123 replies to this topic

[Don Silcock]

I just wanted to close the loop on this topic - I just got back from a 12 day trip to Raja Ampat in Irian jaya and used my new Fisheye light for all macro & night diving.

Basically it's a great tool - expensive, but very good!

[betti154]

I too have the Fisheye torach, and like everyone else think it is great.

Is anyone using an Ikelite housing setup with the Fisheye, and if so, how are you mountin the torach to the rig.

I've go an Ikelite housing, with ikelite tray and dual strobe arms. Does anyone know if there is some kind of bracket to connect the bubble arm segments (that hold the fishey) to the Ikelite strobe arms?

Thanks, Damien

[frogfish]

Another alternative, which might make sense for anyone who already has the light.

The Mini-Hartenberger can be purchased with an optional wide-angle reflector, It has 25% 50% 75% and 100% power settings, all can be dialled in by rotating the disk at the back of the light. I attached mine using a ULCS ball fitting bolted to the Hartenberger handle, which is then attached with a clamp to a ULCS shoe on the top of the housing. Works great.

Frogfish

[Cerianthus]

In my budget analog slr setup, i use the same light i use for diving.

its not as difficult as it sounds. It is a halcyon explorer type of 50w halogen (i can change the bulb if i like) light that can be focussed (quite narrow) or widened. It has a goodman handle, so i sits just on the back of my (right) hand, i can still use the hand and all the fingers for control of the camera

my 50mm macro lens hunts considerably in low light conditions, with this setup at least the focus is not that much of an issue

gerard

[TimG]

I've found using the focussing light built into the Inon 220 a terrific dive light!

And the UKSL4 works well when fitted on its ULCS bracket attached to the camera with a similar ULCS ball/clamp set-up as Frogfish uses. Interestingly the light costs less than the ULCS ball/clamp.....

[Alastair]

Tim,

How do you get the focus light of your Z220s to work as my doesn't work with my D70 sometimes it does somtimes it doesn't?

As until now i have been taping my halcyon LED explorer to the stobes - good ole 100mph tape!!

[herbko]

I posted a DIY on getting the Z220 light to work on my 300D / Aquatica here:

http://wetpixel.com/...?showtopic=5799

follow the link there to Matthias's discription of what turns it on.

[Alastair]

Herb,

Thanks for the reply.

Although i think that i will have to do something different for my D70 housing as the internal setup is a lot simpler than the A300 as there is no iTTL board. I have emailed blake at Aquatica to see what he says.

[TimG]

Hi Alastair

It took me a little while to get the D100/Subal and Inons working together properly. The issue was getting the correct plug connectors (there are four which lead to the two bulkheads) plugged into the correct PCB sockets in the housing. Once that was done, and I choose the correct switch setting on the actual strobe, I have never had a problem.

With the Subal for the D100 the 4 sockets are in two pairs on the housing PCB. One pair for each bulkhead. One socket of each pair is wired for 5 connections; the other for 3. I can't remember now if the Inon focussing and laser worked properly off the 3 or 5 wired socket - but I can open my system up to check if it would help you.

They do work really well and both the laser and focussing light are cut off when the shutter is fired. I have had no intermittent problems. Lucky me eh?

[Alastair]

Tim,

If you could check that would be greatly appreciated....or if not i will just try one by one until i get it to work.....hopefully without frying anything!! Although i am going to have to wait till i get home to try it out.

thanks in advance for the help

[Nocturnal Lights]

Hello All!

Just to let you guys know that we have just released a new focus light, the SLX LED

You can find more information on our porducts here on:

http://www.nocturnal...s_assist_light/

Most of the major underwater photo shops are now carrying it so if you're close to any of them feel free to stop in and ask them to show it off to you. If you guys have any questoins regarding our products feel free to ask me here, I'd be more than happy to help you guys out!

[Ryan]

We have the SLX LED in stock. It is a very nice light, well made, but a different product than the fix light. When diffused, it is 2 full f-stops less intense, but does have a nice smooth beam spread.

[wchen]

Ryan,

I couldn't find that light on your website. Can you provide a link?

thanks.

[Nocturnal Lights]

Ryan has just recently signed up as our dealer so please call him to make an order. You guys are welcome to come to our site for information and specs for the time being and I'll call him to get the SLXs posted on his website.

Here's a review of the SLX from divephotoguide.com.

http://www.divephoto...om/noclight.php

We also have halogen video lights that you can use if you're looking for the maxmium light output.

[Ryan]

Sorry, the webmaster had the nerve to go off diving somwhere, 'donesia I think it was...

http://www.reefphoto...11937e4ee2d9f56

[Graham Abbott]

Just a suggestion here for those who are looking into choosing a new spotter lamp. I take many divers who use high powered spotter lights. These are not so good for animals like saron shrimps, boxer crabs and many other cool nocturnal animals. If we think about it, what we are doing is shining mega bright lights right in the face of these animals, then giving them a burst of even bright strobe light at them as well, which of course if it was you may not go down too well. It seems much better to use a spotter lamp that has some kind of adjustment on it, this way if you come across an animal that is shy in the face of your lamp you turn down the brightness. It sounds like a few of these are mentioned here.

Also a note for photographers on certain animals at night -- one big favourite in particular, the beloved ghost pipefishes. At night these cuties get really disorientated with bright lights and strobes in their face. To get the best images of ghost pipefish best to leave them at night, go back in the day and shoot them, if you hassle them to much at night they may not be there the next day?

Another big favourite are those microscopic little beauties the pigmy sea horses. With these I would suggest not using mega bright lights for too long. As Scubadru found out on a night dive on the outer islands of Wakatobi island group -- they don't like bright lights for too long and have been known on quite a few occasions to let go of their grasp and simply fall down till they touch bottom, on walls, this may be a long way down and these little beauties can easily be eaten, never to be photographed again... If you are photographing pigmies try not to shoot them too much continuously, I have seen a group of 3 all fall to the bottom -- ahhhh!

Graham

http://www.diving4images.com

[stever]

okay, i don't want to fry the little guys, but i want enough light to focus. how much is that 100 lumens? 200 lumens/ ?? the LED technology is moving very fast and i'm having a tough time figuring out what's available and how bright it really is

help

[danielstassen]

when you say "fisheye" are you talking about the FISHEYE FIX Mini LED focus light ?

[stever]

i bought the led48dx then decided to get the mini as well since it wasn't very expensive and uses the same mounting bkt (or goes in a bc pocket). won't use them until Feb though.

[Scubamoose]

Hi!
Seem's that most folks here have decided in favour of Fisheye aiming light.
But since it cost's allmost as much as my P&S or Ike housing for it, it really is a bit much (obviously it might be the best choise for DSLR setup's).

Anyone had any experiences with Fantasea Line LED Nano Focus Light?
It costs only like 40 $, but does it give any light at all for that price?

Cheers
Scubamoose