Safety stop depth with the sun above us. In this condition, shooting this transitioning Ribbon Eel was challenging at the higher power ranges (Full to -2.0EV). I'm using the AA Eneloop Pros and did notice a difference in recycling times compared to the L-ion battery. I pushed the strobe to full, trying to bring out the blacks and subtle colors while trying to beat the intensity of the sun.

Capturing the motion of a frantic batfish that panicked when I started flashing. I liked the water color and natural hue of the fish, even at slow shutter speeds.

A photogenic Mototi octopus mauls my lens. I held the shutter down and captured a series of evenly exposed images. I'm shooting 5 frames per second, using the Li-ion battery pack, and the strobe performed well. Frame after frame, the foreground and background show nice colors and a natural gradient all the way to the furthest edge of the beam throw.

Keeping the water blue with a slow shutter and the warm kelvin temps are a snap. Vibrant colors, great single strobe coverage, smooth contrast and gradient.

A large Sea Snake emerged from the coral head with a buddy close behind. Moving quickly and hunting downslope, I adjusted to 5 frames per second and confidently held the shutter.

An Anilao icon, the settling phase of the Wunderpus photogenicus is remarkable. Transparent with flecks of colored pigmentation and a large, bulbous head, this common octopus looks like a character from the movie Mars Attacks. I use a domed diffuser to prevent burning out the reflective details when shooting blackwater. I also prefer a lightweight strobe for quick movement when needed and for trimming out in the water column.

Blackwater can be challenging on strobes as everything happens at once. I often shoot frame bursts to hedge my chances of success and true to form did the same.

In shallow areas around 5 m, small coral heads often create harsh surface highlights, making it difficult to reproduce the vivid red of the Crescent-tail bigeyes sheltering underneath. By balancing exposure with strobe output — and now with the addition of HSS — it is possible to achieve a far more natural and accurate rendering.

When shooting directly toward the sun, glassfish easily produce flare and halation. HSS greatly suppresses these issues, allowing crisp and clean results even in strong backlight.

Large schools of silver-stripe round herrings and cardinalfish gathering around the reef can now be illuminated with exceptionally even lighting, revealing depth and separation throughout the scene.

Even in dynamic situations where countless anthias surround Maldivian anemonefish, light spreads beautifully and delivers outstanding color reproduction of the subjects.