Slave strobe question

[seabreeze]

Greetings - I'm using a Canon S70 with a YS-90 Auto strobe. While it's more than enough light in the Caribbean, I'm thinking it's insufficient power for shooting in the dark waters of Maine (where I live). I'm contemplating adding a slave strobe and am bridling a bit at the additional cost.

I've got my eye on eBay (just missed a good deal on another YS90 - darn), and am contemplating the more reasonably priced SB105. Anyone have thoughts about adding this - or any - strobe?

I'm diving with Jonathan in Eastport later this month and am thinking about getting it sooner than later.

All thoughts welcome!

Breeze

[Clay Coleman]

Dang, Breeze, I wish I could help you. Does the SB105 have a slave mode? I've never used Nikon strobes because of the lack of a 1/2 power setting (having to put a diffuser on doesn't count). The Ike 100a is a great all-purpose strobe, but there's no slave mode. Would an Ike 100 with the separate slave sensor work? Fred? Ike? -Clay

[seabreeze]

Hi Clay - Thanks for the come-back. Yes, the SB105 does indeed have a slave mode. It's power settings include full, 1/4 and 1/16th. Yes, the diffuser would probably give you the 1/2 you mentioned wanting a setting for.

I can't find stat's for the SB105 anywhere I've searched on the web. What's it's guide number? I've read it covers the 15mm lens, so it's fairly wide dispersion, but how does it compare to the YS90 in these regards?? Do they make a workable pair??

And, Clay - do you have thoughts about the second strobe at all? Is it an obvious asset??

Many thanks for taking a moment to share your thoughts!

Breeze

[Clay Coleman]

Breeze: Have a look at http://www.ikelite.com/web_pages/compare_strobes.html
What kind of photography do you want to do in the dark waters of Maine? -Clay

[chris bangs]

[QUOTE=seabreeze;381]Greetings - I'm using a Canon S70 with a YS-90 Auto strobe. While it's more than enough light in the Caribbean, I'm thinking it's insufficient power for shooting in the dark waters of Maine (where I live). I'm contemplating adding a slave strobe and am bridling a bit at the additional cost.

Hello

actually shooting in low light conditions should require "less" flash power since a wider aperture is required to balance the natural light.

The SB-105 is a good flash, I still use them for my macro work. a bit slow to recycle on full power.

all the best

chris

[seabreeze]

Chris and Clay,

Thanks for your help! The Ikelite link had exactly the sort of info I was looking for.

I'm looking to shoot fairly close-up stuff - as the low vis effectively restricts longer views. I'm not sure how macro my S70 can work, but, it certainly holds some interest for me.

Chris, your comment about needing less "punch" from my strobe in low-light/low vis situations seems counter intuitive. I guess I need a bit of elaboration, if you have a moment to indulge my ignorance. Or, maybe there is a website you could direct me to. Thanks!!

My complaints with me past results here in Maine is that the (strobe) light seems too directional - as well as insufficient to really fill the frame with color correct and even light. Maybe I'm not using the one strobe I have to best advantage.

Poor Jonathan: When we get to Eastport he'll have lots of questions to address between tides and dives!

Breeze

[Clay Coleman]

Chris and Clay,
Chris, your comment about needing less "punch" from my strobe in low-light/low vis situations seems counter intuitive. I guess I need a bit of elaboration, if you have a moment to indulge my ignorance. Or, maybe there is a website you could direct me to. Thanks!!
Breeze: I don't mean to speak for Chris, but I think this is what he meant: Any wide angle photo involving the use of a strobe involves two light sources--the ambient light for the background and the strobe light for the main subject. The objective of the photographer is to combine the two light sources so that the photo appears to be seamlessly lit. As ambient light is reduced (as with the dark waters of Maine), one way to get a brighter background is to open up the aperture (f-stop) on your camera. The wider aperture will require less strobe light on the subject. I'll add that you can also brighten the background (ambient exposure) by slowing the shutter speed, which will not affect the output requirement of your strobe. Does this make sense? -Clay

[FRED DION]

One thing you need to watch out for with using the SB-105 with your S70 is it will only work if you shoot manual. If you shoot in any other mode the strobe will fire on the preflash.

I would recommend trying the system you have in Maine before doing anything else. I think you will be pleasantly surprised on how well your system will work.

As a side note, I had one of my customers win best of show at the Kona Classic this year with the same camera system.

[seabreeze]

Clay - that does make more sense now that it's explained. I believe it's called shutter-drag when using a slow shutter to "fill in" the ambient light after the strobe fires. Thank you for elaborating!!

Fred - I purchased my original S70 and strobe from you - well, Kelly actually. And, I do, in fact, like it very much! I'd be hard pressed to name a reason to change or even "up-grade."

I did have a curious problem I contacted you folks about last spring. It is part of my thinking a 2nd strobe might be recommended. I had an entire shoot where I got a black disc in the lower right corner of *every* frame - with a bright band of light just above it. Regardless of the strobe position. Shots on board the boat didn't have this problem. I'll attach a sample for you all to see - maybe someone out there knows what it's about....

Thanks for the help! I'm still leaning toward getting a 2nd strobe. And the SB105 is still on my list, as I always shoot in manual mode anyway (I have to in order to slave the YS90 to my camera strobe, right?).

Breeze

[chris bangs]

Hi Breeze

I apologize for not going into detail. I tend to pop on the forum just before I leave for work.

Clay, feel free to speak for me anytime!

anyway, In regard to your black disc problem, something is blocking the flash. As for that bright ring I do not know. If I could see your set-up I may be able to figure it out.

Do you use a dome port or Wide angle adapter?

Two strobes are always a good thing, Having two that are identicle will make exposure control a lot easier.

Cheers

Chris

[Jonathan Bird]

Clay, nice explanation on the darker water/wider fstop situation.

Breeze, that is one serious hot spot. I would like to know what is causing it. I have never seen a strobe with a hotspot like that.

A second strobe (IMHO) will always produce a better image, due to the ability to cancel shadows and create more uniform lighting, and also because of they way you can aim strobes to reduce backscatter when you have two. But before you worry about that, you have to figure out how to fix that hot spot...a second strobe is not going to cancel THAT out!

Best,

Jonathan

[seabreeze]

Jonathan,

Athough I'd still like to know what caused it, I believe the hotspot problem has been fixed: that camera and strobe are now laying on the bottom somewhere off Monhegan Island having become unclipped from my BCD during a messy pickup with the boat.

Yes - OUCH!

But, the camera and strobe have been replaced (upgrading only to the YS90 *AUTO* in the process). Oh, I'm also trying out the S&S Lite Sea Arm system with it - although I have some reservations about it. I have the earlier IV system as a back up (Eastport) if I need it. But, the articulated arms definitely have better movement.... (no, it doesn't address that hot "stripe"!)

You back from Galapagos?

Breeze

[Jonathan Bird]

I'm back!

By the way, point that strobe at a big white wall and take a pic with the camera to analyze the beam pattern.

See you in a couple weekends in Maine!

Jonathan

[Sealizard]

I had an entire shoot where I got a black disc in the lower right corner of *every* frame - with a bright band of light just above it.

Breeze,

I have to agree with (I think it was) Chris. Something is/was blocking the strobe. Looks to me like you have your strobe mounted on the left - perhaps it's a bit too far back and up too high where the port could block it.

I know you said it didn't do this on the boat, but you might try to replicate this again on your kitchen table. If that doesn't seem to be the answer to your question, the only other thing that comes to mind is that there was something blocking the lens either in the housing or outside the dome.

One final thought, the bright area reminds me of a strobe too close and not positioned quite right. Keep in mind that you want to use the edge of the strobe's beam to light your subject, not blast away with the center of the strobe right over the eyeball of the fish (so to speak).