Suggestions for strobes please

[Miles]

Hi guys,

Have read the guide on strobes thats very helpfull and just wondered if any of you have any more tips, or products you have tried. Have been successfully using my simple Ixus 960IS underwater for a few years now but have decided i need an underwater strobe to improve the colours in my photos. I am a reasonable Advanced Open water diver, and have mastered white ballancing.

I have a DSLR but can't afford its housing sadly, but might one day.

I'd like a cheap (£100-200) strobe that will improve both macro (upto 2m) and longer (fish) shots. It needs to be reasonably basic. I will be using it mostly for coral reefs, and am going to Egypt in august.

Cheers in advance for any help
Miles

[bvanant]

Miles:
Which housing do you have for the Ixus. The choice of strobe will depend on the housing. If you have the Canon housing, I would recommend the Inon S2000, small (not cheap) and very simple to use. If you have an Ikelite housing you will need one of their strobes I think.
Bill

[Miles]

I have the Canon housing (Wp-DC19 or some such) thanks for your help so far. Any other suggestions?

[Miles]

Further more what's the best (by which i mean cheapest) place to buy strobes in the UK?

[bvanant]

Further more what's the best (by which i mean cheapest) place to buy strobes in the UK?

The canon housing will let you use optical strobes. That means S&S YS01 or Inon S2000. Both are good and have pros and cons. As far as buying, I think the cheapest place to buy stuff for UK use is Hong Kong as I don't think many dealers are selling stuff at very low prices. My take after going to LIDS was that in the UK you guys pay in pounds what we pay in the U.S. in dollars but that might not be quite true.
You can give Scott a call at bluewater photo, he ships to Europe and can give you a deal on S&S I think. For Inon I don't know the UK distributer but Cameras Underwater must be a dealer.
Bill

[Miles]

Thanks for the help so far!!! what do we think of the Intova Waterproof Strobe ISS 2000 for a budget option?

[bvanant]

Not much to be blunt.
Bill

[markvk]

Hi ive just bought sea and sea ys101a x 2 from reef photo in fort Lauderdale i have a canons95 in an iklite housing. the guys were very helpful and the stuff is lots cheaper in the US, why dont you consider having it shipped back to the UK? (be careful to add the VAT unless you can get someone to bring it back for you!!)

if thats no good cameras underwater are a good supplier ive been in to their devon office and found them very helpful. when i was looking i couldnt find any cheap uk suppliers. fortunately im working in the usa at the moment and have spent a fortune on cheap photography stuff and other consumer electronics!!

[Karl]

Thanks for the help so far!!! what do we think of the Intova Waterproof Strobe ISS 2000 for a budget option?

My mate has one of these and it has a 20 - 30 sec recycle time* - so unless you are taking photos of something really slooooowww I wouldn't reccomend one. Get something decent like a Sea & Sea or Inon.

*My mate has since bought a new strobe and we are going to convert this strobe to an off camera flash.

Karl

[Miles]

In the end i managed to find a cheap Sea&sea 17 on Ebay, sold in the UK as nearly new it was a bargain - with no import tax either... Cheers for all your help everyone.

Can anyone suggest the best batteries to get the best out of the flash?

Cheers
Chris