strobe vs flash for DC2000?

[Scuba Natalia]

I'm looking to buy the Sealife DC2000 as my first underwater photography/videography venture. Not looking into being a professional really, just want to produce good quality images and videos.

I'm set on having my set up with 2 strobes but it doesn't seem that Sealife has strobes on their website? Or is a strobe equivalent to flash?

If Sealife doesn't have any strobes themselves would I be able to set up the camera with a different company strobe?

recommendations welcome.
Thanks

 

[Landau]

Strobe and flash are the same thing

 

[Barmaglot]

SeaLife most certainly offers strobes for DC2000 - FLASH/STROBE - SeaLife Cameras

'Strobe' and 'flash' are more or less interchangeable terms, much like 'flashlight' and 'torch', although many prefer to avoid using 'flash' and 'flashlight' in order to avoid confusion - 'strobe' and 'torch' are much easier to tell apart.

 

[fmerkel]

I can see it possible to construe the small flash on the camera as THE flash, and the large external thing as the strobe.
If so, you want a Strobe, and you also want a focus light.

Seriously consider an Olympus TG4/5 and build from there. You get a MUCH better camera, for probably not much difference in price. To get good pictures, you need good lighting. That means a small strobe and close distances, or a more powerful strobe for things farther away. Water EATS light....fast.
Expect to be shocked by the price of a good strobe. If you are not, it's probably not much of a strobe. If you upgrade you can take a good strobe with you.

 

[Battra]

Seriously don't consider the TG4/5, my enlarged images are much better with my DC2000 than the TG4.

 

[kelemvor]

I can see it possible to construe the small flash on the camera as THE flash, and the large external thing as the strobe.
If so, you want a Strobe, and you also want a focus light.

Seriously consider an Olympus TG4/5 and build from there. You get a MUCH better camera, for probably not much difference in price. To get good pictures, you need good lighting. That means a small strobe and close distances, or a more powerful strobe for things farther away. Water EATS light....fast.
Expect to be shocked by the price of a good strobe. If you are not, it's probably not much of a strobe. If you upgrade you can take a good strobe with you.

There's a significant number of features in dc2000 that are superior to tg5. Probably the biggest one is the sensor is considerably larger and better (both). Olympus needs to release a new dive camera.

In summary:
The 12mp olympus sensor is 1/2.33" or 6.16mmx4.6mm (25 square millimeters)
The 20mp sealife sensor is 1" or 13.2mmx8.8mm (116 square millimeters)
Sealife has a better lens (f/1.8 vs f/2.0)
TG5 has better ISO at 100 vs 125 on the sealife. The faster lens on dc2000 should make up for this and then some.

I agree, a focus light will be very beneficial. One of the things that tends to be a struggle with dive cameras is auto focusing underwater, and the added light helps immeasurably with this.

 

[fmerkel]

Really? The Sealife cameras have improved THAT much? They used to be pretty mediocre.

 

[kelemvor]

Really? The Sealife cameras have improved THAT much? They used to be pretty mediocre.

Yes, that new dc2000 is a huge departure from their previous cameras. Here's a review: The SeaLife DC2000 is the best tough camera you've never heard of

 

[Trailboss123]

Instead of a flash/strobe, you may want to consider starting out with the camera and the SeaLife Sea Dragon 2500 light combo, which is what I started out with. Gives you the advantage of continuous light for video, photography and a dive light for night diving/ illuminating the reef during the day. I have been very pleased with the results. Example found here: https://www.amazon.com/SeaLife-DC20...hvlocphy=&hvtargid=pla-4584070138221120&psc=1

 

[dmaziuk]

Really? The Sealife cameras have improved THAT much? They used to be pretty mediocre.

It isn't perfect, I gather, with huge RAW write lag and no optical zoom... but the sensor is big.

... if only there was an underwater housing for M100 ...