lighting placement. The Sola lights are very popular, there is also a new 1200 Photo light that adds 3 levels of red light for night dives or around skittish animals.

Jack

 

[a_squeakycat]

Hi Jack -
Thanks for the info, a someone else told me he's seen some of the flex arms snap. Didn't know there was more than 1 SOLA 1200. The one w/red is the one I saw. Is there also a setting for video ?

 

[bvanant]

I think you are on a good track, except I am not a big fan of the YS01 strobe but would replace it with an Inon S2000 or something bigger that you will grow into (and you will). As for flex arms, I think there is a strong bias on the still side to use ULCS type arms while on the video side, almost everyone uses loc-line. Loc-line are lots cheaper but if you buy ULCS you will pass them on to your kids (I am using some that are at least 15 years old). The SOLA 1200 will be fine for video, most of the videos on our website (the later ones) were shot with Sola 1200s usually only one.

Bill

 

[a_squeakycat]

I think you are on a good track, except I am not a big fan of the YS01 strobe but would replace it with an Inon S2000 or something bigger that you will grow into (and you will). As for flex arms, I think there is a strong bias on the still side to use ULCS type arms while on the video side, almost everyone uses loc-line. Loc-line are lots cheaper but if you buy ULCS you will pass them on to your kids (I am using some that are at least 15 years old). The SOLA 1200 will be fine for video, most of the videos on our website (the later ones) were shot with Sola 1200s usually only one.

Bill

I did see the Inon S2000, D2000 and Z240 as other options for this setup but haven't really looked into those yet. What is it about the YS01 that you don't like ? If I go with ULCS arms for the strobe how would you recommend mounting the SOLA 1200 ? I've seen it mounted directly on the housing, or is there a way to use UCLS arms on one side and loc-line on the other ?

Thanks

 

[bvanant]

I like the Inons because they are smaller and in my hands at least (Canon 7D/Nauticam) the sttl system of the Inon works a lot "more better" than the YS01. Maybe my YS01 is slightly defective (n=1) but that is my experience. Both will work, the S&S has a modeling light (which I think is not useful since you don't normally aim your strobe at the subject) but that is my opinion. My 3 S2000s have about 400 dives each and so far (Now I just cursed myself) no worries
Bill

 

[Mark Derail]

Reasons why Nauticam housing instead of 10bar?

As I will be buying a housing next year for my GF's Sony NEX5N.

 

[JackConnick]

The S2000 and YS-01 have the same power and I think (not sure) the YS-01 has a larger beam angle (although similar). It also has an aiming light and is $65 cheaper. I use my aiming light to aim away from subjects as well. You can actually work the knobs on it, the s2000's are tiny. I've used D-TTL for many years now and it's quite accurate.

I'm not say the s2000 is a bad strobe, but there is certainly nothing wrong with the YS-01. Size difference is negligible.

The Photo 1200 is a good power, will do video great. If you are going to use the fisheye, you may need two. There is a Video 2000 light coming out in a couple of weeks.

Jack

 

[bvanant]

Both strobes are good, and in my hands at least the S2000 gives me better TTL results than my YS01 which is OK at near full dump but at low power it grossly overexposes the macro stuff that I mostly shoot and maybe I have a defective version. As for aiming lights, I guess I thought they were used by most people to aim their strobe at the target. Jack is very experienced so I am guessing that he doesn't use the aiming feature very much and is mostly using a focus light instead and of course he sells S&S but not Inon so he might have a teeny bit of bias. On the size thing, the S2000 is only 60% as big as the YS01 and weighs only 60% as much and in my book a 40% difference isn't really negligible but of course in the grand scheme of things with a camera and all the other stuff the differences are small.

In any case as I said both are good strobes and you won't go wrong with either.

Bill

 

[Mark Derail]

No love for the Ikelites D161's?