Dive photos from this weekend

[Dive 'N' Dolphin]

The general idea is if you are doing wide angle, you can shoot a slower shutter speed, even down to 1/60 if necessary because the movement is not as noticeable. However, when you are going to shoot close up macro, the shutter speed needs to be much faster (1/160 to 1/250 or higher if your camera allows sync speeds higher). This is because any movement in macro is a huge movement, so you need to have the high shutter speed. Also with macro, you need to very small aperture setting to get the depth of field to be as much as you can. For example, if you shoot a macro shot at 1/250 and an F 2.8, there will be a very narrow range of the picture actually in focus. However, if you shoot at a 1/200 and a very high F stop (F-22 on my camera), you will get a greater DOF and more in focus as well as more detail around the subject.

Obviously with those kind of settings, macro is going to require a strobe or internal flash. I have heard of some shooting with a dive light and that is possible too, however, it will probably not allow you to go to those settings by itself.

Thanks, I will have to get my book out for the camera and play with it tonight and see how to adjust the shutter speed. Definitely good tips to play with and see if I can get it better. I am diving this weekend so will try it out and see how well it works. Is it easy to change those settings under water so that you can go from shooting macro to shooting things like seals? Can you shoot big items like seals with the shutter set to 1/200? or do you need to reset it back. Does it make since to set it to 1/200 and on that dive only do macro and then if i want big stuff reset it and do just big stuff that time?

Thanks
Stacy

 

[Fastmarc]

With my camera it is easy for me to change the settings while underwater and though I do not know your camera, I suspect it would be same with yours.
One thing I have been doing is that if I find any interesting subjects, I will take several shot with various settings from the same location. This I have found is helping me to figure out what works better in various situation.

 

[Dive 'N' Dolphin]

With my camera it is easy for me to change the settings while underwater and though I do not know your camera, I suspect it would be same with yours.
One thing I have been doing is that if I find any interesting subjects, I will take several shot with various settings from the same location. This I have found is helping me to figure out what works better in various situation.

That is a great idea. I will have to practice this weekend. Tonight I will practice with the settings to see how its done then practice with the housing on. Its kind of hard to see what you are pushing with all the buttons on the housing.

Thanks again
Stacy