
Review Summary
2013-04-07T20:00:01
I shoot with digital compacts underwater in ambient light (no strobes) for about 10 years. Bought AF35 for a dive trip to Fiji on liveaboard hoping to practice and learn how to shoot with a strobe. After half dozen dives and not a single decent image this strobe stayed on board and I went back to shooting using ambient light. Conclusion: if you know how to use your digital compact camera you do not need this (or any other) strobe. See my images at www.redberryphoto.com/Underwater for the proof.
redberryphoto

2013-01-24T19:00:01
Perfect for a novice photographer like me. It comes with various fixing pads which are precut to the different brands and are used to prevent rotation of the housing on the tray. The sensor is spot on and have not had any issues with the functioning. Simple and easy to use settings. Works perfectly with the Canon G12 and Canon housing.
Under W.

2012-04-26T20:00:01
1st time using this strobe very easy to use. worked well with the flash of my older Canon Camera
CHUCKSTER

2011-06-22T21:00:00
The flash diffuser disapeared on the second dive and I have not been able to find a replacement. Really affects the quality of my pictures. Cheaply made, not sure if the lower cost was worth it.
Jasper U.
2010-07-24T20:00:01
Very prompt delivery
Audrey H.

2010-07-24T20:00:00
Very prompt - everything was perfect!
Audrey H.

2010-02-21T19:00:00
good quality
drediver

2009-11-11T19:00:01
Excellent, easy to use strobe package for digital camera. Great photos already. Sealed except for battery compartment which has good seal. Nicely designed slave doesn't require an optical cable (which got stuck in the housing of my last setup and flooded the camera). Just pop in batteries and attach to the camera housing and attach simple cover over flash and you are ready to go.
Charlie

2009-05-27T20:00:01
I am a novice diver, I never took a picture underwater before. I bought the Ikelite casing for my Nikon S550 and coupled it with this flash and a wide angle lens. The whole package is slightly negative and I did not have to change my buoyancy set up. I took pictures of lilly pads underwater in a lake in northern WI, visibility was low and the bottom of the lake was mucky. I am very satisfied with the results, given the facts that I am not a skilled diver and it was my first time taking pictures underwater.
OSCAR E.

2009-01-20T19:00:00
I do a lot of underwater shooting and macro shots. You absolutely need an attachable strobe for the tight macros, and this one does the job very well. You have two different power settings to boost your flash, or dial it back, depending on your needs. I highly recommend this strobe.
Harry D.
2008-12-24T19:00:01
I have used this product on several dive trips. It is a good value for someone that wants good equipment, but doesn't want to invest over $500 in a strobe. I have dropped it and banged it on the boats and it keeps working. The remote sensor works very well and there is no noticeable flash delay. I use rechargeable AA batteries and they last through one day's dive trip with no problem. I have found it to work best using manual settings based on conditions. It is powerful and usually requires you to aim it away from the subject slightly. Once you get the hang of it this strobe takes good pictures. Mine flooded on my first trip probably due to human error. I sent it back to the manufacturer and they repaired it for free with no questions asked. That alone makes this the strobe for me.
South S.

2008-06-04T21:00:00
I absolutely love this strobe, and for the price I think it's very hard to beat. I love the fact that it's depth rated to 300'. You can adjust the power of the strobe for close-up macro shots or distance shots in the water, which makes it very versatile and convenient. This strobe is taking my underwater photography to an entirely different level.
Harry D.
IT DELIVERS AS EXPECTED
By OSCAR E.
I am a novice diver, I never took a picture underwater before. I bought the Ikelite casing for my Nikon S550 and coupled it with this flash and a wide angle lens. The whole package is slightly negative and I did not have to change my buoyancy set up. I took pictures of lilly pads underwater in a lake in northern WI, visibility was low and the bottom of the lake was mucky. I am very satisfied with the results, given the facts that I am not a skilled diver and it was my first time taking pictur...
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So Easy - so few buttons/dials
By Audrey H.
Very prompt delivery
Power
The camera's built-in flash is only about one-third the power of the AF35; its effective range is about 18 inches (0.5m). The Ikelite AF35 can illuminate subjects up to 4-5 feet (1.2-1.5m) away.
The Underwater Photographers Most Important Accessory
As you descend underwater there is less available light to illuminate subjects and you lose color. The warm colors of the spectrum are lost first. Warm color loss is dramatic as shallo was 15 feet (4.5m). A flash is required to illuminate and restore the natural colors of underwater subjects. .
Versatility
The AF35 fits most compact and ULTRAcompact housings manufactured by Ikelite, Canon, Olympus and Sony. If you purchase a new point and shoot camera and housing most likely the AF35 will work with the new camera and housing. Dual AF35 flashes can easily be configured to illuminate the wider coverage when using wide-angle lenses. .
Auto Exposure
Flash units that only offer manual exposure control require you to take a picture, review it on the camera's LCD screen, make exposure adjustments and then take a second picture to get a good one. It can be difficult to get underwater subjects to wait around for that second shot. With the AF35 set to Auto Exposure you get a properly exposed picture on the first try. Don't miss that once in a lifetime moment.
Backscatter
Even in the clearest water there are particles floating around, and because the camera's built-in flash is so close to the lens, the light traveling through the water illuminates the particles and reflects them back into the lens. These particles cause an unsightly white speckled effect in your pictures that looks like snow and is called backscatter. With the AF35 flash being positioned away from the camera's lens, the lighted particles are not reflected back into the lens, thus helping to eliminate backscatter from your pictures. .
Creative Lighting Control
For those photographs where you want more creativelighting control the AF35 offers the option of choosing from 6 manual power settings for varied exposures. The flex arm offers a variety of strobe positions for additional creative directional lighting control. .
Slave Triggering
With the AF35 there is no need to carry around additional cords or fiber optic cables to connect between the camera housing and strobe. Simply attach the AF35 to the camera housing, turn it and the camera's built-in flash on, and fire away.