Underwater Gunfire with Sea & Sea YS-D3 Flash in the Sea of Cortez
In the world of underwater photography, the Sea & Sea YS-D3 Lightning strobes have made a significant impact, offering improvements that make them ideal for fast action and wide-angle shots.
Superior Performance
The YS-D3 strobes boast faster recycle times compared to their predecessor, the YS-D2J. At half power, the YS-D3 has a recycle time of just 0.6 seconds, and below a quarter power, the recycle time is nearly instantaneous, enabling quick consecutive shots. This speed is a game-changer for photographers looking to capture rapid subjects.
Another key advantage is the YS-D3's higher max guide number of 33, indicating greater power and range to illuminate subjects effectively, surpassing the YS-D2J’s output.
Enhanced Beam Quality
The YS-D3 features a professional-grade flash tube with an aspherical toroidal lens, resulting in more even light dispersion underwater. This reduces hotspots and provides better lighting consistency, a significant improvement over the YS-D2J.
The beam from the YS-D3 is also slightly cooler than the YS-D2J, with a colour temperature of 5800K, closer to natural daylight, enhancing colour accuracy in photos.
Accessory Compatibility and Control
The YS-D3 offers a broad range of native accessories, including snoots and slave prisms, improving lighting flexibility for various creative effects. Additionally, while not found on the YS-D3 II, the YS-D3 Duo offers RC-Mode, beneficial for certain camera systems (such as Olympus), improving wireless control options.
Popular Choice
In 2025, the YS-D3 is considered one of the world’s best and most popular underwater strobes, offering future-proof performance with enhanced speed, power, and lighting quality compared to the YS-D2J.
Sea of Cortez Workshops
The Sea & Sea YS-D3 Lightning Strobes were used during the July 2020 Sea of Cortez photoworkshop, held on the spacious and luxurious Rocio Del Mar dive liveaboard. The clear water, abundant sun, and variety of lighting conditions in the Sea of Cortez provided an ideal setting to test the strobes' capabilities. The YS-D3 dome diffusers were particularly appreciated for their ability to reduce backscatter when photographing sea lions.
The Underwater Photography Guide is offering Sea of Cortez Workshops in 2021 on July 2, July 24-31, and August 7-14, allowing photographers to experience the YS-D3's performance first-hand.
The Sea & Sea YS-D3 Lightning Strobes are currently available at Bluewater Photo, making it easy for photographers to upgrade their equipment and take their underwater photography to the next level.
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