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MXTENDERTM Frequently Asked Questions
1. How long is the cable?
2. Is it a permanent mount to camera and
strobe?
3. How much size will it add to the camera and
flash when installed?
4. How flexible is the cable?
5. I saw the test photos. How much of a problem
is backscatter if the camera and strobe are used with the
MXTENDER coupled together, and the water is very clear?
6. Does the MXTENDER allow you to attach the
strobe so that you don't need both hands all the time?
7. I've heard of people just using the YS-40
strobe off-camera as a slave strobe. Is this true?
8. Does the MXTENDER only work with the newer
MX-10's which have the threaded socket on the bottom?
9. When the MXTENDER is installed which way
does the cord hang?
10. How strong is the cable? For example, if
the camera fell from the camera table and all I could grab was
the strobe with the units only connected by the MXTENDER would it
break or save the camera from the floor?
11. Is it possible to get an adapter for the
strobe so I could mount it on a strobe arm?
12. When I see that the MXTENDER has a 19-page
manual, it makes me a little apprehensive! How easy is this to
install?
13. Does the MXTENDER come with a warranty?
14. Do you accept credit cards?
1. How long is the cable?
30 inches. In designing it, we measured typical
strobe cables, and took into consideration the average length of
a person's arm. 30 inches actually gives you a little extra.
2. Is it a permanent mount to camera and
strobe?
No. It couples to the camera and strobe
mechanically, using their existing mounting surfaces. Once it
slides over the camera's rail, a thumbscrew locks the MXTENDER's
camera bracket in place. The strobe bracket slides into the slots
on the strobe, and is held by the strobe's own locking tab.
3. How much size will it add to the
camera and flash when installed?
When installed, the MXTENDER doesn't add much
size to the MX-10/YS-40 system at all. However,
we STRONGLY recommend storing and transporting the MXTENDER
separately from the camera. An ideal container is a plastic food
storage container with lid (such as Rubbermaid) which will allow
the fiber optic cable to coil inside, while protecting it.
4. How flexible is the cable?
The cable is very flexible and easy to use. It is
attached to the brackets on swivels, rotating freely as you move
the camera and strobe. It can coil down to a diameter of 6
inches, maybe a little less. It is encased in a tough PVC sheath.
Like any piece of optical equipment, the cable itself must not be
subjected to extremely rough handling or severe shocks. With
proper care, it is designed to withstand normal use indefinitely.
5. I saw the test photos. How much of a
problem is backscatter if the camera and strobe are used
with the MXTENDER coupled together, and the water is very clear?
With the MXTENDER in the coupled position, the
relative position of camera and strobe is only slightly different
than it is without the MXTENDER installed. If the water is clear
enough to create no backscatter for a factory-configured MX-10
system, it would be no different with the MXTENDER coupled
together.
6. Does the MXTENDER allow you to attach
the strobe so that you don't need both hands all the time?
Yes. The MXTENDER's two brackets couple and lock
together very securely, making the MX-10 and YS-40 functionally
one unit again. This is very useful at the start and end of your
dive, such as on your safety stop or if the camera is hanging on
a gear line below a boat.
7. I've heard of people just using the YS-40 strobe off-camera as a slave strobe. Is this true?
There are some who say that the YS-40 can be used
off-camera as a slave strobe. We talked directly to a Sea&Sea
representative about this supposed "slave" function of
the YS-40 strobe. He confirmed that this is totally false.
Without Sea&Sea's permission, someone once wrote that the YS-40
could work as a slave under certain conditions, and that myth has
been plaguing them ever since. Above water, in a typical room
with light-colored walls, the YS-40 will fire almost every time
that the MX-10's internal flash fires. In the artificial
environment of a pool, with its clear water and highly reflective
walls, it will probably work too. This leads people to believe
that it will work like this underwater as well. It won't. The
little sensor on the YS-40 is deeply recessed, and fairly
directional. If you happen to get it just right, at very close
distances, it will work sometimes. Even if it worked all the
time, however, those who try this are overlooking one very
important detail: Backscatter is caused by the strobe
illuminating suspended particles between lens and subject. The
closer the strobe is to the lens, the worse the backscatter.
Backscatter reduction is accomplished by moving the strobe far
off-camera and feathering the edge of the light just onto the
subject, thereby not illuminating the water and particles in
front of the lens. Trying to use the YS-40 as a slave is
inherently flawed, since it means that the MX-10's built-in flash
must be used. This limits you to the 2 aperture settings which
turn on that flash. However, the worst part is that since the
built-in flash is right next to the lens, it is guaranteed to put
HORRIBLE backscatter in every photograph, unless the water were
PERFECTLY clear, which is simply not going to happen. Trying this
is simply a waste of time.
8. Does the MXTENDER only work with the
newer MX-10's which have the threaded socket on the bottom?
Absolutely not! The MXTENDER works with all MX-10's,
including the older ones without the threaded socket.
9. When the MXTENDER is installed which way does the cord hang?
It hangs in a loose, free-swiveling loop below
camera and strobe.
10. How strong is the cable? For example, if the camera fell from the camera table and all I could grab was the strobe with the units only connected by the MXTENDER would it break or save the camera from the floor?
It would probably save the camera, but we're not
sure whether it would also fracture the optical fibers or not.
Our guess would be that it might survive this once or twice, but
repeatedly subjecting it to this kind of stress would almost
certainly break it, as the fiber optic cable was not designed to
withstand such abuse.
11. Is it possible to get an adapter for the strobe so I could mount it on a strobe arm?
Yes! Our Strobe Arm
Adapter allows an MXTENDER-equipped YS-40A strobe to mount to
any standard Sea&Sea or compatible strobe arm. The Strobe Arm
Adapter is constructed of the same tough materials as the
MXTENDER, and is a very simple, elegant, and functional add-on.
NOTE: To use an MX-10 with a Sea&Sea base, it
must have the threaded socket in its bottom, which is necessary
to connect the base to the camera. For older MX-10's which lack
the threaded socket, we offer the MX-Base, which integrates with the MXTENDER to allow attachment
of the strobe arm.
12. When I see that the MXTENDER has a 19-page
manual, it makes me a little apprehensive! How easy is this to
install?
Very easy. The manual is long due to its
thoroughness, not complexity. It contains many illustrations, as
well as a section about off-camera strobe photography, and use of
the MXTENDER in general.
The MXTENDER couples to the camera and strobe mechanically, using
their existing mounting surfaces. Once it slides over the
camera's rail, a thumbscrew locks the MXTENDER's camera bracket
in place. The strobe bracket slides into the slots on the strobe,
and is held by the strobe's own locking tab. It is a very secure
system, yet comes apart easily underwater when in use. So, the
short version is that the MXTENDER brackets slide on just like
the strobe and camera!
13. Does the MXTENDER come with a
warranty?
The MXTENDER carries a limited lifetime warranty
on all parts except the fiber optic cable itself, which is
warranted for one year. The fiber optic cable is specifically not
covered against breakage, since extensive testing has shown that
it will withstand normal use, but not abuse. If it gets broken,
it would have to have been subject to such abuse, hence the
exclusion.
14. Do you accept credit cards?
Unfortunately, we are not set up
for direct credit card orders yet. However, if you live in the
United States, you may charge your purchase with Mastercard or
Visa by using PayPal. PayPal is a totally free secure online
payment service. There are no fees whatsoever. If you have not
used PayPal before, all you have to do is register here. It's fast and
easy.
Once you've registered, click here to log in to PayPal.
Then select "Send Money" and send your payment to orders@gbundersea.com.
You may also order by sending us an email. We will
promptly reply with a total and our mailing address for you to
send a check or money order.