tobyanscombe

Let me add another endorsement for MacDive - its a great bit of software which makes it easy to look back at dives, add photos and notes. I've 'only' got the D6 but love the combination!

Hi Chris - It worked rather well for me on my last trip. I tended to use the velcro to cover the internal flash and use the fiber optic to drive the S&S. I kept the diffuser on the S&S most of the time as I found that I got better results...You can see some of the photos http://www.flickr.com/photos/tobyanscombe/...57623380339279/ and check the EXIF to see which had flash and which didnt. I'm off to Egypt in early July so will have some more shots to show you... From what I have seen on the single trip that I have used it the S&S works very well and I am very happy with it. The one thing that I would say is to check to make sure that the arm and tray that you get give you enough flexibility in terms of where you position the flash - I ended up changing the arm I used to give me the ability to have the flash as far away from the lens as possible... Let me know if you need more info

Just an aside but I was speaking to my local u/w camera shop during the week and their reccomendation was get a wide angle adaptor as (for the diving that I do - Red Sea, Oman, Mexico) the ambient light is enough and a wide angle adaptor will allow me to get closer, removing the 'amount' of water in the way and thus improve colours..sort of made sense (but of course, after I had bought my strobe!) I'm back in 2 weeks so will show you the fruits of my labours

I've gone for the YS110a option with my G11 also with the fibre optic connection. On land, it works perfectly - I get consistent exposures regardless of the subject as long as I am not in M mode (manual) as it is not supported. Cant tell you how good it works underwater yet but I am off for 2 weeks at the weekend and can let you know then! I chose the S&S 110a because in the UK the Inon z240 is really expensive - $1200 (£750).... Have a look at http://www.digitaldiver.net/strobes.php to see the specs of each strobe

I seem to have replied to you on another thread - http://wetpixel.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=33869 Basically, dont scrimp on the strobe!

In reverse order (but bear in mind that I am new to this - I have taken many photos underwater but have only just got a strobe and not used it yet!) White balance is just about telling the picture (assuming you are in RAW) what passes for white http://www.kenrockwell.com/tech/whitebalance.htm is a good place to start. RAW processing depends on what computer you have - I use Macs so I use Aperture but if you are a PC user then something like LR3 although in Beta will show you what can be done. http://labs.adobe.com/technologies/lightroom3/ while in beta it should be free but of course when it comes out you will need to buy it. Although I have never used it DPP must have a bulk option somewhere.... I cant advise on strobes as I have only just got one but having spent a long time working out what was what I plumped for the S&S 110a - more money but I know that it will do me for at least the next two cameras as cameras change more often than strobes! If you spend $200 on a strobe now and regret it you have effectivly wasted $200; check the forums here for 2nd hand deals or on ScubaBoard - I assume that you are US based so the chances of finding something is way higher than me over in the UK! Best of luck and keep us posted - I'm off diving next week so will show you what the G11 and 110a can do

One problem that I have noticed with the G11 and Canon housing is the flash positioning and the curve of the housing. I have a G11, Canon housing and a S&S 110a with the fibre optic cable and the positioning of the cable is a bit of a bugger.. The suggestion of shooting in Raw is one of the best ones going - there is almost 2 stops of latitude; what appears to be dark on the camera can become rather good on the PC!

So, I have precisely two post to my name but... I joined as I am off to the Maldives in a week for 11 days diving on Filitheyo with a couple of boat dives added on for good measure. I have previously used an Ixus 860 and Canon housing with no strobe but this time I am taking a Canon G11 and a shiny new S&S 110a which I hope will improve my lighting somewhat. I have to say that some of the photos and posts (I have been reading a lot!) on here are incredably inspiring - I hope that I can produce some shots even vaguely as good! I'll post up some of the shots when I get back (doubt that free internet will be around) but in the interim if anyone has anything more that you think I should be reading up on (how to shoot a single strobe etc) then please let me know. The basic camera stuff I know, having been a topside photographer for about 20 years (not pro but published) - just wish I could afford a housing for some of my SLR Canon gear!

Wow! I am off to the Maldives in 2 weeks so I do hope that they are a year round visitor! I note from their webpage that there is a concern over unrelated dive boats; I shall be on Filitheyo and diving with Werner Lau - I hope that as a permie dive center they will be aware of the issues....