Cheap and Cheerful Strobes - Any recommendations?

[stevecopley]

Hi

I've been browsing your forums (and you seem like a friendly and helpful bunch - plus I used to live in Leeds so I have a tenuous connection to you guys) and reading all of the tips that people have given regarding strobes. But I'm still undecided which to go for. I'm sorry to be asking the same (or similar) question to many that have been posted previously - but I'm going to anyway!

- My budget is small (£175 max)
- I'm a complete amateur (but enthusiastic!)
- My camera is an Olympus 765UZ in a PT022 UW housing
- The camera has no hotshoe so all triggering will need to be manual/slave
- I need a tray & arm to go with any strobe I buy

This is my shortlist so far (in no particular order)...

Bonica Neon £140
Underwater World Bonica Neon Strobe

Fuji UW-120 £160
Fuji UW-120 Underwater Strobe - Underwater Housing, Underwater Housings, Underwater Cameras, Sealife Reefmaster

Sunpak G-Glash £160
College Cameras Ltd. - Sunpak G-Flash - Waterproof

Aquamir PTS-120N £125
Cameras Underwater. Aquamir Flash.
(is this exactly the same as the Fuji?!)


Anyone have any tips / experience of these / other ideas?

Any advice will be very gratefully recieved.

Thanks a lot

Steve

[Okeanos]

All the photo's in my gallery are using a Fuji UW-120 strobe.

Nice and compact.

[Cussy]

I'm no expert on any of those you list, but be very careful. Digital cameras use whats called pre-flash. If you look very carefully at a flash you will see that it is actually 2 flashes. The camera emits the first to get an idea of what settings to use and then fires the second to take the photo. This is fine, but not all strobes support pre-flash. Those that don't support it will fire on the pre-flash, so when the shutter is open the light has gone. SO before investing in any of these, check and double check they will work with YOUR camera.
Rob

[Okeanos]

The Fuji has 3 different settings that allows for different cameras reactions to pre-flash.

[Cussy]

Originally Posted by Okeanos

The Fuji has 3 different settings that allows for different cameras reactions to pre-flash.

Yes, I should have put I was having doubts about the other 3, as the Fuji is designed as a digital strobe it should have no problems. If the Bonica is the strobe I'm thinking of that was for a 35mm camera, so I'd definitely check about that one. The other 2 I had never heard of, so good surfing for finding them!
Rob