Recommendation for ext strobes with Ewa-marine plastic bag

erwinx · 19th July 2005

Hi, posting this for someone. I recently lent my D60 to someone to use with an Ewa-marine plastic bag. He would like to take the next step and get external strobes to minimise the backscatter problem (and eventually get a hardcasing). In the meantime, is it practical to use an external strobe with a ewa-marine plastic bag... too many things to carry? can he DIY something to attach an ext strobe to the plastic bag?

Anyway, here are some of his pics. I can pass any advice you have to him. He's strictly a photography beginner [he used P mode all the way

]:

kthan · 19th July 2005

looks good enough for me to not use any external strobe(s).....

There isn't any backscatter as far as i can see. When using DSLR, most people use a syn cord to connect and fire the external strobe(s) instead of optically triggering them. I reckon the EWA marine bag doesn't have any bulkhead for syn cord connection.

I think yr friend will be pretty happy to shoot macro the way he does currently.

Eric

waisj · 19th July 2005

The only way i could think of is the ikelite strobe system.. with the slave sensor.

but then again i'm not sure if it could synce with the D60's Ettl-II

even so.. mounting the arms would be a problem.

so.. switch to a hard housing with TTl/ETTl support

erwinx · 19th July 2005

thanks very much for the advice. I posted the pics without backscatter. When he points the camera towards open water, the backscatter becomes more obvious.

One question about hard cases. Are the differences between d60/10d/20d casings very minor? Can I get away with putting D60 into a 20D casing? The idea being maybe 1 yrs time to get 20D.

Perhaps the other wheels & buttons can't be used because the alignment is wrong, but as long as the shutter release can be pressed (he's a P mode user) and the sync cord can be attached, that seems to be ok since in deeper water, exposure seems to be controlled primarily through adjusting strobe output? Just some newbie thoughts... maybe i should go down and check out the ikelite casing (20D casing looks like it can fit D60).

kthan · 19th July 2005

i have read that some people cllaimed it might work.....best if u can try fitting both cameras into the housing and check

marcel · 21st July 2005

Buying an UW-house and strobe will cost more or at least as much as your DSLR. Your friend now might be a P mode user, but later on might want to move on to become a M mode user. Having an UW house does not allow you to control your camera in M mode will quickly become a frustration.

I assume you do not belong to the category that is earning peanuts. Would therefor suggest that you first decide on de DSLR brand & model. When you have your DSLR get the UW house for that model. Or consider buying a point and shooting with UW-house even new it will be cheaper than buying the wrong UW house for your DSLR.

waisj · 21st July 2005

Originally Posted by erwinx

thanks very much for the advice. I posted the pics without backscatter. When he points the camera towards open water, the backscatter becomes more obvious.

One question about hard cases. Are the differences between d60/10d/20d casings very minor? Can I get away with putting D60 into a 20D casing? The idea being maybe 1 yrs time to get 20D.

Perhaps the other wheels & buttons can't be used because the alignment is wrong, but as long as the shutter release can be pressed (he's a P mode user) and the sync cord can be attached, that seems to be ok since in deeper water, exposure seems to be controlled primarily through adjusting strobe output? Just some newbie thoughts... maybe i should go down and check out the ikelite casing (20D casing looks like it can fit D60).

Unfortunately, as far as i know (about half a year ago) you can and you can't. With certain models. But by doing so, you'll be loosing some functionality.

As for the sync cord issue, there are alot more introcate details to it rather than just triggering it. You are right exposure is GENERALLY controlled by the flash output as per normal flash photography. Only extra rule is never light anything more than 2 meter away.

If you are refering to Ikelite housings, the last i heard form IKE himself is that it is not compaitble.

I'd prefer to be able to use all the functions. it may not be apparent for you now, but half a year down the road, or on different shooting conditions, it may come in handy.

waisj · 21st July 2005

Originally Posted by marcel

Buying an UW-house and strobe will cost more or at least as much as your DSLR. Your friend now might be a P mode user, but later on might want to move on to become a M mode user. Having an UW house does not allow you to control your camera in M mode will quickly become a frustration.

I assume you do not belong to the category that is earning peanuts. Would therefor suggest that you first decide on de DSLR brand & model. When you have your DSLR get the UW house for that model. Or consider buying a point and shooting with UW-house even new it will be cheaper than buying the wrong UW house for your DSLR.

Hi marcel,

no offence to your post, but generally it is better to check for housing availbility prior to camera purchase, i've followed the SLR/DSLR housing development for quite some time, and normally the housings will be half a year late...

worst still, some manufacturers won't even touch certain brands...

marcel · 22nd July 2005

Hi Waisj

No offence taken. You are right especially if you consideration is beyond the popular Nikon and Canon models, better to check first if there is an affordable UW-housing is available.

Guess more correct reply would have been:
1 short list DSLRs you prefere and can afford
2 verify UW-housing & strobe options
3 Available and within your budget, go for it else go back to 1.

My assumption is that there will be a time lack between buying the DSLR and the UW-housing with strobe. In that case even more important to make sure you select a DSLR which most likely will still have an UW-housing available in the future.

kthan · 22nd July 2005

Originally Posted by marcel

In that case even more important to make sure you select a DSLR which most likely will still have an UW-housing available in the future.

Marcel, people involved in u/w photography cannot think logically. How else to explain the housing (+ports+strobes+syn cords) being more expensive than the camera?

So u got to make sure there is a housing available before buying a DSLR, that is if u wanna shoot DSLR underwater.

Likely in the future is not good enough. what happens if the housing manufacturers by-pass the model u have?

19th July 2005	#1
erwinx Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2002 Posts: 2,492	Recommendation for ext strobes with Ewa-marine plastic bag Hi, posting this for someone. I recently lent my D60 to someone to use with an Ewa-marine plastic bag. He would like to take the next step and get external strobes to minimise the backscatter problem (and eventually get a hardcasing). In the meantime, is it practical to use an external strobe with a ewa-marine plastic bag... too many things to carry? can he DIY something to attach an ext strobe to the plastic bag? Anyway, here are some of his pics. I can pass any advice you have to him. He's strictly a photography beginner [he used P mode all the way ]:

19th July 2005	#2
kthan Senior Member Join Date: May 2003 Posts: 2,318	looks good enough for me to not use any external strobe(s)..... There isn't any backscatter as far as i can see. When using DSLR, most people use a syn cord to connect and fire the external strobe(s) instead of optically triggering them. I reckon the EWA marine bag doesn't have any bulkhead for syn cord connection. I think yr friend will be pretty happy to shoot macro the way he does currently. Eric

19th July 2005	#3
waisj Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: OZilla Posts: 1,965	The only way i could think of is the ikelite strobe system.. with the slave sensor. but then again i'm not sure if it could synce with the D60's Ettl-II even so.. mounting the arms would be a problem. so.. switch to a hard housing with TTl/ETTl support

21st July 2005	#6
marcel New Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 28	Buying an UW-house and strobe will cost more or at least as much as your DSLR. Your friend now might be a P mode user, but later on might want to move on to become a M mode user. Having an UW house does not allow you to control your camera in M mode will quickly become a frustration. I assume you do not belong to the category that is earning peanuts. Would therefor suggest that you first decide on de DSLR brand & model. When you have your DSLR get the UW house for that model. Or consider buying a point and shooting with UW-house even new it will be cheaper than buying the wrong UW house for your DSLR.

22nd July 2005	#9
marcel New Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 28	Hi Waisj No offence taken. You are right especially if you consideration is beyond the popular Nikon and Canon models, better to check first if there is an affordable UW-housing is available. Guess more correct reply would have been: 1 short list DSLRs you prefere and can afford 2 verify UW-housing & strobe options 3 Available and within your budget, go for it else go back to 1. My assumption is that there will be a time lack between buying the DSLR and the UW-housing with strobe. In that case even more important to make sure you select a DSLR which most likely will still have an UW-housing available in the future.