View Full Version : Onboard flash causes shadow on my pictures!
Hey,
Anyone that can help me?.....
I have an olymups c-765 with an olympus PT-022 housing. The camera has a 10x zoom on it so theres quite a big lens sticking out of the front of the housing. No strobe.
I generally take pictures in macro mode, with the flash power reduced 0.3, and 'cloudy' white balance. In TIFF mode at the moment (althouh i think i might be getting better results when im using JPEG).
When i take a picture fairly close up, e.g. 8" ish, the bottom of my pictures have a shadow over them/sometimes just blacked out completely. Up to the entire lower half of the photo. This is due to the flash is positioned above the big sticky-outty lens.
Any ideas (ideas dont include 'buy a strobe' at the moment!!!) abou how to rectify/minnimise this? Its just too much to edit out too.
Help me!!! No more wasted photos!
Cheers,
ideas dont include 'buy a strobe' at the moment!!!
turn the camera upside down :rolleyes:
bubblemaker
16-04-06, 21:56
tis easy to solve.....
buy a strobe!!! haha..or...
use the edge of your torch beam to 'fill in' the shadow... probably more sensibe...but would require some funky hand work..as it were... cos you have the wee hand mounted torch thing... you could always get a wee baby tripod for it!!!
use the edge of your torch beam to 'fill in' the shadow... probably more sensibe...but would require some funky hand work..as it were... cos you have the wee hand mounted torch thing...
Tried.... but doesnt work im afraid. Torch light (regardless of what power of bulb i use in it) is never the same intensity/colour as the flash. :(
bubblemaker
16-04-06, 22:37
well.. hows about.. not using the flash.. only use torch..that way the colour temp will be the same over the entire photo, and make it easier to edit,
or use no flash, and longer exposure time, then edit???
well.. hows about.. not using the flash.. only use torch..that way the colour temp will be the same over the entire photo, and make it easier to edit,
or use no flash, and longer exposure time, then edit???
What about using a light cannon with a difuser:o
a shop bought difuser is expensive.
i have one made for my torch, a piece of perspex rubbed up well with sand paper will do the same job.
bubblemaker
17-04-06, 18:18
does the light canon not come with a diffuser???
i made one for my wee Q40 or whatever you call them, from a circle cut from a plastic milk bottle!!
scubawavydavy
17-04-06, 19:26
pringle tube lids make good diffusers
Hmmmm....
Me thinks my housing has a mini diffuser over the flash already. Not an expensive fancy one by any means - but a little bit of opaque (sp?) plastic which slides in front of the flash.
This is the kind of picture i keep ending up with:
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c360/lynseyallan22/flash.jpg
Is there anything i can do with the way i compose the photo that will help? eg - nearer/further from subject, the angle its taken at etc?
you need a strobe, or avoid macro pics.
are your non macro pics the same/similar?
bubblemaker
17-04-06, 22:11
if you move the camera away from the subject then the flash will flood more of the image in the viewfinder...or use an alternative light source... or use photoshop (or similar) to adjust the photos after you take them... either by cropping out the dark bits, or...
http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e248/bubblemaker/flash.jpg
lightening the dark bits...
you need a strobe, or avoid macro pics.
are your non macro pics the same/similar?
As i feared.... :(
Non macro pics are fine light wise - but vis wise they get worse! Catch 22!!! :eek:
Hey bubblemaker - how about we chip in for a strobe between us, then actually dive together as buddies, and take pics of the same thing so the strobe gets fired for the pair of us?..... Just an idea!!! lol
Cheers!
if you move the camera away from the subject then the flash will flood more of the image in the viewfinder...or use an alternative light source... or use photoshop (or similar) to adjust the photos after you take them... either by cropping out the dark bits, or...
http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e248/bubblemaker/flash.jpg
lightening the dark bits...
Nice try.... although if i may say so, it does look a mite strange!
Moving further away is not so good for taking pics of teeny weeny things unfortunatly!
bubblemaker
17-04-06, 22:36
i didn't say it was good.. i just said you could do it!!!!
i have an idea... you buy a strobe..then i'll demonstrate it's proper useage by attaching it to my camera.. for say..the next 50 dives!!!! :D
Moving further away is not so good for taking pics of teeny weeny things unfortunatly!
perhaps you need to turn your attention in the direction of pelagic's.:rolleyes:
bubblemaker
17-04-06, 22:42
perhaps you need to turn your attention in the direction of pelagic's.:rolleyes:
these end to be rather more dificult to spot, in the brown water that is the Clyde estuary, rather than say... well anywhere else really!!!
does the light canon not come with a diffuser???
i made one for my wee Q40 or whatever you call them, from a circle cut from a plastic milk bottle!!
Yep the light canon comes with 2 diffusers and has a great light for pics:cool:
Yep the light canon comes with 2 diffusers and has a graet light for pics:cool:
What about 2 mirrors to reflect the light to the bits u want te he:D
bubblemaker
19-04-06, 22:45
What about 2 mirrors to reflect the light to the bits u want te he:D
this is not quite as ridiculous as it sounds.. that is what is done in 'studio' photography.. they use light deflectors to put light where they want it.. but.. this is generally done with an external light source and it facilitates lighting the subject from both sides with one light!!! not sure how that would work under water though.. and probably wouldn't work from an internally mounted flash..
Do you have a powerfull underwater lantern, such as the "Light Canon"? If so, position the Light roughly where a Strobe would be-fairly close to the subject - and set your camera to auto exposure "Program" Mode. Make sure your internal camera flash is off. You should end up with some reasonable "available light" shots. Be careful not to give the subject a sun tan with the lantern!!
bubblemaker
20-04-06, 12:52
Hi Keith,
please post an intro...
as for urchin's dillema... i reckon you'd have to use the edge of your beam... unless there is a way to attach a diffuser to it.. cos i reckon you might end up with a big light spot in the middle of the photo if you shine it directly at the subject....
or... just save up, and buy a strobe!!
Hi Keith,
please post an intro...
as for urchin's dillema... i reckon you'd have to use the edge of your beam... unless there is a way to attach a diffuser to it.. cos i reckon you might end up with a big light spot in the middle of the photo if you shine it directly at the subject....
or... just save up, and buy a strobe!!
Let face it u will have 2 buy a strobe if u want those macro pics ;)
Let face it u will have 2 buy a strobe if u want those macro pics ;)
Maybe ill ask Santa!
You are quite right regarding a diffuser. My Light Canon has a removable diffuser disc which fits inside the screw-on lens. There are 2 diffusers which can be fitted to give a very wide softer light without "burning". Perhaps you could make a diffuser with some thin perspex. Make the perspex opaque with glasspaper.
bubblemaker
21-04-06, 11:05
Let face it u will have 2 buy a strobe if u want those macro pics ;)
not necessarily... i have seen some excellent photos, that have only been lit by a torch.
not necessarily... i have seen some excellent photos, that have only been lit by a torch.
What about an arm with a light cannon with a diffuser
Most strobe setups seam to have 2 strobes to stop shadows
The hanheld cannon seams to be the cheapest option
next time u go to conger let me know and i'l put difusers in
my cannon and u can try it;)
Hi Urchin have u sorted your shadow problem?
Hi Urchin have u sorted your shadow problem?
I think Urchin has a more serious problem at the moment..... a big bloody hole in her camera housing :(
Urchin, if you give me the housing I'll get it sorted.
I think Urchin has a more serious problem at the moment..... a big bloody hole in her camera housing :(
Urchin, if you give me the housing I'll get it sorted.
Have got your hole sorted urchin...;)
Have got your hole sorted urchin...;)
Shocking words...... ;)
But yes, Apparently Eddie has fixed my hole problem.....
Just have to take it down for a test run!
Cheers Eddie!
They are only shocking words if you have a dirty mind ;). And as I'm pure as the driven snow I had to ask what u ment....true....honest...:rolleyes:
bubblemaker
05-10-06, 12:20
And as I'm pure as the driven snow :rolleyes:
That is just about the most ridiculous thing i have ever heard!!
& Ding being the one showing off his 'big wiggly one' in the kintyre thread! :eek:
atlantic-diver
07-11-06, 02:45
hi ,
:mad:
had similar shadow effect using a canon either a20 or a40 . it blocked
bottom corner . got quite good at pointing camera to one side then editing out the dark bit.
asked canon about it and they said never heard/seen it before - great help not !
sold it and bought a a85 which doesn't seem to do it or maybe i'm not getting
close enough....
santa better bring me a strobe
hi ,
:mad:
had similar shadow effect using a canon either a20 or a40 . it blocked
bottom corner . got quite good at pointing camera to one side then editing out the dark bit.
asked canon about it and they said never heard/seen it before - great help not !
sold it and bought a a85 which doesn't seem to do it or maybe i'm not getting
close enough....
santa better bring me a strobe
I have the same dark corner when I get close with my Sony DSC-P10. I'd imagine that it's an issue with any compact camera when using the on-board flash as the lens casing protrudes so far. I do the same as a-d & crop the corner of the image when editing the file. A strobe would be the true solution as previously stated.