Focus lights

[londonsean69]

Thought I would ask this here, rather than wetpixel, as anything I use will have to be for Green as well as Blue water.


I had a look through the forums, and there are a few mentions of focus lights, but nothing definitive.

• Are people using them?
• What are people using?
• Where are you mounting it?

I am thinking I will get myself one, not that I have even had my housing wet yet, but I want to have every help I can get.

I am looking at the Fantasea LED44, it's the right price, and a lot of people on wetpixel seem to rate it.
Anybody else using this one in the UK? For £40 it has to be worth a spurt.

Also, this "Auto extinguish" feature. Surely it would only auto extinguish after recognising a pre-flash. I have a pair of Ike DS200 which are sync'd to an Ike housing, so no pre-flash. It's a new Ike housing, so has the hot-shoe mount on top, I'll mount it here with a short length of loc-line.

Cheers

Sean

[Cussy]

If you are using the DS200s on TTL there will be a pre-flash. If you use them totally manually there wont.

I use a Fantasea Nano (couldn't find it on their website). It was mounted from a handle, but I've also got the new Ikelite top mount, so it's moving there. You don't need too much light. Overly bright and it scares the fish, you just need enough to help focus.
That's my view anyway,
Rob

[londonsean69]

If you are using the DS200s on TTL there will be a pre-flash. If you use them totally manually there wont.

I use a Fantasea Nano (couldn't find it on their website). It was mounted from a handle, but I've also got the new Ikelite top mount, so it's moving there. You don't need too much light. Overly bright and it scares the fish, you just need enough to help focus.
That's my view anyway,
Rob

I didn't know the Ike's pre-flashed. So much to learn!

Thanks, I'll probably grab on of the 44 LEDs

[Cussy]

Sean,
I shoot totally manually and I must admit on one or two shots (very few) I can see the focus light as it is quite a different temperature than the flash. This is another reason not to get an overly powerful focus light.
Rob

PS this is the one I have Fantasea Line Water Sports Photo Products & Accessories- Nano Focus Light

[londonsean69]

Sean,
I shoot totally manually and I must admit on one or two shots (very few) I can see the focus light as it is quite a different temperature than the flash. This is another reason not to get an overly powerful focus light.
Rob

PS this is the one I have Fantasea Line Water Sports Photo Products & Accessories- Nano Focus Light

I've seen the nano, but what puts me off is the beam seems a bit too focused. Maybe causing a hot spot.
I would imagine that the 44leds would spread it about a bit. I might get both and have a play. As they are both cheap enough

[DDT uk]

The nano's aren't really strong enough to hotspot. You are right that the beam is quite focused.

I tried to do a night dive at Shagra using only a Nano. It was "an experience".

Let me know how you get on with the 44.

D

PS I've gone back to using a q40.

[TimIngmire]

Like Rob I use Manual focus on macro shots and TBH it's the best method I've found so far. Not sure if this is a possibility for you but I deffo found I have a higher percentage of in focus shots this way.

[Steph]

I had a look for the 44 and could not find it in the UK.
(or maybe I just could not bring myself to pay >£40 for something that is $18 in the US?)
Where have you found it?

I got a nano. I only used it once so far and found it a bit dim for grim UK conditions.
(that was my subjective impression I have no idea waht the autofocus would have to say about it if it could talk, as on the day it was brigth enough to focus without the focusssing light)

Would be intersting to know how much brighter the 44 is and if it is worth hassling the next colleague to go to a conference in the US to bring me one...

[Blu DL]

the nano turns off when the flash fires

In uk the viz is usually to bad to use mine (which I got from a seller on amazon.co.uk for about £35_)

I tend to have a lantern handled UK d8 with fingers thru handle but the light on the back of my hand. I find I can half press the shutter - focus - then move light out of shot and fully press (but I do have a compact)