TTL tips for DS125 and Oly SP350

[RockyHeap]

I've searched, and read, and tormented myself to death over a new camera rig, so here's what is going to Fiji with me for 2 weeks over christmas.

Merry Christmas to me, I Picked up a Ikelite DS125, Ikelite housing, Ike wired cord, ULCS arms, and Oly SP350. I'm going to have fun with this rig!

I've shot 10,000ish other U/W photos with different point and shoot Nikon rigs, and have 20 dives worth experience in full manual mode with the SP-350's little brother, the SP-320 in a PT-030 oly housing using a basic full power flash Sealife 960 external strobe. I'm fully comfortable with the SP320 and SP350 full manual controls.

So question. I've never shot full TTL before, what are the basics for getting the SP-350 to synch up other than plugging in all cords, "do you need to enable or disable the external strobe trigger on the cameras menu flash setting? Sync or External or?"

On the DS125, I need tips using the modeling light for super macro (or will the ds125 trigger in super macro mode via TTL?) I'm also excited to use the modeling light for shooting videos underwater too in movie mode, My UK light cannon is too bright a hot spot for video.

Any other tips for using the DS125 1/8, 1/4, 1/2 power settings? probally pretty usefull for macro work so I don't blow out the exposure? Or just go TTL and it'll auto expose?


thanks all in advance, now if the Fed Ex driver would drive through the 6" of snow ice and 18F degrees temps Seattle is having right now I'd be getting practice to shoot in fiji.

Happy Bubbles to all.

Diver Dave.

 

[sunkarm]

i also plan to have a ds125 or two of them. i alrady have sp350 with ike's housing. i also wantedto know the answers to your questions.by the way, what is the modelling light?
thx

 

[alcina]

Why shoot ttl at all? You're already comfortable with manual settings on your camera, manual on your strobe won't be too taxing. Ttl is a good tool, but I'd learn to control the strobe

Hope the FedEx guy puts his snow shoes on for ya!

 

[bandit_TX]

TTL tends to work very well for macro. I recommend it in that scenario. Manual will probably be better for scenics and blue water shots.

 

[pir8]

Did the FedEx guy make it thru the snow yet?

 

[RockyHeap]

Double wow.

I love my new rig, practice practice practice shooting in the kitchen, TTL, manual, setting everything up in the camera modes. 9 days till my fiji trip.

The DS-125 is sweet, very very nice, I can see why the pro's shoot with them. it's only like 1.5 seconds charge and cycle time. TTL cord is straight forward to mount.

ALSO very nice is the ULCS. Ultra Light Control System arms, I got an INON wide angle lens mount for the arms, and the lens too, should be easy to swap out underwater. I'm glad I sprung for these arms, I got a 5" and 8" and they'll last a lifetime.

Suprizingly enough, I'm dissapointed in the Ikelite housing, as the shutter control doesn't have a spring return, as well as you can pull that shaft outwards from the housing as it has 3/4" of slop and play. The zoom control of the housing also doesn't even contact the zoom knob button on the camera, so zoom is useless and non-functional.

I called Ikelite, and they didn't have any answers.

Learning the strobe more, this rig has tons of flexiblity.

 

[bandit_TX]

You'll be surprised how easy the shutter is to get used to. As for the zoom, I would assume a camera mounting error as alot of people are using Ike housings with the SP-350 and we haven't heard that complaint. Make sure you seat the camera well against the backplate before you tighten the screw. Were there any shims that you didn't install?

 

[sunkarm]

I don't have any problem with the zoom control. it requires only a little touch. I thought at first as well that the zoom functions won't work then i realize that it requires only a little bit of touch to make it work.By the way how ds125 r u using?
please let me c your results if u can share it with the others.U should pop down here in indonesia for u/w photo taking.

 

[tsreimer]

I actually just got my housing and had the same problem with the lever not reaching the zoom control on the camera. The trick for me was ensuring that the camera was screwed in tight to the housing. If it wasn't securly fastened, it would lean back a little bit and the lever would not reach.

Also note that there is some play with the knob. it can be pulled in and out, so make sure it's pushed in all the way to ensure the lever is reaching as far in as possible.

 

[Crawl79]

Two more days and I will be playing with mine as well, except for the strobes but hopefully I will be calling reef photo in the next 6 months to order those. Im just praying that Brasil customs officials arent UW photographers as my coworker is carrying my setup to me.