Do dual strobes allow using wider lenses?

My DS51 specs show 28mm as the widest lens due to the coverage angle of this strobe.

My question is this...If I add another DS51, will this increase my coverage angle enough to use my Tokina 12-24mm zoom? I suspect (and hope) the answer is yes, but I just want to get some responses here before I buy another DS51 and a port for the Tokina.

FYI, I have a Canon 40D with Ikelite housing.

Thanks,

Duane

yes it will. Basically with one strobe either side of the lens you would use edge lighting, this will almost double the spread of your lighting abilities from left to right

yes it will. Basically with one strobe either side of the lens you would use edge lighting, this will almost double the spread of your lighting abilities from left to right

Sounds great Mike, thanks a lot.

Duane

Just to add to Mike's reply, it also allows modelling by having one strobe on a higher or lower setting than the another - and both aimed in at a slight angle. Lighting is less even across the whole image and creates more "life" in the picture rather than possibly being a bit flat.

Just to add to Mike's reply, it also allows modelling by having one strobe on a higher or lower setting than the another - and both aimed in at a slight angle. Lighting is less even across the whole image and creates more "life" in the picture rather than possibly being a bit flat.

Hey Tim thanks for the reply. Yea I get what you are saying, it makes a lot of sense. I ordered my second D51, and will order my port for my Tokina soon. Since I won't be diving until the weather warms up a bit, I've got some time to spread out the cash bleed.

I'm kinda lucky I have a lake close by that caters to divers. Lake Rawlings is about 60 feet at its deepest point, and we have a few training platforms, some cars, a bus, and a sailboat that was sunk and left behind when they filmed the opening scenes from the movie The Replacements. I plan on getting as much practice as I can at the lake before we take our trip this year probably to the Bahamas.

I'm wondering if it would be better to use a dual sync cord with the 2 strobes, or if I should use the slave sensors? Again, any and all replies are appreciated.

Thanks,

Duane

Hi Duane

Sounds fun - and a trip to the Bahamas should be excellent.

I started using one sync cord and the other strobe set to slave. But reading various posts on Wetpixel about sync cords failing, I have now moved to using two sync cords - thinking that if one fails, I can always switch that strobe to slave and use the remaining corded strobe to fire it. So an element of redundancy is available. No sync cord failures so far!

Hi Duane

 

Sounds fun - and a trip to the Bahamas should be excellent.

 

I started using one sync cord and the other strobe set to slave. But reading various posts on Wetpixel about sync cords failing, I have now moved to using two sync cords - thinking that if one fails, I can always switch that strobe to slave and use the remaining corded strobe to fire it. So an element of redundancy is available. No sync cord failures so far!

Thanks again for the reply Tim. Unless I'm mistaken, I think I need to buy a separate salve sensor with the DS51 to be able to use it in slave mode. My other option as I see it is to use the dual sync cord that Ikelite has available that will allow me to plug 2 DS 51 strobes to the bulkhead connector on my housing.

I think the dual sync cord is the route I'm going to take. Sure I'm plunking down $135 for a cord that will replace the 2 I already have, but like you say if the dual cord fails, I still have the single cords as a backup. But this is part of what I'm looking forward to this spring...getting all this worked out.

Sorry Duane, I'm not familiar with the Ikelite setups - someone else may be able to chip-in. But if you have only one bulkhead connector using a dual sync cord - with one lead to each strobe - should work well. If you then had the ability to slave either strobe you would then have very good redundancy.

But if you have two bulkhead connectors there is no need to swap your two single cords for a dual cord.

I hope that makes sense!

Best wishes

Sorry Duane, I'm not familiar with the Ikelite setups - someone else may be able to chip-in. But if you have only one bulkhead connector using a dual sync cord - with one lead to each strobe - should work well. If you then had the ability to slave either strobe you would then have very good redundancy.

 

But if you have two bulkhead connectors there is no need to swap your two single cords for a dual cord.

 

I hope that makes sense!

 

Best wishes

Makes sense, FYI only one bulkhead connector on the Ikelite housing for the 40D.

Thanks,

Duane