Torch to see and a strobe for Piccies

Hi All,

I've just picked up a Nikon D70 + twin YS-90 and I'm a little new to all this.

As I'm diving in cold green murky UK waters I'm use to carrying a nice large torch in order to see where I'm going.

I understand the strobes will do all my photo work. My only question is what is the best way to work/carry a camera and a torch (UK Light Cannon) as I only appear to have 2 hands and I can't seem to find a 3rd hand on ebay anywhere !!

The camera came with a little modelling light but I'm use to diving with a big bright torch!

Do I follow my buddy around who has the torch and use my modelling light?

Bolt the Light Cannon to the top of the camera (I assume I'll direct its focus aways from the subject when taking photos)?

Eat more Carrots?

I'm really looking for suggestion.

Thanks

A UK Light Canon will be tough because it is big and bulky (and horribly unreliable i've heard). For night & cavern dives I use a dive rite canister light with a ball joint 'macguyvered onto the light head. I screw another ball head into the top of my aquatica housing (in the middle) and attach the light head smack in between my 2 strobes. The bulky canister gets strapped to my BC harness.

I think you can get a ball joint for the light canon and do the same if you have a screw thread in the top of your housing. The other option would be to replace one strobe with the torch. So you have a strobe on one side and your light on the other.

Also if you're new to UW photography, starting with 1 strobe simplifies things greatly and will reduce your overall bulk.

Obviously you can't carry it, so i'd first look for a ball joint attachment for the torch and go from there.

I wouldn't worry too much about the torch in the pics as the only exposures I've ever caught my torch in were shooting cave formations at 1/40th of a second and f/2.8 at iso 200 (well, maybe in your dark murky green waters...). Even then with an adjustable beam angle of the light head i can just widen the beam and lose the hot spot. Maybe that means you should buy a canister light to go with your brand new camera rig

dive safe,

Chris

yea, i would suggest going for a smaller light and attaching it to the top of the housing. you should have some sort of attachment point depending on your housing, but i think the Lite Cannon too big. A smaller light will be better and if you can attach it to the top of the housing it will also improve your autofocus