When I go on dives, I usually set my mind "okay I'm just gonna do photo this time" or video. When I miss a shot that would have been perfect for photo and I'm set up for video, then I just think that that shot is not meant for me. Can't have best of both worlds, unfortunately. But yes, recently I switched to just video lights for photo and video and so far I'm loving it.
This has been very helpful. I want to shoot photography and video (mounting a GoPro on my ikelite) and don't feel comfortable spending more money than I need. I want to focus on the art & composition over the gear, but I need to make sure i invest in the right gear too...the catch 22...thank you
Great video, very helpful as I am getting in. How much lumens would you recommend for day shooting in rather clear water (15 to 30m average) and how many video lights ? Any beam angle recommendation or temperature suggestion? Thanks
I’m just a surface snorkeler. Some trips to VIs have convinced me the need to use my Nikon d850 and new Ikelite housing. Will two these light work given how I’d use them?
Glad you enjoyed! Somehow I actually don't, whenever I took strobes I'd use the constant lights for video and switch them off for photos where I'd use the strobes. lately ive just been using the video lights for both, but I never actually took the same shot twice, once with video lights and once with strobes - something I'll definitely look at in the future for a more detailed comparison :)
Is it better to have a 5000 lumen video light x1 or a 3000 lumen x2 lamp? I'm just planning to build a simple video system with a Sony RX100 camera, do you have any video light suggestions for me, thanks for the response
hey how are you, I recently started taking underwater video recordings with the GoPro Hero 10 and quickly noticed that without extra light, they won't work. Is there an inexpensive rack with lights that you can recommend for the GoPro?
Video lights will perform way better for macro than wide angle. Wide angle the challenge is - are video lights bright enough to compete with strobes, as wide angle the lights usually need to cover some distance (2-3m). Which the technology has only very recently caught up and made them a viable option. But for macro - they’re great and have been for years as the light does not have to be anywhere near as powerful due to the fact that you’re only a few cm away from your subject. I actually know many macro photographers who prefer video lights over strobes for macro as you not only have more than enough light, but you can also see how your shot is lit and exposed before taking the image (unlike strobes where you can only see the result after taking the shot). Hope this helps! :)
@@TomPark very much appreciate it! Still working on the kit I'm purchasing as I have an A7 iii for my outside of water photography so will just be looking to add a Underwater housing, lights etc
Yeh nice the A7iii is epic! It’s what I’ve been using for the last few years and I’ve been loving it! - I’m sure you will as well! There’s plenty more UW photo specific tutorials on the page if you’re interested, hopefully they’ll help!
Can a small capacity (1000-1500 lumen) video light be used as a fill light for those of us who go snorkelling and don’t require a big rig lime yours? I am thinking that it could be used in places where trying to shoot under big rocks or in shaded areas where the sunlight is hidden. I like macro but I keep thinking that a strobe would be overkill for snorkelling and at the shallow depths I tend to go to.
I would guess it is probably fine. Been using a L&M Sola dive light as my primary light and it is “ok”. You won’t be going down as deep as scuba divers. I also am not wanting to spend tons of money on UW photography myself and want a minimalist setup. It’s more to show family and fish ID.
@@melwtan thanks for your reply. After some thought I bought the weefine ringlight which works just fine for what I do. I don't dive deep and I even use it during daylight in the shallows. I cast my shadow in the subject to hide all the reflections and blown out highlights that can ruin a photo and use the ring light to illuminate the scene. It gives a daylight WB that requires less post processing and I get an even light everywhere, so I don't have noisy shadows. So far it has been working great for my needs.
@@marieta.sgood to know. I'm looking at the price tag of those orcas and wondering if 10000 lumens us really necessary. For a lot of the darker shots I do, even if I could get the ISO from 1500 down to 500 it would be a big help.
@@Jefferson-ly5qe in general they say that the more lumens the better especially if you dive deep. But lights are more suited to video work and sometimes as a focussing aid. If you are doing photography then maybe you should consider two strobes and get a smaller light to assist you when needed. If you are shooting video then lights are the correct choice. The thing is that lights can also be used in photography but strobes obviously cannot be used in videography. 😃 everybody’s needs are different and sometimes getting it right requires a bit of trial and error.
@@marieta.stwo strobes would be great but would also cost over a grand! Maybe one day I'll probably get an inexpensive constant light first and move my way up from there.
