3 strobes

i was showing a work pal of mine some recent WA shots and explaing to him that lighting is one of the main problems faced by UW photographers. Well the discussion went on and he asked me if using 3 strobes would make for a different image. Has anyone used 3 strobes, if so what results did you get.?

Yes, I have used 3 strobes - 2x DS125's on long arms, and an InonZ220 mounted on the modeling light ball on top of my housing. It works well if you're shooting extremely wide, and have trouble w/ a dark spot in the center of your photos. Or I could just suck at aiming my DS125's :-)

Cheers

James

Yes, I have used 3 strobes - 2x DS125's on long arms, and an InonZ220 mounted on the modeling light ball on top of my housing. It works well if you're shooting extremely wide, and have trouble w/ a dark spot in the center of your photos. Or I could just suck at aiming my DS125's :-)

 

Cheers

James

cheers for the reply James, this is what we were discussing, extreme wide angle. some of the shots we were looking at either had good lighting at the edges but not in the centre or good in the centre and fading towards the edges.

I have used 4 strobes for wide in both a line and a rectangle arrangement. It provides extra flexibility in aiming when you are shooting close to unusually shaped subjects but I think that's more trouble than it's worth.

In the future I intend to use 3 strobes much like James has described. The point in doing so isn't to create lighting different from what two wide angle strobes provide, it's to allow the use of smaller strobes while still achieving broad coverage. My intention with 4 strobes was greater power but I think the smaller rig is more appealing.

I have used 4 strobes for wide in both a line and a rectangle arrangement. It provides extra flexibility in aiming when you are shooting close to unusually shaped subjects but I think that's more trouble than it's worth.

 

In the future I intend to use 3 strobes much like James has described. The point in doing so isn't to create lighting different from what two wide angle strobes provide, it's to allow the use of smaller strobes while still achieving broad coverage. My intention with 4 strobes was greater power but I think the smaller rig is more appealing.

Well that was kind of where my discussion went, do I replace my 2 ys90's, (which i love for macro shots) and fork out a shed load of money to get myself some new strobes which will work better for WA or do I try and pick up a second hand strobe and add to my 2 YS90's. I think I might try and get another one to try out in october. Then if it is a PITA I will at least always have a spare strobe should one die on me. Cheers for the reply

Some people favor the wide strobes because they can rely on good coverage without fussing with them (and they also have a warmer light). The price they pay is in size and travel weight plus they have to decide whether they will use a different strobe for macro. Finally, large strobes have custom batteries and chargers and there is a question of what to do for redundancy.

Smaller strobes are easier to use for macro and they travel well. They tend to use AA batteries which are easier on travel also. Carrying a third strobe, or even four, satisfies the redundancy needs and can be used for wide angle like we are talking about here. The downside is the extra fuss in setting them up and managing them underwater. You also need to consider how you are going to trigger them and control their power output.

I personally like the smaller strobe approach but there will be others who prefer the opposite. I don't think 3 or 4 smaller strobes will produce better lighting than two DS200s or YS250s but I think they can be made to work well. I am someone who enjoys macro more than wide angle but if it were the opposite I may feel differently.

When you factor in your personal situation and the cost of the alternatives, adding another YS90 is likely the cheaper solution. Consider how you will trigger the strobe and factor in the extra arms and mounting points. Whether you would enjoy switching to YS250s better is subjective.

When you factor in your personal situation and the cost of the alternatives, adding another YS90 is likely the cheaper solution. Consider how you will trigger the strobe and factor in the extra arms and mounting points. Whether you would enjoy switching to YS250s better is subjective.

I already have the required arms, so I was thinking of using a Y synch cord for two of them and the other to work as a slave. All I would need to buy would be a Y snch cord and a second hand YS90. This is by far cheaper than the expense of two 250's and the added weight. I have not done much WA work yet so I am not too sure whether the expense of two 250's would be a waste as I do love macro, perhaps though that is because I havent given WA a good enough try. I am off to Elphinstone and the Brothers in october and then off to EL Qusir to dive some exploring around the un dived reefs there and I will only be taking WA gear with me so I will have to shoot WA. I am then going back to the Maldives in January for a 2 week liveaboard which is why I want to get better and more comfortable with WA.

Once again all advice is good advice so thanks, Stew

I can't help imagining 4 Ike DS50 (or 51's) arranged on two arms: the first two on 3-bal clamps right at the top of the handles, and the second two out at arm ends. Not entirely sure how you'd trigger them all - trigger the nearer on a dual sync cord and the outers each with an EV controller pointed at it's nearest strobe? The inner two strobes would be angled slightly 'out' and 'down' relative to the lens axis, so as to barely overlap a few feet in front of the lens, and the outer arm strobes would be flexibly positioned based on subject...You'd look like you were pushing one of those Baja rally roll-bars with all the floods on it.

Would this honestly make sense vs. just going to larger strobes??

Not really. The DS50's are designed w/ a special reflector to keep the beam pretty tight - for excellent macro shooting.

Craig used the Inon strobes which have two tubes and a really different reflector, so they are much wide.

Cheers

James

I can't help imagining 4 Ike DS50 (or 51's) arranged on two arms: the first two on 3-bal clamps right at the top of the handles, and the second two out at arm ends. Not entirely sure how you'd trigger them all - trigger the nearer on a dual sync cord and the outers each with an EV controller pointed at it's nearest strobe? The inner two strobes would be angled slightly 'out' and 'down' relative to the lens axis, so as to barely overlap a few feet in front of the lens, and the outer arm strobes would be flexibly positioned based on subject...You'd look like you were pushing one of those Baja rally roll-bars with all the floods on it.

 

Would this honestly make sense vs. just going to larger strobes??

i didnt say i would position them like that !!!

what i thought would be ok, would be to have one at 3 one at 9 and one at 12 oclock, all on their own ulc's. two strobes ( 3 and 9 ) either connected with a Y synch and the third working as a slave. surely by having the third, i would be able to play around with the positioning of them to get the spread of light just right for extreme WA

i do not want to spend over £1000 on two new strobes to find out that my images are still poor. i also said that i have shot mainly macro which i love and IMO the 250's would be OTT for macro work, and also heavier for travelling.

Just for the record, I love the 250"s for macro. The recycle time (almost zero at half power) completely changes the game.

One could I suppose rewire the second housing sync connection (who needs TTL?) and run a Y cord for two and a single from the new connector to the third strobe, Or you could always slave it, I think I like the idea of carrying a 110 around in my BC pocket set to slave if I thought I was going to need the third strobe. On the other hand, I seem to have enough trouble getting two pointed in the right direction.

Steve

Just for the record, I love the 250"s for macro. The recycle time (almost zero at half power) completely changes the game.

 

One could I suppose rewire the second housing sync connection (who needs TTL?) and run a Y cord for two and a single from the new connector to the third strobe, Or you could always slave it, I think I like the idea of carrying a 110 around in my BC pocket set to slave if I thought I was going to need the third strobe. On the other hand, I seem to have enough trouble getting two pointed in the right direction.

 

Steve

i was not dissing the 250's, from what i have seen they are very good, and of course i would own them tomorrow if someone wanted to swap a pair for my 90's. ( PM me if there is anyone stupid enough )what i was trying to get across is that i am totally happy with the 90's for macro shots, so i wouldnt want to spend a further £k's on new shiny gear if my WA images are still going to be poor ( ie user errors )

the saying if it isnt broke, dont fix it springs to mind. in the case of some of my WA lighting it is broke, so i am trying to fix it, in the case of my 90's for macro i feel that my results are ok, so i dont need to fix it.

exactly what james said, a 3rd strobe for closeup 10mm fisheye shots to get the center area, otherwise it will be dark.

Scott