Underwater photography enthusiasts delve into a comprehensive appraisal of the Sea & Sea YS-D3 Strobe.
Introducing the Sea & Sea YS-D3 Underwater Strobe: Faster, Brighter, and More Versatile
The Sea & Sea YS-D3 underwater strobe has hit the market with a splash, boasting several key innovations and improvements over its predecessor, the YS-D2J.
First and foremost, the YS-D3 boasts faster recycle times. With a recycle time of just 0.6 seconds at half power and virtually nonexistent recycle times below quarter power, the YS-D3 is particularly effective for capturing quick, fast-moving underwater subjects.
The YS-D3 also produces a slightly cooler color temperature of 5800K, enhancing color accuracy and natural light representation underwater compared to the YS-D2J.
In terms of light output, the YS-D3 has a higher max guide number of 33 (on land), equating to a stronger and professional-grade light output. This is achieved through the use of an aspherical toroidal lens flash tube, which creates even light dispersion and improves illumination quality.
The YS-D3 comes packed with a wide range of native accessories, including snoots and slave prisms, improving versatility and creative control for underwater photographers. The YS-D3 Duo variant even offers an optional RC-Mode (remote control) feature, beneficial for some camera systems like Olympus, which is absent in the standard YS-D3 but not found on the YS-D2J.
The YS-D3's beam has also been improved compared to the YS-D2J, with a more even and softer dispersion area. The Sea & Sea YS-D3 Dome Diffuser further increases the beam angle to 170 X 150 degrees and reduces the guide number by 1.5 stops of exposure.
The YS-D3 also features a slave function that can be combined with a slave prism to trigger the strobe from a distance, making it a great tool for backlighting scenes or illuminating large seascapes like caves, wrecks, and reefs.
The targeting/modeling light on the YS-D3 has 4 times the power compared to the YS-D2J, and the TTL mode can be fine-tuned with one of the dials for exposure compensation. Manual mode on the YS-D3 allows adjusting the guide number and fine-tuning adjustments by about 1/3rd of a stop.
The Sea & Sea YS-D3 is compatible with 5-pin sync cord/N and fiber optic cables. A new accessory, the Sea & Sea YS-D3 Snoot, is designed specifically for the YS-D3, allowing photographers to limit the area of their beam for more creative, contrast-filled images.
The Sea & Sea YS-D3 is a powerful, versatile, and future-proof strobe for underwater photography, with a depth rating of 100m/330 ft. Its improved speed, light quality, and accessory support make it an attractive choice for both amateur and professional underwater photographers.
References: [1] Sea & Sea Official Website [2] DivePhotoGuide.com
The Sea & Sea YS-D3 is an underwater strobe. It is capable of lighting up both macro and wide angle scenes. It is equipped with Sea & Sea's accurate DS-TTL II shooting mode. The Sea & Sea YS-D3 Diagonal Ball Mount has a 35 degree inclination to help minimize interference between the sync cord and ball mount.
- The Sea & Sea YS-D3 underwater strobe offers faster recycle times, ideal for capturing quick, fast-moving underwater subjects.
- With a slight cooler color temperature of 5800K, the YS-D3 enhances color accuracy and natural light representation underwater.
- The YS-D3 boasts a higher max guide number of 33 (on land), delivering a stronger and professional-grade light output.
- The YS-D3 comes with a wide range of native accessories like snoots and slave prisms, enhancing versatility for underwater photographers.
- The YS-D3 Duo variant offers an optional RC-Mode (remote control) feature, benefiting certain camera systems like Olympus.
- The beam dispersion on the YS-D3 is more even and softer compared to the YS-D2J, иicianing the beam angle to 170 X 150 degrees via the YS-D3 Dome Diffuser.
- The YS-D3 features a slave function, capable of triggering the strobe from a distance, making it useful for backlighting scenes or illuminating large seascapes.
- The YS-D3's targeting/modeling light has four times the power compared to the YS-D2J, with adjustable exposure compensation and fine-tuning options in TTL and manual modes.
- The Sea & Sea YS-D3 is compatible with 5-pin sync cord/N and fiber optic cables, and a new accessory, the Sea & Sea YS-D3 Snoot, is designed specifically for the YS-D3.
- The Sea & Sea YS-D3 is suitable for lighting up both macro and wideangle scenes, equipped with Sea & Sea's accurate DS-TTL II shooting mode.
- The Sea & Sea YS-D3 Diagonal Ball Mount has a 35-degree inclination to minimize interference between the sync cord and ball mount.
