Tip manual strobe usage (in particular for the DX-1G) - really easy!!

[Paula Schi]

After being frustrated with the so-called TTL-feature of the DX-1G and YS110alpha
I started searching the web for help.
I stumbled upon the cool website of the Jim Church School of Underwater Photography and its numerous podcasts hosted by Mike Haber and Doug Mesgleski
Podcast Welcome Page

One podcast is about using strobes without TTL. It sounded pretty easy so I tried it out and was really impressed.
On my last vacation I took about 1000 u/w pics and didn't have a single overexposed picture. I have no idea about the theory on photography or strobes: so it has to be plain and simple for me. Have a look for youself:

UW Digital Podcast 0003

I enjoyed listening to all the episodes and was sad that they seem have stopped making those podcast shows.

These are some of the pictures I made with the help of the "magic strobe chart"
http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/4862733-post10.html

All the pics were taken with the DX-1G with a single YS110alpha, in manual mode.

My magic strobe chart for my setup:
DX-1G, YS110a, ISO 100 and the flash set on full power with manual 1.

1ft - 8,1
1,5ft - 7,2
2ft - 6,5
3ft - 5,7
4ft - 5,1

With macro I think I reduced the flash down to minimum or the first step from the left.
That was about it.


Best regards from Europe,

Paula

 

[Mariozi]

A long time ago in a galaxy far far away, the strobes (YS60, YS90, YS120, SB105...) would come with these "magic tables" in a sticker for us to use on themselves or anywhere else... That's how we shot on film on WA or macro without TTL.

Today it is still how I do it with my D300, TTL was great shooting macro on film where we were not able to see immediately what we were doing and due to 36 exposures only, we HAD to nail it in maximum 3 shots... today, with the immediate results in the back LCD, TTL is less than a requirement, and going manual you achieve a much higher degree of control on your lighting.

 

[Paula Schi]

I think we should also think about the animals we are shooting.
Does it have to be 10 shots or more with a flash on a poor little pygmy seahorse?
It should work out after 3 shots.
Those poor little creatures have enough stress when they see us divers coming along...

 

[Mariozi]

Sometimes it does take more than 3 shots, especially with pigmy seahorse sized subject, to nail "the" composition. When you reach a certain level past basic uwphoto and start seriously publishing your images, and you find a nice subject, you might want to explore it in a vertical shot, a horizontal one, a vertical with space for captions if you're thinking of a magazine cover a lower composition for a multiple exposure... that takes a lot of shots and that's how the "pros" do it, they dive a LOT might even revisit the same seahorse with a super-macro setup on the same day (or on the same dive if you have the luxury of having 2 or more setups), shoot a LOT, explore their subjects A LOT, try to do especial dives for it even, hire special DMs, dive outside the groups...

As long as you don't slap the seahorse down with your fin when you get out of it, or you don't smash it if your port, I think you are doing him a better service of portraying him in a nice and evocative way to the dry world. But that is a great discussion that maybe not even myth-busters might dispel.

After shooting for a few years I normally do my macro flash power setup when I turn on my strobes, and they are pretty close to optimum, it only takes a maximum of 2 shots to adjust it while on the subject, normally depending on it's color, and how I have to move the strobe heads around the surrounding rocks/corals to reach him without trashing the place.

I also teach my students to do it on a "pretty" rock close by, before moving in close to a subject when they have doubts about settings or think the subject will go away after the first click.

 

[New Horizons]

Hi Paula,

Some very good links. I am very very new at diving and and the world of u/w photography. Yesterday was the first time for my new Sea & Sea DX2G. Despite being so new at things I managed to get some very cool pics. For the first while I will focus on just holding the camera still and point & shoot. I do not have a strobe yet but am looking at the YS100a. Do you think that it needs to be arm mounted or can I just stick with the top mount for now? Should I consider any manual settings at this early start of my u/w experience? Any other suggestions? I live in Campbell River, BC, Canada. Cold water with great vis right now. Cheers.

 

[Paula Schi]

Hi "New Horizons",

if you want to take macro shots you can stick to the top mount but it is better to have strobe arm so you can reduce backscatter.

It took me a long time to switch from full automatic mode to manual settings on the camera, same thing for the strobe.
Get used to the camera, learn to know its functions on the topside so you can use it uw.
What I really think helps is also just reading through all kinds of uw-photography forums.
I read a lot at wetpixel and here and scubatoys and looked at a lot of pictures to find out what settings you need to take a decent looking picture.
Don't expect to get perfect pictures within a few weeks (ok-if you're really talented then maybe).

USE the RAW function- so you can concentrate on taking pictures uw instead of wasting your time with WB. Take your time and don't rush behind the fish- they're faster than you ;-)

I think that's about it from the top of my head.

I envy you- I bet you will have some good fun with the salmon in the fall.

Cheers!