strobe for pt-024

[LekicINC]

Hello, I was looking for a strobe for my oly pt-024. The built in flash simply does not cut it. However, its a simple camera c-60 zoom, so im looking at the 300 dollar (or less!) price range. I was looking at the SEA & SEA YS-15 Auto Strobe but I hear its not very good. Can anyone recommend something? My main problem is that I cant figure out what will go with my housing.

 

[ce4jesus]

You can get a YS27DX on Ebay, strobe head only, for about $340. The other flashes I know of for that price range are the YS15, the Sunpak Gflash, the Sealife 960D, a couple of flashes from Epoque. Here's a great site to help you with your decision. http://www.digitaldiver.net/strobes.php I believe you can get the latter bunch, with their version of arms for under $300. I've personally owned the Sunpak and got good results however I was never confident in the battery cover for the strobe. It never flooded because I meticulously followed the directions. I also purchased an optional fiber optic cable (now at www.leisurepro.com for $27) which insured the strobe fired when my camera did. BTW - I've not heard any bad things about the YS15 and have seen some good macro stuff with that strobe. Its certainly not going to cover a WA lens but it should fine for fish pix and macro.

 

[LekicINC]

Thanks for the help. thats good to hear about the ys-15. Is the ys-25 much better? I am just concerned about it not fitting my housing. I am just trying to get my feet wet in photography. Will the later bunch give me an ok strobe. I know you pay for what you get, but I hope for 300ish I can get something that will at least work

 

[ce4jesus]

No problemo. I'm still a rookie myself. I've only been at it 18 months. I remember what it was like to just get my feet wet. I even had a DIY tray and arm assembly. It was butt-ugly but worked just fine. Keep in mind you're going to need a tray, arm and fiber optic cable with that 300. There's a YS27DX on Ebay, head only, for $329. BTW, from my experience, the fiber optic cable isn't an option with optical strobes, its a necessity. Sea&Sea has a way to stick it to the outside of your housing with some black velcro which you also use to black out your internal strobe (to avoid backscatter).

BTW, I haven't owned, or tried the SL960D but have heard others say nice things about it. I purchased my first Sea&sea strobe (YS27DX) a month ago and was impressed by how well thought out the connection of the fiber optic cable to a generic housing was. I was also impressed by the battery door which was the same as its high end strobes. I've already done a dive and was impressed by the lighting. So I'm happy with the Sea&Sea setup.
BTW, after a little research, the YS15 auto has no manual adjustment of the light output on the back of the strobe...its done automatically. I've read it struggles with macro. The YS25 will give you 6 manual power stops controlled by a dial on the back. So if the dollars are comparable, the 25, or 27 is what you want.

 

[LekicINC]

Yes, I believe I will shell out the 400 for the 25. Seems like a good first strobe. I am really only interested in macro photography, and really would love to get at least 1 good shot on my trip to bali in August to do some muck diving! Since i have your attention and you are wealth of info, how much harder does it make a dive to dive with a strobe? Thanks agian for your help.

 

[ce4jesus]

I think you'll be happy with the YS25. "When" you grow into another camera it will make a nice complementary strobe. At first, diving with a camera was a real pain but now I've gotten used to it. Just be sure to put something on your tray and arm that will allow you to clip it off to your BC. Other than that, instead of diving with your hands together folded across your stomach, you'll have them on your camera. I've noticed I usually consume about 10% more air diving with a full camera setup than without. I usually attribute that to trying to hold position while taking a photograph versus just relaxing and looking. Entry and exit are somewhat different. On entry someone hands me the camera setup from the boat unless the swells are too big, then I just jump in with it above my head. Upon exit I have two small ropes with clips that tie the camera rig off to two different D-rings. Then I can exit with the camera and two strobes across my chest to avoid banging them on the stairs or something else. I started doing this 18 months ago and became addicted to trying to get those good shots. Now its evolved into a passion of collecting photos of the indigenous creatures of a particular area.
The only other advice I have for you is to take lots of photos. Unlike film where you used to only have 36 shots, digital gives as many as you can take in a 45 minute dive. So shoot the place up.