Canon shooters who want consistent strobe exposure with minimal task loading: traveling photographers, macro specialists who need repeatability at close working distances, and wide-angle shooters balancing ambient and strobe light. The unit serves as an optical TTL trigger, letting you switch between TTL and manual from the camera for efficient, predictable results across reef, wreck, and cold-water environments.

• Camera: Works with Canon bodies that provide hot-shoe flash control (DSLR and mirrorless). Verify your model’s flash settings support i-TTL/Manual.
• Housing: Requires a hot-shoe pass-through and optical bulkheads (or fiber ports) to route the LED outputs to your strobes.
• Strobes: Designed for fiber-optic strobes from major brands (e.g., Inon, Sea&Sea, Retra). Set strobes to their optical TTL or manual mode accordingly.

Because strobe behavior can vary by revision/firmware, contact Bluewater Photo with your exact camera, housing, and strobe models for a checked parts list and any needed accessories (cables, adapters, or masks).

• Mount the converter externally per the housing’s guidance; connect the internal hot-shoe lead; route fiber cables cleanly and avoid tight bends.
• On the boat: set camera flash mode to i-TTL or Manual; set strobes to matching mode; confirm Flash Exposure Compensation (FEC) behavior if using TTL.
• Dry-fire test: half-press to wake strobes, confirm LEDs pulse, check both strobes fire evenly, then perform a quick exposure test at your intended shutter/aperture.
• Before entry: verify o-rings/ports are clean, fibers are fully seated, and strobe batteries are fresh to avoid recycle-time exposure variance.

• TTL: Great for changing subject distance or fast-moving macro where you want consistent exposure. Use FEC to bias brighter/darker without touching the strobes.
• Manual: Choose for controlled scenes (e.g., wide-angle with fixed strobe distance) or creative consistency across a sequence; adjust power from the camera when supported.
• Shutter discipline: Stay at or below your camera’s X-sync to prevent partial frames; most underwater strobes do not support HSS in optical TTL configurations.

A practical workflow is to start in TTL for acquisition, then lock in Manual once distance and water conditions are stable.

• Signal path: If a strobe misfires, reseat fiber ends, inspect for kinks/clouding, and confirm the converter’s LEDs face the ports squarely.
• Exposure drift: In TTL, check FEC and ensure strobes are fully recycled; in Manual, verify camera flash control hasn’t reverted to TTL after a power cycle.
• Power & firmware: Follow the manufacturer’s guidance for the converter’s power source and any firmware updates. Carry spares (o-rings, fiber tips, batteries if applicable).
• Aftercare: Rinse thoroughly in fresh water, operate controls to flush salt, and dry before storage. Avoid direct sun/heat on LEDs and cabling.

Bluewater Photo provides pre-trip checks and post-sale support, including compatibility verification and workflow tuning for your specific kit.