Hey folks.
In the past, I've shot with big SS-200s, but these days I'm mostly using a pair of ds-51s, for macro, to fish portraits, and moderate wide angle scenics, and turtles and mantas.
I've had several kinds of arm systems so far, including ikelite large ball, and TLC. So far, my usual favorite for most general shooting is the silly ikelite sliding/pivoting rod, with the big knob to adjust resistance:
http://www.ikelite.com/web_two/u4075arms.html
I seem to remember a nikonos arm like this, back in the day. I wonder if they are still around?
The thing I like about this is the speed of going from one position to another. It can only get the strobe to a slightly limited range of positions, but most of the useful area is covered.
What about locline arms? The big problem appears to be squeaking. Goodbye flame angles. Is there any work around for the squeaking?
I've never been all that thrilled with even TLC arms - the point between being too tight to move gracefully, and being too loose to hold, seems quite small. But maybe too, I've never had the right arm configuration. A setup where the base is fixed and fairly tall, and one arm as long as you can get, and still shoot macro, and then just the ball head.
So far, I've gone to multiple adjustable arm segments, and then it seems like I spend too often during the dive, resetting things to a useful position.
So, are ULCS arms a huge step up, from TLC? Or step down? Or just a small difference, or what?
What do you all like best, for light strobes?
Thanks!
Don
