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ULCS arm set up

Started by CADiver ·

  • 12Posts
  • 12Replies

Read-only discussion

ULCS arm set up

12 posts

  1. I am going to change my ULCS arm configuration a little bit, so I want to hear what do you do.

    This is focus on a wide angle or fisheye setup, in my case it's the Tokina 10-17 in a 8in port. I currently use 2 8 inches arm on each side. I am thinking of changing it to 12 inch and 8 inch or 16 inch an 8 inch each side. So my question is for those who use 2 uneven arm, do you put the short one closer to the housing or the longer one closer to the housing. I realize this is probably mostly personal preference but I suspect there might be reasons to do one way or another to more effectively light your subject with a particular arrangement.

     

    Thank you !

  2. I just set up my new rig with a 5 and an 8 with the 8 outboard. This lets me tuck the strobes in next to the housing when it's on the camera table. I wanted a stable setup when its on the deck. This gets me outboard just about to the limit of the sync cord too. I'm trying to use the lighting technique Martin Edge describes in his book and keep the strobes more level with the lens and closer for WA. This means pointing them out board as opposed to straight at the subject. It also gives me the flexibility to light the macro shots about any way I want. Might want to play with it before buying longer arms. Just a thought.

     

    Steve

  3. For me if i put the shorter arm closer to the housing it looks much prettier on the camera table before the dive, if i do the the other way i cant sit the strobes on the table as well keeping the arms neat.

     

     

     

    oh, and i have 16 inches :D

  4. oh, and i have 16 inches :excl:
    Here is a less than catalog quality shot of the rig showing the arm setup as Simon described with a 5 & 8.

     

    post-4526-1203049595_thumb.jpg

     

    I thought you guys in the UK used centimeters, that I could believe :D Things look bigger underwater.

     

    Steve

  5. Ditto for the 5" and 8" combo - I used that to good effect with the 10-17. I tried 8 and 8, but couldn't see any difference. For macro, I often use just one 8" per side - between that and the two clips, I haven't had many issues with lighting angles.

     

    BTW, if you're not currently using the floaty arms and you buy new ones, do yourself a favor - they're pretty darn nice. My housing doesn't want to roll up at me all the time.

  6. Looking at ULCS's web site there doesn't appear to be that much wt. savings - somewhere around 12 - 14 oz. Do you think the advantage is more in the camera's underwater attitude? (no, I'm not referring to it's general mood! :blush: )

  7. Do you think the advantage is more in the camera's underwater attitude?
    I just got out of the pool for the first time with the setup pictured above. WOW! The difference on how it feels underwater is amazing. It took me a little while to get the strobes where they balanced the rig but I was shooting one handed in about 10 minutes. Most of that was just getting a feel for the right clamp pressure. It was still a little heavy (fresh water) but I was astounded at how easy it was to maneuver. The bouyancy arms may have just enough float when they are slightly folded to get the CG down lower to improve stability. We were having a blast shooting the 60mm in the pool practicing macro on plastic coral. Loving the 250's by the way. The newer clamps make it easier to position the arms in slight ajustments fore and aft. We were able to balance the rig in that plane to avoid the port tipping up. I honestly hadn't thought about stability as a reason for the bouyancy segments, but it sure feels like they help. Pakman and others like the Stix foam floats. They make them now for UCLS arms if you want to think about going that way. But I must say I'm loving the UCLS setup. (And the camera is still dry) :blush::):)

     

    Steve

    Edited by williamshs
  8. Do you think the advantage is more in the camera's underwater attitude?

     

    Yes, for me the primary advantage is attitude - buoyancy comp is a nice-to-have benefit. As Steve says, when I position the strobes out and back of the dome for WA, they really offset the upward roll (the camera stops trying to look up at me). Significantly less wrist tension than my old 8" arms, and easy to use one-handed. Left me a hand free to prod the critters into position (just kidding).

     

    The other thing Steve mentions is clamp pressure - took me a bit to figure it out too. Doesn't take much underwater to hold it all in place. I tended to crank them down and make easy adjustment a pain.

  9. Loving the 250's by the way.

     

    I was wondering what you thought of the 250's. I've been using the YS-90's for awhile and have been considering an upgrade.

  10. I was wondering what you thought of the 250's.
    Rick I have very limited experience with them in real world shooting, one day in the pool hardly qualifies me as an expert. There is a great article on Backscatter by Berkley White you should checkout. I can say a couple of things from a usability standpoint, call them first impressions. I have been using the old Nikonos 102 for years so the size didn't scare me. They aren't as big as I thought they would be. The controls are very intuitive and well laid out. I was using them without even having to look after about an hour. The ready light on both sides are a nice touch. There implementaion of the nikonos sync cord fitting design doesn't feel as strong as the original, so you have to be careful during setup but that is a nit. I was a little taken aback by the charger and battery pack when I first opened them. They are seriously built, long cords. There is a lot of power there and it shows up in the battery. The battery connection to the strobe looks fragile, I'd predict some folks will have some issues with the connector, again just have to be a little careful.

     

    The color and power look very good at first blush from my limited viewpoint. The ability to dial in 12 power levels is new for me and very cool for digital shooting. Spec is 200 full dumps on a charge, I can't imagine the shot that would require both of these babies on full. Most of the time I expect to be 1/2 or less. One of the keys for me is recyle time. With the shooting we did yesterday at low powers, there wasn't any. The strobe was ready to go before I was. I'm liking my choice.

     

    Steve

    Edited by williamshs
  11. With the shooting we did yesterday at low powers, there wasn't any. The strobe was ready to go before I was. I'm liking my choice.

     

    Steve

     

    The rig does look sharp with the all black housing and strobes :blush: Glad you are all ready to go. Based on your wine thread I know I am looking forward to seeing some of the shots when you take it out in the wild. I am thinking 40D myself at some point.

  12. The rig does look sharp with the all black housing and strobes :)
    Thanks Drew, We may nickname it Darth, a little too passe' though. We'll come up with something. We're still getting used to each other. To early in the relationship to have pet names. :blush:

     

    I want to try and get the image of both target lights on spread wide with a red focus light coming out of the gloom in the center. If we do it right it will look like something out of close encounters of the third kind.

     

    Steve

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