Off Camera Slave Flash

Hi all, I'm looking for an off camera slave flash, and something called a "sticky patch" or clear film system. I don't have the $$ to put into an attached strobe plus tray etc...

Any help would be appreciated.

Andrea

Hi Andrea,

I believe your camera fires a preflash (someone correct me if I'm wrong) so you'll need a special strobe. Your choices are Ikelite's new digital line, Sea and Sea YS90DX, or one of the Inon strobes (D-180s would be nice).

As for the "sticky patch" that is just to cover the camera's internal flash so you don't get backscatter. To do this, you can use a piece of exposed black film (like from the end of a strip of negatives) taped to the inside front of your housing. That will block light, but not the IR needed to trip a slave flash.

HTH

James Wiseman

Thanks James for the info.

A.

James,

You think the slave strobes have IR detectors?????

I always thought they are just light intensity driven.

If they are IR why don't you think they cover the sensors from the strobe with some IR transparent stuff and they let it to be clear?

Now you will make me get home and go flash my slave strobe with my remote!

And again if they are IR that would be pretty cool since I have trouble shooting inverted in shallow water with sun so noy I could cover the strobe's sensor with developed film.

Vlad

I works great at least with the Ike Sensors. I use it for some time. I dont think your remote will be strong enough, but give it a try ;-)

The strobes are triggered by infra-red light. I have used the INON "Clear-Photo" system with INON, Sea & Sea, and Ikelite strobes. It will block the internal flash from exposing the image, but will still trigger the strobe's slave eye. The "Clear-Photo" system has patches of IR filter material and adhesive tape pre-cut for many different cameras. Currently, it comes with an INON fiber optic cable for use with an INON strobe, but will soon be available separately for use with any strobe system.

The only down side I have found is that you cannot decide mid-dive that you are going to use your internal strobe only. That is a very small down side, though. Other than finding something deep in a crevice where the internal is your only lighting option, I can't see that happening often.

The strobes are triggered by infra-red light. I have used the INON "Clear-Photo" system with INON, Sea & Sea, and Ikelite strobes.  It will block the internal flash from exposing the image, but will still trigger the strobe's slave eye.  The "Clear-Photo" system has patches of IR filter material and adhesive tape pre-cut for many different cameras.  Currently, it comes with an INON fiber optic cable for use with an INON strobe, but will soon be available separately for use with any strobe system.

You don't have to wait for Inon. It's easy to make your own. Find someone who still shoots slides and get a piece of unexposed, developed slide off the end of one of his rolls. It'll do the same thing. Richard came up with this long ago ( by digital standards ).

http://wetpixel.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=126

I'll been doing this long before I ever heard of Inon. I prefer to tape a large piece on the inside of the housing in front of the flash. That way I don't have to mess with taking it on and off the camera flash.

You're right, of course, Herb, but the INON system is very convenient. No fiddling with little sticky things and scissors and no hunting around for that rare acquaintence that still shoots slide film -- Oh wait! the cat doctor is still around, and he owes me a favor!

Hadn't thought about putting it in the housing. Whatever tape INON uses, it comes off and goes back on dozens of times and never leaves any residue. But I have ruined a couple of topside shots by forgetting that my flash was covered. :freak:

You're right, of course, Herb, but the INON system is very convenient.  No fiddling with little sticky things and scissors and no hunting around for that rare acquaintence that still shoots slide film -- Oh wait!  the cat doctor is still around, and he owes me a favor! 

It may be worth the ~$10 - $15 to go the photo store, walk to the counter and ask for a roll of Kodak E100VS 24 exposure, take it out of the box, hand it to the guy helping you and ask to have it developed with no mounting.