Opinions needed on "reliable" budget lighting!

[Murph88]

Hey there,

Wondered if anyone could give a relative newbie to underwater photography some advice?

I'm preparing to go on my 3rd Philippine trip for a couple of months and would really like to get some supplemental lighting for my setup. I've gone from using a knockoff gopro on first trip to an older canon 8mp in canon enclosure last trip. This time I have a Canon gl 11 with canon enclosure as well as an older olympus in olympus enclosure for backup. I'd like to get something that I can possibly use in the future with my Olympus TG-4 which I just bought but have no enclosure for it.

Extremely tight budget ($100 max) and just looking for a light with or without tray for now... video light would be first choice, but I'll have a strobe at some point as well. I'd rather have something that will help build my future setup than something I cannot use in a more serious rig.

Any suggestions?
Thanks

 

[2ndjetty]

Hi Murph, you can certainly get lights (about 1000 lumens) for $100, but that would require hand-holding the light along with the camera, which requires sharp buoyancy skills. If you're shooting macro (puerto galera, anilao, etc), then look for an I-Torch V10 or similar, which should fit the budget. If you're shooting wide-angle, a light that small likely won't make a difference, so I'd put the money towards that Olympus TG-4 housing, a cold shoe mount, clamp and a light. Hope that helps a bit.

 

[Chris Ross]

If you are really that tight, scour the classifieds, for example this: FOR SALE: Olympus FE3010 + YS 27DX strobe set up - Classifieds would get you a strobe and arm to use with your setup with a bonus backup camera and housing and close to your budget.

 

[fmerkel]

You can go to the Philippines, for the 3rd time, for a couple months, and you have a tight budget?
That aside, good lighting is pretty critical. GOOD lighting can go from camera to camera. Cheap lighting is like cheap cameras, replaceable and marginal. You can get away with some macro work with some cameras and an adequate light, but that's about all.

 

[runsongas]

look for a used strobe or roll the dice on an unbranded chinese video light

US $52.0 35% OFF|New Scuba Diving Underwater 100M XM L2 LED Video Camera Photography Light Torch Flashlight (Torch Only)-in LED Flashlights from Lights & Lighting on Aliexpress.com | Alibaba Group

 

[Murph88]

Thanks for your replies! I am only interested in lighting for macro photography, but am just starting to learn what would possibly work well. Not interested in unbranded chinese crap unless it has a lot of reviews and I can be relatively sure to get at least reasonable service from it. I found this on ebay and am considering it strongly....

Ikelite Substrobe 50 with TTL | eBay

Do you guys think this would work well for my current setup as well as a future more serious rig? Possibly use it in the future with a backup rig or one for a friend to use?

 

[Murph88]

Hi Murph, you can certainly get lights (about 1000 lumens) for $100, but that would require hand-holding the light along with the camera, which requires sharp buoyancy skills. If you're shooting macro (puerto galera, anilao, etc), then look for an I-Torch V10 or similar, which should fit the budget. If you're shooting wide-angle, a light that small likely won't make a difference, so I'd put the money towards that Olympus TG-4 housing, a cold shoe mount, clamp and a light. Hope that helps a bit.

Sounds like you've spent some time in the PI? Previously, my favorite dive location was Sabang (Puerto Galera), but then I found a place I love even more purely for the marine life, not the comfort of local conveniences. So far, my top 3 are Southern Leyte, Sabang, and Dauin, Negros. I continually travel while there spending a few days to a week in different places always looking for great diving locations. There is so much to explore and I look forward to many more trips in the future!

If I can find a nice, economical tray with basic parts, I'd be fine with something like the I-torch. After a quick look, I don't see an I-torch in my price range. Do you know of a place where I can get one for around $100?

Thanks

 

[Chris Ross]

Thanks for your replies! I am only interested in lighting for macro photography, but am just starting to learn what would possibly work well. Not interested in unbranded chinese crap unless it has a lot of reviews and I can be relatively sure to get at least reasonable service from it. I found this on ebay and am considering it strongly....

Ikelite Substrobe 50 with TTL | eBay

Do you guys think this would work well for my current setup as well as a future more serious rig? Possibly use it in the future with a backup rig or one for a friend to use?

I believe that is an old analogue TTL strobe designed to work with film camera TTL rather than preflash and it requires a sync cord, is not triggered by fibre optics, you have no capability to trigger by sync cord from the TG-4. I believe you could get a slave TTL converter for it but I recall that is a discontinued item?? I would ask Ikelite before buying it.

 

[Patrickweill]

hello Murph
You could try to find a second hand Nikon SB104 strobe n it sells in your budget, it can be sinc with a basic cheap optical cord and it is very reliable, I use it with my TG4 so you can keep it for a while . The cons it is rather bulky and it would only work on manual .
you would also need a small tray and arm combo
have a great new year

 

[Murph88]

hello Murph
You could try to find a second hand Nikon SB104 strobe n it sells in your budget, it can be sinc with a basic cheap optical cord and it is very reliable, I use it with my TG4 so you can keep it for a while . The cons it is rather bulky and it would only work on manual .
you would also need a small tray and arm combo
have a great new year

Thanks for the suggestion Patrick. At this point, I don't know what works with what, but I'm reading when I can. Don't have much time before I get on the plane, so it will be next trip before I can get anything most likely... I see one SB104 on ebay right now, but plenty of time to find something before my trip next year!
Happy New Year to you!