GEAR TESTS: Backscatter Mini Flash MF-1 Underwater Review

Jim Decker CEO: Backscatter Underwater Video & Photo

For any of the macro shots I did at the Shootout this year I used the Backscatter Mini Flash. It just makes sense from a practical standpoint to have a smaller strobe for macro to get into the tight spots that small critters live in. We had so many people demo the MF-1 and the OS-1 optical snoot and it really took their macro shooting to the next level. It really is the easiest snoot to use and so many people were nailing shots on their first go around with a snoot, which to be honest, can be one of the harder things to do in underwater photography. Take a look at the results on the winners page and you will see a plethora of killer shots with the Backscatter Mini Flash and Optical Snoot.

ROBIN DODD Producer

My favorite lighting tool at this year's Digital Shootout was easily the Backscatter Mini Flash. This compact strobe provides all the bright lighting that one needs for shooting macro by concentrating the beam into a smaller area than other strobes. This puts all of that light right where you want it on a small subject instead of trying to light a larger scene like one would want for wide angle shooting. The super bright built-in target light provides an accurate aiming guide so that you can see exactly what the actual flash beam will do, eliminating the need for any guesswork when composing your lighting. The small size of the strobe makes it pair well with compact cameras, and also makes it great for working into tight macro-subject hiding spaces even with an SLR-sized camera rig. When used with the Optical Snoot it became an even better tool for macro by allowing me to darken the area surrounding my subject so that it could better draw in the viewers attention.