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Underwater video lights and strobes
To restore colors underwater, there are three different options: strobes, video lights, and filters. For photography, we usually recommend flashes, while for video, of course, lights are preferred. Filters are often used as a more affordable option or to give the background a more neutral color. Red filters are used in tropical "blue" water, while magenta filters are used in green water.
1. Strobes
2. Strobe accessories
3. Video lights
4. Video light accessories
1. Strobes
With an External Flash, You Can Take Beautiful Underwater Photos. You get more vibrant colors, increased contrast, and less backscatter. You probably already own an underwater camera and want to add a flash. But… which flash should you choose? At UWCameraStore.com, we’re here to help you find the right strobe.
Electric or Optical Control?
Flashes can be roughly divided into those with an electric connection and those that are optically controlled. To make it easy: some can do both. To control a flash electrically, you need an underwater housing with an electrical connection (also known as a flash connector or bulkhead) so that an electronic signal can be sent from the camera to the flash. If your underwater housing does not offer this option, you will automatically end up with a flash that is optically controlled. The light flash from the camera is transmitted at the speed of light to the flash via an optical cable (also known as a fiber optic cable), which is placed between your camera and the flash. The flash fires automatically and directly in sync. So, the first question is simple to answer: check what connection options your underwater housing has!
What Else Is Important to You?
There are a few more questions to answer to find the right flash! Do you want the flash to automatically fire at the correct intensity, or would you prefer to set it manually? Would you like a pilot light? A pilot light is an extra small light on the flash that helps you aim the flash accurately at your subject. It’s also ideal as a light source during night dives, as you already have your hands full with the camera! Would you prefer a flash with a rechargeable battery pack, or do you consciously choose a flash that operates on AA batteries? Regular batteries have the advantage of being widely available. They are small and lightweight. A battery pack typically offers more power and shorter recycle times, allowing you to fire flashes more quickly in succession. Ask yourself what you prefer to photograph. Are you a macro and fish portrait photographer? Then a smaller flash is fine for you. If you also want to take wide-angle and fisheye photos, you’ll want a flash with a wider exposure angle and more power.
Selecting the right strobe
Which flash is right for me? For a compact or point-and-shoot camera, you’ll quickly find options like the AOI Q1 flash (manually adjustable, 2000 !! flashes on 2 18650 batteries, 700 lumen pilot light, and very compact) or the Sea&Sea YS-03 Solis flash (fully automatic, optically controlled, and small).
If you want to control the exposure both automatically and manually, and want to illuminate larger subjects as well, you might consider the INON D-200 Type 2. If you plan to take a lot of wide-angle or fisheye photos, the Sea&Sea YS-D3 MK II is a powerful top flash using 4 AA batteries while still being lightweight. If you want extra power, definitely look at Ikelite’s flagship, the DS230 (230 Watt-seconds ring flash tube, high-capacity NiMH battery pack, and short recycle time). The DS230 can also be optically controlled with the optional Fiber Optic Converter.
If you’re a macro enthusiast, initially consider the AOI Q1 Ultra Compact Flash or the Backscatter Mini Flash 2 underwater flash MF-2 (also available with a snoot). With the Backscatter MF-2 flash combined with a snoot, you can beautifully highlight the subject while keeping the surrounding area dark, making the subject really stand out!
If you have an Ikelite underwater housing, definitely start with the Ikelite DS51 Mark II flash (50Ws, runs on 4 AA batteries, compact), the DS160 Mark II flash (160Ws, battery pack, powerful), or the Ikelite DS230 (230Ws, battery pack, super powerful). These combinations generally offer the option to be fully controlled electrically, and Ikelite’s TTL control is extremely accurate!
Can’t choose between photographing or filming? Then the WeeFine WFS07 flash with a video light is undoubtedly the best choice. It’s a strong but compact flash equipped with a video light of up to 3000 lumens. This makes the WeeFine flash with a 3000 lumen video light [WFS07] the most versatile and complete lighting accessory on the market right now.
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![Sea&Sea YS-03 Solis strobe [03125]](https://www.uwcamerastore.com/media/catalog/product/cache/585a9f53153ae04cde57614e2eac8117/s/s/ss03125-1.png)
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![WeeFine underwater strobe with 3000 lumen video light [WFS07]](https://www.uwcamerastore.com/media/catalog/product/cache/585a9f53153ae04cde57614e2eac8117/w/f/wfs07-1.png)
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Ikelite DS232 strobe + video light NIMH (EURO) #40232EUSpecial Price €1,695.00 €1,400.83 Regular Price €1,749.00In stock -
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2. Strobe accessories
There are also several accessories available for flashes, such as snoots, dome diffusers, and color filters.
Snoots
Snoots are designed to illuminate a subject or a part of a subject, which directs the focus to a single point. They can also create darker or black backgrounds, adding a sense of calm to a photo. There are several different types of snoots available. These include optical snoots, standard snoots without optics, and our own flip snoots that can be folded away.
Diffusers
Diffusers create a larger and more even spread of light. Often, a diffuser is included as standard with a flash. We also make our own dome diffusers, which provide an even wider spread compared to standard diffusers. We have created a dome diffuser for most of the most popular models.
Additionally, diffusers with different Kelvin values are available for various flashes to achieve warmer or cooler flash light! Cooler flash light reduces the blue tint in the background when the white balance is properly set, while warmer flash light creates a brighter blue background in tropical water.
Color filters
Color filters can be placed in front of the flash or the snoot, and this is becoming increasingly popular. For example, Backscatter has developed a system for the lamp, flash, and snoot that allows for easy color switching.
3. Video Lights
For vibrant underwater videos, video lights are essential. We offer a wide range of video lights to help you make the best choice. Here’s a breakdown of the differences in features and specifications of the lights.
Visible LED Points vs. COB LEDs: Video lights with COB LEDs (Chip-on-Board) feature many small LEDs placed close together, resulting in smoother, more even lighting with a softer finish compared to lights with visible individual LED points.
Red Light Option: Red light is invisible to many underwater creatures, allowing you to get closer to your subject without scaring it away.
CRI (Color Rendering Index): The CRI value indicates how accurately colors appear under this lighting, ranging from 0 to 100. The closer to 100, the more natural the colors appear.
Lumens: Lumens measure the brightness of the light. In tropical waters, ambient light is abundant, so a powerful light is needed to stand out and bring colors to life. In tropical blue water, at least 4000–5000 lumens is recommended.
Flat or Dome Glass on the Lamp Head: Dome glass helps retain the lighting angle underwater, while flat glass narrows the light beam due to underwater refraction, resulting in a more focused beam.
Ambient Filters: Ambient filters can be attached to your video lights. These filters are used when manually setting the white balance to the surroundings, ensuring correct colors. Without filters, the light from the lamps would appear red when white balance is set to ambient light.
Video Lights with Flash Function: For underwater videos, video lights are recommended, and for underwater photography, a dedicated strobe is ideal. However, if you enjoy taking photos occasionally, a video light with a flash function is a great all-around solution!
Color Temperature: As you dive deeper, warm colors (such as red, yellow, and orange) quickly lose their intensity, while cool colors (like blue and green) dominate. This often causes underwater images to look blue or green if no additional lighting is used. A color temperature of 5000K–6500K is ideal for underwater video lights as it resembles natural daylight, helping restore colors like red and yellow. At greater depths, a higher color temperature (around 6500K) is useful to counteract blue tones.
Various Brands: We carry several brands of video lights, each offering a range of models.
- Keldan: Targets the high-end segment and is designed for the professional videographer. Keldan even offers a controller for remote underwater operation up to 50 meters.
- Weefine: Very popular and suitable for all-around videographers, offering a wide range of lights with various specifications. Currently, the Weefine Solar Flare 4500 is a best-selling model with a flash function, offering 4500 lumens in regular mode and 6000 lumens in flash mode. Its maximum depth rating is 100 meters, and it has a CRI of >RA90, which provides highly natural lighting, very even and bright, with a wide 150° beam.
- Bigblue: Offers affordable options with visible LED points, as well as a COB LED line—the CB line from Bigblue, which we’re excited about!
- Backscatter: Has introduced the Macro Wide 4300 light, specifically for macro enthusiasts.
Tray and Arms: To mount a video light, you’ll need a tray under your underwater housing. You can attach one or two handles and a flexible arm on top, allowing you to position the video light accurately. Read more about different arm types and their pros and cons in this blog.
4. Video Light accessories
Various accessories are available for video lights as well:
- Ambient filters (Weefine, Keldan, Bigblue)
- Snoots (Weefine, Backscatter)
- Reflectors (Keldan)
- Dome diffusers (Bigblue)
- Float rings (Keldan)
And, of course, a range of trays and arms to mount the lights. Read more about the different types of arms and their pros and cons in this blog.