View Full Version : Getting the most out of my SeaLife DC310
Scuba-Doh!
22-06-07, 11:11
In an effort to stop hijacking other peoples threads with my whining about my lack of photography skills / crap camera (either or) I'll start a new thread.
Last nights dive at Conger Alley, vis was decent, light level reasonable, torch D4R. Following the advice of fellow Conger Alley'ians I tried taking a number of photos without the flash on. This camera detests the flash being turned off, it requires 4 or 5 pushes of the little button and then if it goes into power-save mode (screen turns off) it'll forget I told it to keep the flash off. Anyhow, that aside I did give it a go and all the photos without flash were a horrible blur. Without looking for an underwater tripod (starfish with three legs?) where should I go from here? I keep complaining about this little camera though I'm still not sure that it isn't my own fault.
EDIT: Details of the DC310 specification can be found here (http://www.steves-digicams.com/2003_reviews/dc310.html).
One possible option might be for me to splash out on an underwater housing for my Sony Cybershot P79 which has hardly been used since I got back from Malta (and since my phone has a 3.2MP camera which is good enough for those spur of the moment photos). This option looks to cost me about £150 though I'm not 100% sure anyone still stocks this housing.
Another option would be to save up a little more and invest in a new camera with housing (or get back into the habit of trawling fleabay and waiting for a second-hand one), one possible camera I'd seen is the Fuji F30 (http://www.divingdirectshop.co.uk/product_info.php?products_id=838&osCsid=7f857a5c54d144bffb5cc627a4903ddb).
Further options may include looking for a strobe set-up or investment in an even bigger/more expensive/brighter torch. I'd rather put these off for a while though if I can get away with it. I'd expect the D4R should be bright enough.
Any and all comment welcome :)
Examples of my photographs are on flickr (http://www.flickr.com/photos/nand)
buy the F30, with underwater housing.
I'm still not too sure about the strobe kit as I've never got mine to work, although I am thinking of removeing the actual strobe and fitting a torch like one of them D4R or what ever I can get off eBay for much cheapness.
The flash should not affect the bluriness of the photo. Check your TLI settings and auto white balancing. I would suggest having a play about with all the settings, flash off is a must.
If the Sony P7 is anything like the P5 then I have no trouble using it, it does take a bit of getting used though.
Settings to try:
Auto White balance (leave on unless you know what you are doing)
Flash OFF
ISO setting to 100 or 200 (preferably 200)
Shutter speed setting to as quick as you can set it
Housing for the P7 I think is the same as the housing for the P5 and you are right it is about £150, try ebay for one but I am sure you should be able to find a stockist
Fuji finepix F30, with underwater housing £255 on eBay
Item number: 270132773944
Scuba-Doh!
22-06-07, 11:59
Fuji finepix F30, with underwater housing £255 on eBay
Item number: 270132773944
Cool, though my wallet can't take a hit like that for a while.
Chris was talking about setting and he may be doing that. However I have got clear photos using the auto settings, but with the flash off - mainly as I can't actually operate any of the controls underwater. Of course it is likely with the flash off and in the gloom underwater the camera will use a long shutter exposure to compensate for the lack of light. Staying as still as possible will obviously help. I am floating free when I take photos and whatever I am snapping is often on the rocks, so you often need to judge the timing of the photo against any surge or underwater movement.
A strobe seems to produce the best results if you check out the photos taken by the people with a strobe - however these are often also the people who have been taking photos for longest - but I didn't personally feel like spending even more money.
It does say on your camera web link spec that it does have a macro mode, it would be worth finding out how to set that and use it.
I know what the flash off resetting problem is like as my other camera that I use on land seems to always reset back. However out of 5mm gloves I can operate the controls for that normally.
Scuba-Doh!
22-06-07, 12:16
It does say on your camera web link spec that it does have a macro mode, it would be worth finding out how to set that and use it.
Indeed it does, located just below the lens is a sliding switch to choose between land/sea, Portrait and Macro. The switch is not accessible through the casing.
http://www.steves-digicams.com/2003_reviews/dc310/dc310_lens.jpg
The DC310's lens is a fixed-focus optic with an approx. 38mm focal length (in 35mm photography), the maximum aperture is f/3.5 and it has three focus ranges:
1. Landscape / Seascape - 6 feet to infinity on land, 3.5 feet to infinity underwater
2. Portrait - 3 to 6 feet (land only)
3. Macro - 2 to 3 feet (land only)
SeaLife add-on Macro and Wide Angle lenses that attach to the exterior lens port of the u/w case are available (see previous page.)
thats what i say.
if the 'old timers' are using strobes, then ask yourself why.
considering a housing for another camera? why, the strobe will fit on any camera..& you will probably get the same problems with that camera also.
ok so its gonna cost you £200-ish (for a good one), but its a one off investment.
if you manage to 'aquire' a strobe only, let me know, i could arrange to have a tray & arm made for you.
in the mean time, as chris suggested, play around with your settings/white balance.
this may be easier for chris on the east coast as the water is generally a lot clearer but the results should still improve if your diving in 'loch mud' erm i mean 'loch long'.
since i dont take pics anymore (not since the floods:eek: ), that was my 2p worth...
http://www.cusac.org/e107/gallery/Member_Galleries/13.Stewart_Russell/sr-maldives2004/sr-m410-fancyapaddle.jpg
p.s. you dont always need to be in the water to take pics of marine life.
Peter and I have a very liberal fashion to floods with cameras. The camera we use is a Sony P5, you can get them of ebay from £20-50 so if it floods it gets binned or kept for spares. Currently on our second and I have a drawer full of bits. We have managed to accummulate around 5-6 batteries and about the same number of memory sticks and we are bidding on another camera on ebay as a spare at the moment, the joys of technology moving fast :D
Scuba-Doh!
22-06-07, 23:07
Thanks for your comments guys, I'll certainly not be rushing into buying anything so I can spare the time to choose carefully.
Peter and I have a very liberal fashion to floods with cameras. The camera we use is a Sony P5, you can get them of ebay from £20-50 so if it floods it gets binned or kept for spares. Currently on our second and I have a drawer full of bits. We have managed to accummulate around 5-6 batteries and about the same number of memory sticks and we are bidding on another camera on ebay as a spare at the moment, the joys of technology moving fast :D
And the new ebay non OEM batteries are on their way from Hong Kong!
Scuba-Doh!
28-06-07, 13:23
Well folks, my strobe arrived today. SeaLife SL960, designed for use with my camera. This has no settings to tweak so I'll just have to adjust the position of the strobe to get the desired light levels.
I'm still in a quandry over buying the macro lens set for my DC310 (which cost £90 approx, which is what I spent on the camera in the first place!) or waiting it out and buying a nice Fuji F30 or similar. At present I'm limited to the fixed focus of the camera which is 1m, I'm usually taking photos of small stuff and always trying to get as close as possible to my subject (hence why so many of my photos were out of focus).
I spent £30 on my strobe (came with a 35mm SeaLife camera, which is also fixed focus) second hand (6-yo) on fleabay. Planning to give it a bash tonight and should post the pics up late this evening or tomorrow morning. Wish me luck.
I wouldn't spend the money on a macro lens set at the moment - you would be better saving up for a new digital camera. Most new ones have a good macro function - the IXUS 70 which I just got to replace my Ixus 500 has a really good macro function and it retails for £155 on Amazon right now. It's all too easy to spend many times more on accessories for underwater cameras/videos than the camera cost in the first place. If you can use the accessories on any set up, fine, but in the case of a macro lens set, it is no doubt specific to the actual camera.
I couldn't decide between buying a second light cannon and having a dual video light set up from that or buying a regular video light - in the end I went for the Light Cannon - they can be used on any set up and more importantly are very useful in dark Scotland by themselves!
Scuba-Doh!
29-06-07, 10:52
I wouldn't spend the money on a macro lens set at the moment - you would be better saving up for a new digital camera. ...
Thanks for the advice. I bought my strobe with the intention of using on any future camera or selling with my current camera (as they're a match).
Update on last nights dive... some silly bugger didn't read the camera's manual and therefore didn't set the camera to external flash. This caused the strobe to fire on the preflash which is none to handy and I couldn't figure out why the photos were dark or filled with scatter. In addition to setting the camera properly I'm thinking of fitting a fibre-optic link and fully covering the internal flash. Can't wait for Sunday to try again.