MF-2 Off-Camera Strobe

I've just bought a MF-2 strobe. I was considering getting a second, but it's really to weak to replace my YS-02s for wideangle work (I tested and measured about 2 Stops difference, with light fall-off being roughly similar). Backscatter sells an Infrared filter to remote trigger the strobe without affecting exposure with the main strobe. Is it possible to fit an infrared filter on any other strobe to achieve the same effect? If yes, how would you do so. I looked for filter gels, but IR filter gels seem to be incredibly expensive or just not available at all. Would be nice, to hand the MF-2 with snoot to my dive buddy for easy operation. 

6 hours ago, hyp said:

I've just bought a MF-2 strobe. I was considering getting a second, but it's really to weak to replace my YS-02s for wideangle work (I tested and measured about 2 Stops difference, with light fall-off being roughly similar). Backscatter sells an Infrared filter to remote trigger the strobe without affecting exposure with the main strobe. Is it possible to fit an infrared filter on any other strobe to achieve the same effect? If yes, how would you do so. I looked for filter gels, but IR filter gels seem to be incredibly expensive or just not available at all. Would be nice, to hand the MF-2 with snoot to my dive buddy for easy operation. 

The problem is going to be the size and shape of the filter, it has to be a tight fit on the strobe you are using to trigger to prevent any white light getting out.  You should be able to buy mounted camera filter type IR filters, mounting one of them a 3D printed part that fits over the fromt of your stobe might be one possibility.

Something like this:  https://www.digidirect.com.au/catalog/product/view/id/20171/s/hoya-55mm-r72-infrared-filter?gclid=CjwKCAjwkLCkBhA9EiwAka9QRhZ6NfJCiltpqZgfz4Lw0SVcVOLW-ihk2X32lvs49yCgGMl9XC074BoCxWoQAvD_BwE

I'm not sure what the range would be as strobes don't emit a huge amount of IR light and I expect it would be quickly absorbed by water.  Red light is the first to and IR being longer wavelength is probably absorbed more quickly.

The Backscatter MF-2's work very well with the IR filter on the trigger/on camera flash.

Same setup with a red filter on the rear flash, behind the target. First without the IR filter triggered by the on camera flash and the second with the IR filter on camera flash.

Problem is sourcing an IR filter for a non-MF-2 flash as I only have one of them and don't want to buy a second. Good to know that it works well though. My main Flash is a YS-02 flash. I'm doing UW-Photography on a "relatively" small budget, buying pretty much everything used and usually one or two generations behind. My MF-2 is one of the few things I've bought new. I think the only other thing are my arms and clamps.

I'm using an MF-1, and for my buddy holding the strobe, I use a simpler approach: a custom fiber optic cable, about 1.5-2m long, straight and not curly. I have my two Inons mounted on tray/arms, and when I want to snoot, I just turn them off, pull one plug from the housing, plug in the MF1 and go. Takes about 30 seconds to switch.

Costs: 1.70€/m, the plugs are from old cables so basically free. Only downside is to store the cable when not in use. I usually loosely wrap the cable around ballmount and apperture slider, works okish.

I source the cable from a german electronics supplier, conrad. If anyone wants the product link, please let me know.

Thanks. This might be a good option for me. 

On 6/23/2023 at 3:31 PM, hyp said:

Problem is sourcing an IR filter for a non-MF-2 flash as I only have one of them and don't want to buy a second. Good to know that it works well though. My main Flash is a YS-02 flash. I'm doing UW-Photography on a "relatively" small budget, buying pretty much everything used and usually one or two generations behind. My MF-2 is one of the few things I've bought new. I think the only other thing are my arms and clamps.

I'm not sure how it would work with a non MF strobe as the main. At least with the MF2, there's a sync routine you have to go through that non MF2 strobes don't support. You can change the power level on the main, hold the focus light button, it will rapidly flash to communicate the settings to the remote strobe, and the remote strobe will flash one time confirming it received the settings.