Stay with my subtronic or just go with inons & ITTL?

Back from Egypt and the first time that i have use strobes for most of my Photos

The feedback that i have is mixed up I love the color that the subronic have and with the 4300 Kelvin

I render good skin tones. I like in the same time the bacgroun color when i use the subtronic

the bad thinks are

With all the security in the airports, (My god what have we done with this world) is a pain to travel

way to egypt i must take it in the cabine, Way back, i my send it with my clothes.. they have no clue what they whant.

When the batery is emty I just must stop the shooting... IMPOSIBLE if i do Fashion & portrait

So i was thinking serious that 2 INONS will be better for those contitions but i am not sure and maybe the ITTL will work great for this kind off photos But then is the color that i love so much

This is a example (unretuched ) for what i am doing right now

Strobe in full power and 1/125 to F13 , i think

Lambis

Hi Lambis,

I have only ever shot Ikelite's for underwater fashion photos, so don't have much to compare to. Have you considered trying the Ikelite DS125? It has a really good color temp (similar to the Subtronic) and a removable battery pack. I have had very reliable performance from the 2 that I own. I tried using Inon's for reef wide angle photography, but eventually went back to the Ikelites.

Great photo you posted too - how did you make this one? Is that sand?

Cheers

James

Thanks james

I know that only Subtronic & Ikelite have warm strobes. My question is simple.

Could i do the same photo with the same lighting and colors with other strobes that have

a. diffrerent Kelvin

b. are not as stronge as my Sunbtronic?

Like

2 x Inons 240

or

2 Ike 125

James it is not sand , its a 4x4 meters orange backdrop.

Hi Lambis,

Good question.

If you want to go w/ weaker strobes you'll have to open up the lens more. If you want to get the same exposure and go to F8 (1.5 stops weaker strobe for example) then you'll need to increase your shutter speed to 1/300th. In this example, will your D200 sync at 1/300th with the strobes you choose? If not, you'll have to wait until there is less ambient light and this may change the shadows from the sun...

This is the first question. The second is what will be the effect if you use a higher kelvin strobe. To get the same zombie looking skin tone (hehe) you'll have to set the kelvin higher in the raw converter. This will result in "warmer" looking pool water - whatever that means.

Cheers

James

So james if i get you right

If i go with 2 Ike 125 to replace a one subtronic 270 that will be more or les the same

But if i use one Ike 125 this is ca 1 f stop

So if i get the photo with a subtronic in F11 1 /125

then i need for Ike lite F8 1/250

Correct?

Then i need off cource to adjust the color temperature but this is not the bigest problem.

You are right Zombie skin .. hmm must fix with capture one..

Sometimes i think Subtronic is to warm some other times just perfect

Hi Lambis,

My example above is just that, an example. You need to look at the guide numbers for the two strobes and see how big is the power difference. Then adjust your exposures accordingly. The main point is that the strobe power is related to the aperture only, but when you adjust the aperture, you have to adjust the SS to account for the lightening of the background.

Cheers

James

Right james but guide numbers are offen a mysterium

Giud numer for Subtronic & Hartenberger is 22 under water and 22 in air !!??

Ike is 10 UW & 20 in air

Inon Z-240 is 24 in air & ??? i water

Absolut chaos.. untill you have & use the strobe you know nothing att all

Right james but guide numbers are offen a mysterium

 

Giud numer for Subtronic & Hartenberger is 22 under water and 22 in air !!??

Ike is 10 UW & 20 in air

Inon Z-240 is 24 in air & ??? i water

Absolut chaos.. untill you have & use the strobe you know nothing att all

That´s right!...

P.D: Hartenbergers let you change the bulb unit with different temps...and there some VERY powerful models!!

Why don't you use a filter on your strobe? I'm sure with some DIY you'll be able to make something. Or you order something like this.... Another option could be one or two housed SB800s and apply any of the Nikon filters to the strobe so you can make any temperature you like. And you'll have full TTL support straight from the camera. I don't have any experience with the use of a topside strobe UW but i know some people have descent results with them.

cheers, udo

According to Ryan at Reef Photo to use 2 SB800's the second would need to be on slave mode for TTL and would require a fibre-optic connection to the slave flash housing.

I'm trying to figure out an approximate guide number for UW for an SB800. Above water they are rated at GN38 at ISO100. I'm thinking half that UW? Also angle of lighting?

Jack

Jack,

Is the front of your SB800 housing a dome or flat port? That will have a big effect.

James

Jack,

 

Is the front of your SB800 housing a dome or flat port? That will have a big effect.

 

James

Flat, thinking about one of the Fantasea SB 800 housings.

Jack

Multiply above water strobe coverage by 3/4 then.

Can't say exactly on the GN - it varies on this flash because the head zooms. Lock it at the max for mid range photos and let it zoom for macro.

General rule is multiply GN by 1/2 to 1/3rd.

Cheers

James

Flat, thinking about one of the Fantasea SB 800 housings.

 

 

Jack

I to have a fantasea housing like this but my sb800 work not on ittl, i need to change the hot shoe cable in my NEXUS to a NCC version, my is a NCC-V2 cable.

Lambis

Right james but guide numbers are offen a mysterium

 

Giud numer for Subtronic & Hartenberger is 22 under water and 22 in air !!??

Ike is 10 UW & 20 in air

Inon Z-240 is 24 in air & ??? i water

Absolut chaos.. untill you have & use the strobe you know nothing att all

Seacam 250TTL strobe? Enough power, 2 bulbs (warm and cold), TTL with two strobes; not that you need any, but its there

I also use the SB800 in a Subal housing. that housing has a dome, not a flat glass in front of the strobe. Angle of coverage is good, but not as great as the Seacam.