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Focus & Video Lights for Compact Underwater Cameras
Underwater cameras often struggle to autofocus when taking close ups. Autofocus relies on contrast to find the correct focus point. Absorption of colours underwater and scatter both reduce contrast making it harder for autofocus to lock on. Many subjects we choose to photograph will be hiding in shadows or on backgrounds that suits their camouflage. To assist your autofocus to work efficiently, adding a focusing light is recommended. This adds light, colour and contrast. With compact underwater cameras Ocean Optics recommends two types of solution. The first is to use a low power dive torch the second is to use an INON LE Series underwater video light. A low power dive torch works best when you will actually take your close up picture using an underwater flashgun or strobe like an INON S-2000. A small torch provides enough light for focusing, but isn't powerful enough to create backscatter and won't influence the picture, as your strobe will overpower it. We recommend an Aquatec LED torch. This has quite a wide beam, making it a little easier to see your subject and compose your photograph.
If you don't plan to use an off camera flash, the INON LE Series video lights are extremely user friendly for close up photography. They easily illuminate the whole of your picture, whether you are shooting close ups using your cameras built in lens, using the macro facility (provided there's enough distance between your camera and your subject to shine the light - some cameras don't allow this), or INON underwater close up lenses. INON LE Series video lights can also be used to shoot video sequences if your compact camera supports this.
Ocean Optics Recommended Underwater Video and Focusing Lights
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Aquatec Aquastar 1
Putting out 20 lumens and sporting a broad, even beam, this back up dive light has been an Ocean Optics best seller for years. It is an excellent focusing light. The LED bulb and aluminium construction of the torch body mean it is very durable. Double O ring seals protect against flooding. A pair of AA batteries can run it for as long as five hours.
INON LE Series Video Lights
INON's remarkable LE Series video lights offer the underwater compact camera owner a very attractive option, not just for focusing, but also for primary, fill or creative lighting of their underwater images. The INON LE Series video lights can be used to take stills photographs or record underwater video sequences at maximum distances of approximately half to one metre. As with all underwater lighting, exact distances will depend upon the subject, camera settings and visibility. A useful combination can be an INON LE Series light and an INON underwater camera strobe. Both can be mounted on the same arm, allowing flexibility for optimum lighting angles. The video light can be used as a focusing light for stills photography and for recording video of subjects near to your camera. The INON strobe can be used for stills photography over much longer distances. Ocean Optics has also found that INON LE Series underwater video lights can be very useful for lighting a stills image when part of the subject is very close to the camera and another part of the subject is much further away. The INON LE Series underwater video light provides the correct exposure, restores colour and retains contrast for the near part of the photograph, while the INON underwater strobe is used to light the more distant subject. This is an interesting alternative to using two strobes.
INON LE Series Video lights obviously let you shoot colourful video sequences, record video in the dark and can let you use your motordrive mode for fast stills shooting of moving subjects like fish. The constant light source makes it easier to see the true colours of your subject and more easily see the effect of creative lighting angles or spot and correct problems, like backscatter. INON LE Series video lights make great focusing lights for close up photography and can also be used as dive lights.
The qualities that each INON LE Series video light share include ultra slim design. These keep the lights small, lightweight and streamlined. Each light is powered by just two or three AA batteries. These are used in many underwater camera strobes, including INON's, lots of dive lights and a few compact underwater cameras. They're easy to get and you can use disposable or rechargeable cells at your option. Most video lights use dedicated power packs, require special chargers and require down time of several hours between dives to recharge. So this is a very welcome advance.
LED bulbs are used in the INON LE Series underwater video lights. These are much more durable than HID bulbs and don't require a long warm up time to reach full output and correct colour temperature. Unlike HID's, you can also turn an LED bulb on and off repeatedly without shortening it's life significantly. INON LE Series video lights operate at near daylight colour temperature, so you won't see a disturbing colour shift between the foreground you are lighting with your INON underwater video light and sunlight illuminating the background. In fact colour matching is so important to INON that they offer specially tinted filters that provide truer colours when used with specific camera models, taking into account the slight colour bias of their white balance programs.
INON LE Series lights are crafted from solid, brushed aluminium and finished off with clear anodising. Batteries are loaded through the front. Double piston O rings protect against leaks. An external buffer O ring prevents overtightening. An on/off switch, oversized and easy to grip, is located at the rear. This switch avoids concerns that some divers have about twist on/off switches that form part of the torch seal. The switch is easy to reach when mounted on your camera system as it faces backwards.
There are four models of INON LE Series video light to suit different photographers needs and a range of mounting options for attaching them to your camera system or person. INON LE Series underwater camera video lights can be combined with strobes as modelling/guide lights, and for shooting near distance video while using your INON underwater camera strobe for longer distance stills photography. Lights can be combined to increase angle of view, provide creative lighting options and to provide power options. Wide-angle diffusers are included with most INON LE Series underwater video lights. A red filter is also provided. This can make it easier to approach shy animals at night, such as mandarin fish, while helping your camera to autofocus accurately.
INON LE240 - Just two AA rechargeable batteries will run this light for as long as 75 minutes. Boasting 240 lumens output, the beam angle of 20 degrees is ideal for extreme macro photography. This can be increased to 50 degrees using the supplied diffuser for use with most underwater compact cameras built in lens.
INON LE250 - operating from just three AA batteries, the LE250, 250 lumen underwater video light runs for up to 135 minutes, great for extended dives or repeat diving. The 20 degree angle is ideal for shooting extreme close up and optional diffusers widen the beam to 40 or 50 degrees for use with most built in underwater camera lenses.
INON LE550-S - three AA cells power this 550 lumen video light for as long as 60 minutes. The beam covers 40 degrees, making it wide enough to many underwater cameras built in lenses. A diffuser increases this to 50 degrees, if needed.
INON LE550-W - the INON LE550- W offers a 75 degree angle of view straight out of the box. It's the best choice for lighting underwater cameras that have built in lenses as wide as 28mm.
Powerful 550 lumen output and a burn time of 70 minutes provided from just three AA cells.
Mounting your focus light
Your focus light needs to be mounted onto your camera system so that it can be aimed at your subject, regardless of its distance. So you need a way to swivel the light up and down. This is usually done by using a clamp from a strobe arm. Focus lights are most often used for macro, close up and short range fish photography. For wide angle work there's usually enough ambient light for the camera to focus accurately. The further away you are from your subject the more powerful your focus light needs to be. The more power you have the more risk there is of seeing a hot spot in the picture or backscatter occurring. So you may need to use slightly different approaches to mounting your focus light depending on whether you use a torch or a video light.
A narrow beam torch needs to be aimed directly at your subject. The best position for mounting this is close to the camera lens. If it is mounted on your strobe head, you'll also need to aim the centre of the strobe at your subject as well and this is likely to cause unwanted shadows and cause backscatter.
Some compact camera housings have a built in accessory or cold shoe that can accept an adapter, which in turn holds the focusing light. Some INON lens bases or lens adapters have a built in cold shoe that serves the same purpose. Either of these options provides an ideal solution for securing your focus light. If not, you'll need to look at attaching the focus light to your strobe tray or arm. Ocean Optics can advise on the best way to do this for your particular underwater camera system.
An underwater video light can be used as both a focusing light and a source of illumination for recording video or taking stills pictures. Because the beam is wide compared to a torch, it's easier to edge light, which reduces shadows and minimises or eliminates backscatter. The wide beam means that a position that works well for taking the image also works equally well for autofocusing and composing the picture too. For close up and macro photography you can mount an INON LE Series video light onto the cold shoe or tray or arm as explained above. For longer distance shooting using more powerful and larger video lights, you'll need to mount the lamp head on a proper articulated arm, preferably a ball joint system like INON's. INON offer float arms which help stabilise your underwater camera system by adding lift to offset the negative buoyancy of most underwater camera systems.
It's important to appreciate that compact video lights have very little range. They are meant only for close up photography. When you use a video light for stills photography you may find it hard to use shutter speeds that are fast enough to freeze movement from camera shake or subject movement. This makes sense if you look at how experienced videographers use video lights - for anything but extreme close ups they use lights with outputs of at least 1000 lumens. As with all underwater photographic equipment, using your underwater video light for the situation it was designed for will ensure the best results.
Focusing lights can sometimes be fitted with red filters. Some shy marine life is more approachable under red light. INON LE Series video lights and INON D-2000 and INON Z-240 strobes are supplied with red filter kits for this reason.
For more detailed information and advice call Steve or Mark.
