Strobe questions

[jaybombs25]

I am thinking of using this strobe

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/499384-REG/Fantasea_Line_2071_CoolFlash_Nano_Kit_with.html

with my canon A640 in the WP-DC8 housing. I'm on a tight budget, is it worth it? why would it NOT be worth it? is it a fairly decent strobe? pros and cons?

Thanks

BTW it's for diving in the clear waters of the caribbean, mainly macro and really important for me to get some advice since i head back home soon

 

[Gilligan]

If you are buying the strobe strictly for macro shots less than one foot away and small like nudibranchs then the A640's built in strobe should do you well, especially in the Canon housing, which has an oval shaped lens port so as to maximize the use of the internal strobe by not blocking it.

If you need to light up a target larger than a nudibranch or tiny fish from about three feet or less than the strobe will be of help.

A strobe always broadens your horizons for underwater photography but there are many shots I have taken with only the built in strobe either because the critter was tucked in a coral head preventing me from using the external strobe or because i was so close to the critter that the internal strobe proved to be of more use than the external one.

 

[Zeeman]

If you are buying the strobe strictly for macro shots less than one foot away and small like nudibranchs then the A640's built in strobe should do you well, especially in the Canon housing, which has an oval shaped lens port so as to maximize the use of the internal strobe by not blocking it.

Have to correct you there. Quite the opposite - on this camera, the internal flash of the camera is located far too close to the lens, and the bottom right 1/4 of the pic is ALWAYS in a shadow.. (And the oval port actually makes it FAR worse - why do this, Canon?)

I have a pic I will upload later to this thread. I bought a strobe (Inon D2000) and it does a good job of reducing the problem (and making for much better pics).

If anything this camera and housing combo needs a strobe regardless if you really want to take "nice" pics.

this shot is with the strobe - I will upload and post a pic with the internal strobe later today to show the difference (the shot is a different shot, but taken from roughly the same distance)

 

[Gilligan]

Interesting response Zeeman as another user stated the opposite.

I'll take your word for it since you have first hand experience.

Perhaps the blind spot is only if you get too close to the subject?

I have that problem if I attach my UCL-165 close-up lens to my Oly Pt-010 housing and get too close using the cameras strobe.

 

[f3nikon]

Have to correct you there. Quite the opposite - on this camera, the internal flash of the camera is located far too close to the lens, and the bottom right 1/4 of the pic is ALWAYS in a shadow.. (And the oval port actually makes it FAR worse - why do this, Canon?)

I agree with Gilligan on this one, the flat spot on the port is to help the internal flash and the infra red focusing. The Canon snap on diffuser will help cut down on the shadows in macro shooting. The Nano should work fine IMO, but try and take some macro shoots with just the internal flash and see how you like the images.

 

[Zeeman]

Interesting response Zeeman as another user stated the opposite.

I'll take your word for it since you have first hand experience.

Perhaps the blind spot is only if you get too close to the subject?

I have that problem if I attach my UCL-165 close-up lens to my Oly Pt-010 housing and get too close using the cameras strobe.

Yes - this is mainly a macro problem, the diffuser will help if you are further away - but then you start getting back scatter probs unless the water is nice and clear...

As promised, the pic with the shadow effect shown - this was taken from about 50cm away (a foot and a half-ish). you should clearly see the shadow effect in the bottom right quarter of the screen.

So, an external strobe is a must (I think) with this camera and housing setup.

Z..

 

[shugar]

i have to agree with zee... i've had the same prob of the shadow cast by the housing...

it's "solved" by using the diffuser but i won't get into how fool-proof it is because i don't have much experience using the diffuser as i got a strobe very shortly after i got the housing...

i can also show proof of the shadow (both surface and u/w pix)... but they're in another computer at work so it'll have to wait a day or two

the canon has a very good internal strobe whose power can be controlled a tad BUT it's only 3 power settings and you do get backscatter since your light's parallel to your lens... i'm very very very happy that i have a strobe

Jag

 

[jigo]

i have the same shadow problem with the oly c-765 and the oly sp-550uz when using the internal flash. you have to take the picture farther away to avoid having the shadow. but then that beats the objective of having less water between the lens and the critter.

 

[f3nikon]

Yes - this is mainly a macro problem, the diffuser will help if you are further away - but then you start getting back scatter probs unless the water is nice and clear...

As promised, the pic with the shadow effect shown - this was taken from about 50cm away (a foot and a half-ish). you should clearly see the shadow effect in the bottom right quarter of the screen.

So, an external strobe is a must (I think) with this camera and housing setup.
Z..

I don't know about that...

The first pic is without a diffuser the second is with Canon's diffuser. Both pictures taken at a same exact distance of about 8 inches from the front of the housing port to the subject, even closer than your foot and a 1/2 plus 25% due to the water and air difference.

Canon really did their homework on this diffuser, unlike other diffusers they mounted theirs as far forward to the port as possible so as to let the light from the internal strobe "spill" over the top of the port to light up the opposite side.

Note: What ever you do...do NOT lose this diffuser I am having a tough time getting a spare, tie it to your housing!

 

[f3nikon]

the canon has a very good internal strobe whose power can be controlled a tad BUT it's only 3 power settings and you do get backscatter since your light's parallel to your lens... i'm very very very happy that i have a strobe

Jag

I am not sure which Canon you are using but the 630/640 has the best and most number of power settings I have seen in a PS, +/- 2 full stops at 1/3 steps, thats about 10 or more settings plus full aperture control, the 630/640 has more than enough light control.

And backscatter with NOT go away if the light is NOT parallel to your lens, the backscatter is still there causing your image to be grainy or fuzzy, even without a strobe or flash. The really way to reduce backscatter is to move the camera closer to the subject.