Kategorie: News
Presentation and practical test AOI-UW flash
Over the years, flash units for uw-photographers have become smaller and smaller without losing much of their performance. But really small amphibious flash units have been few to date. Just about two years ago, I discovered a super small flash at the DRT in Hong Kong. The American underwater equipment expert Backscatter presented it there. Unfortunately, I have not yet managed to get a test unit.
At this fair I also had a longer conversation with Victor Tsui, owner and CEO of AOI-UW. During this conversation he told me that he also wants to bring a small flash unit to the market. Now it is here and I had the opportunity to test it.
Test report by Gerald Nowak
To have the perfect conditions, I go to my favorite lake, the Echinger Weiher. Here I have everything I need for my test: clear visibility, a great underwater world and lots of fish. In order to be able to test the Q1 under a wide variety of light conditions, I move along the shore alternately in shallow water and in deeper regions between tree trunks and branches hanging down into the water. I mounted two of the flashes together with two Orcatorch D900V. I mounted the lamps to film in between. Since the operating time of the flashes is supposed to be very long, I turned them on before I descended. I want to know how long they really last in practice.
I still have no idea with which performance setting I have to flash in order to get usable results. So I just set it to power level 5 of 7 and shoot my buddy. Somewhat surprised I realize, with aperture 4 and a 60/s this is probably too much. So I lower the power and try again. I notice right away that the rotary knob for the power setting is a bit small and a bit difficult to operate with dry diving gloves.
The next try is already better. Now I set the aperture to 5.6 and it fits - at a distance of one meter to my diving partner. Further on we go under the trees, where only a few sunbeams fall in and a longer shutter speed is needed. Here, too, the power is almost a little too high and I'm now at just power level 2. Slowly, I get to grips with the various settings and adjust them to aperture and time, depending on the subject.
The Echinger Weiher is a goldmine if you are hunting for motifs and want to try out many variables. After more than 2 hours it's over, no more photo possible, because the battery is empty. But not the batteries of the flashes, no those of the camera. The flashes are not even half empty and I probably could have made another round in the lake. I'll do that next time and test out the snoot. Let's see what little things are found in the lake. The flashes convinced me, even if they don't come close to the performance of the big ones. But for most applications they are just awesome - especially since Victor immediately announced an upgrade so that you can easily operate the flash even with dry diving gloves.
History of the Ultra Compact Strobe Q1
Victor Tsui has merged two passions: His engineering passion and that of being a underwater photographer. He studied in Germany and got to know and love the mentality of the Germans. He was born Hong Kong Chinese, but he is also a bit European at heart. For him, values and a word count. Years ago, when he was looking for a high-quality flash, he also looked at well-known flash units, but did not want to simply copy them, as the Chinese are often said to do. He hired his own technicians and read a lot about amphibious flashes, experimented and in the end developed a small but fine UW flash.
Of course, being an underwater photographer came in quite useful to him, because he knows from his own experience that professional underwater photographers need good light, but often have difficulties transporting large, heavy flashes. Nevertheless, a good flash is one of the most important investments to successfully shoot pictures. To get perfect colors, UW flashes are the preferred choice.
Victor has been thinking about this for a long time and has been building a new type of affordable flash with his technicians. Now it's finally here, the AOI Ultra Compact Strobe Q1 (UCS-Q1). An entry-level underwater strobe, or "My First Strobe," as Victor Tsui puts it. "Underwater photography doesn't have to be, and shouldn't be, a complicated affair. During the research and development phase, 'simplicity' was a key feature that kept coming up with compact camera users. The popularity of the Olympus Tough series (TG-4/5/6) is largely due to the camera's straightforward operation, especially for shooting macro subjects."
The Q1's design was aimed at entry-level and amateur photographers who want to take good pictures with little effort. The UCS-Q1's control panel is kept simple with only two buttons and a single rotary knob. The knob controls the power setting; the maximum brightness is number 7 or equivalent to guide number 22. When the flash is set to manual mode only, it is easy to get the desired exposure when used with an automatic compact camera. The flash has a beam angle of 85 degrees with the diffuser in front.
The left button can be used to activate the continuous light function (with 3 power levels). The different power settings are reached by pressing several times. The highest light output is 700 lumens, which is bright enough for macro photography or even as an underwater flashlight. The continuous light also functions as a focus light, making it possible to focus quickly even in dark environments.
The buttons and powerswitch are clearly labeled, and the battery compartment is secured with a screw cap that is sealed with two O-rings. Should the battery compartment be flooded, this will not damage the electronics unit, as it is encapsulated in a water- and pressure-tight manner. This helps to avoid high repair bills. The flash is powered by two 18650 lithium batteries, which allow up to 2000 flashes on a single charge and also provide constant power output even at low voltage. The flash is equipped with standby and auto power-off features to save power and extend the power duration of the flash.
Even though the Q1 is an entry-level flash, that doesn't mean it has limited features. There is also a snoot attachment for the UCS-Q1. Together with the pilot light, you can easily determine the correct placement of the attachment over the subject. It is available as an optional accessory and is an inexpensive attachment with 3 reducing units.
To simplify the purchase decision for potential users and create added value, AOI is offering the "My First Strobe" Starter Kit, valued at $99.00 USD, FREE during the introductory period. The AOI Starter Kit includes a dry box, ball head, fiber optic cable and clamp.
For more information, contact your local authorized AOI dealer or visit www.aoi-uw.com, www.facebook.com/AoiUw on Facebook or aoi-underwater on Wechat.
Technical Details
Model: AOI UCS-Q1 - an ultra compact underwater flash unit
Material: Polycarbonate / Fiberglass
Max. diving depth: 60 meters
Flash:
Guide number: 22
Light color: 5600K
Beam angle: 85 degrees (with diffuser)
Recycle time: 0.85 seconds (full power)
Flash count per battery charge: 1800 flashes full power (with 2x 3500mAh Li-Ion batteries)
Pre-flash suppression: Automatic / Adjustable
LED light: Max power: 700 lumens
Light color: 5600K
Beam angle: 45 degrees
Light time: 160 min (at maximum brightness with 2x 3500mAh Li-Ion batteries)
Battery size: 2x 18650 (5A min) Li-Ion batteries
Flash size: 125 mm (length) x 77 mm (width) x 131 mm (height) (with the ball head connector)
Flash weight:
Above water: 550 grams with batteries
Underwater: 90 grams with batteries
Accessories:
O-ring, O-ring remover
Silicone gel
Safety cord
Diffuser
Price:
Ultra Compact Flash Q1 - UCS-Q1-WHT / UCS-Q1-BLK, from US$ 299.90 per set
Snoot for flash USC-Q1 - SNT-01, from US$ 49.90 per piece
Starter Kit - SRK-01, from US$ 99.00 per set