MOdeling / Focusing light

I am looking for a modeling light to help the autofocus of my canon 20D in an Ikelite housing.

I currently have one Mini-C Lite diving light mounted in the right handle tip.

Unless I have some sort of difuser in front of the light it creates a hot spot in the center of the image.

When I make a difuser out of different plastics the light spread very nice and even across the frame but doesn't get ver far. Has anyone tried another modeling light mounted in an Ikelite housing with a little more "punch" to it ?

Thanks

Hugo

Hi

I use a UK Mini Q40 or 2x on the strobes, depends on what i'm shooting.

the beam is quite narrow and has punch

not sure where your based or if you can get your hands on one.

www.uwkinetics.com

if you need help give me shout i could mail you one out if you have a paypal account for payment.

regards

craig

I use a led light that I mount to the strobe or to the right handle of the housing.

Its doesn't have any hotspot and its have strong light but very spread so its can use as main light source but its not the best for far objects .

I use a Light and Motion MOD light (discontinued) mounted on a Technical Lighting Control / Aquatica light saddle that is mounted on a 4" base and 8" double ball which attaches to the saddle. It all sits on top of my Aquatica housing, not on the arms or strobes. It is very clean. You can place your light right in front of the flat port very close to the subject. Light is very focussed in this area.

Mauricio Handler

I've been diving a housed 20D with the 100mm up in the Northwest for a couple of months and after trying a few different things I went for the over-the-top option and I mount my Light Canon on one of my arms. With two diffusers on the beam it gives a nice wash to the light and makes for a great focus light.

However, I haven't seen that this result yields reliable AF so I just muddle through manually focusing my 100mm. I suppose if I messed around with the arm configuration and removed a diffuser or two I might find something that works more reliably.

Which leads me to ask, for Macro work do most people use AF and a good modelling light? I'm going to be making my first excursion to Australia and the Barrier reef and I am curious as to what I can get away with. I will have a 10-22mm with me as well but I'm entirely ignorant as to how to set up to use that lens in water with better than 15' visibility

Just another green diver in green waters,

--Sagen

I've been diving a housed 20D with the 100mm up in the Northwest ... I'm going to be making my first excursion to Australia and the Barrier reef and...I'm entirely ignorant as to how to set up to use that lens in water with better than 15' visibility 

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Sagen,

You'll LOVE the 100mm in clear water, and should be able to use AF during the daytime with no problem. It's a great lens, and when the water is REALLY clear you may even find yourself able to get shots (with that lens!) of some skittish fish from 4-6 ft away (something you'd never even consider in the PNW!).

AF won't work quite as well on early morning and/or dusk dives, however, so at those times -- and definitely at night -- you'll want a modeling light of some sort and will likely want to use manual focus instead of AF.

If you want to really fine tune your imagery, especially in macro you must try Focusing Manually.

There are many reasons for this but control of the focal point (point of focus ) especilly in very large ratios 2:1 and beyond is really only achieved with manual focus...

Mauricio Handler

I use a Fantasea 44 LED light as a modeling light. I dive in Monterey and Carmel and have no issues autofocusing with my 20D and 100 mm macro lens during day and night dives. It costs ~130 USD and burns for 8 hours. No real complaints here.

Thanks everyone for the info.

I just ordered a Fantasea 44 led as chilipino recommended.

Seems like a good inexpensive yet powerful enough modeling light.

Hugo

What strobes do you use? I guess from your post, your strobes don't have a modeling light built in, or aren't you using any strobe and just shooting ambient. Any strobe will over power a modeling light and the "hot spot" will wash out in the flash so I'm just curious; are you shooting w/ a strobe or just ambient.

What strobes do you use? I guess from your post, your strobes don't have a modeling light built in, or aren't you using any strobe and just shooting ambient. Any strobe will over power a modeling light and the "hot spot" will wash out in the flash so I'm just curious; are you shooting w/ a strobe or just ambient.

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If you use the strobe built in light you have to point the strobe to the subject. This is only possible in clear water situations. If you have backscatter this is not a solution.

On the other hand, you need to be free to position your strobes thinking on the best lightning technic and not as a moddeling light.