I'm not a quitter, but...

[Jim Ernst]

The strobe has nothing to do with the focusing...get a focusing light to help the camera focus. You gotta help the camera out here, give it a break or get a Canon A series with a Canon housing. Their focusing system rocks! Which ever way, get a focusing light, this also applies to land photography as well.

Also why is the background so dark? Were you shooting at night? If so, open up the aperture to let more light in.

You DO NOT need a focusing light!!!

Your pictures are not as bad as you might think!!

You are doing well and learning everytime you take that camera down!!!

You need to learn your camera just a bit better and take your time and shoot many shots of each picture and then also try new angles and settings.

What settings are you using??

Also remember the rule of Underwater photography, If you shoot 100 shots and get ten good ones you are doing very well!

You have also added a new piece of equipment and now you have to learn to use it.

PM me if I can help you!

 

[f3nikon]

"Also remember the rule of Underwater photography, If you shoot 100 shots and get ten good ones you are doing very well!"

What kind of rule is that???!!! That sounds like a rule for re.... Did you just make that one up?

 

[Jim Ernst]

"Also remember the rule of Underwater photography, If you shoot 100 shots and get ten good ones you are doing very well!"

What kind of rule is that???!!! That sounds like a rule for re.... Did you just make that one up?

For a Nikon guy you do seem to be a Canon salesman!

Read some books, get some practice and then lets see your work!

I didn't come on this thread to have a battle with your opinions.

You seem to know a LITTLE ANYWAY!

Now stop hijacking this mans thread!

 

[f3nikon]

Lol!!!

 

[rakay]

Please stick with it.

Best thing to do is take an underwater photography class. You will need to understand how to set your camera for manual mode instead of all those auto features on your camera.

I have one photo in my gallery that was taken with a Kodak DX7590 in an Ikelite housing with a Ikelite 50 strobe. The camera is set on macro and manual settings of:
Shutter speed: 1/40 sec
Flash: on I only use the stobe, never the flash directly on the camera
F-Number:F/8.0
ISO speed: ISO-100
Exposure program:manual
Exposure compensation: 0.00

Yes it is a Kodak. Unbelievable, right? So you can do it too.

I took a class with Cathy Church's photography school at Sunset House in Grand Cayman.
It is the best money spent!! My photos improved tremendously. You need some help to get all your settings for your camera set up.

Since I know what my setting should be, I mostly just vary my shutter speed.

Also, if you think you are close enough to your subject, get closer. But remember if you are very close you need to use the macro setting so the camera will focus. The regular setting if you are a little further.

Your one photo of the frog fish is awesome. Keep trying. It will be worth it.

Most people use a Nikon or Olympus underwater. But I just proved even the right Kodak camera can give you great results. Most of my shots are best with small things and set on macro. My strobe is not strong enough for much distance.

Side note: my husband uses a Olympus 5050 in an Olympus housing with a Ikelite 125 strobe.

The photo is a pygmy seahorse that is so small, I could not visually see it underwater. They guide pointed it out to me. It was maybe about 3/8" tall.

 

[bladephotog]

It looks like on the shark photo the camera is focusing on some sand in the water column. Many autofocus systems are very sensitive and easily confused when something comes in between you and your subject. With a P&S camera, even a great one like the SP350, it takes longer for the camera to focus back on your subject. It's something you have to learn to deal with but it can be overcome.

Stay with it. You've got a good rig. I've been shooting for a long time and there are still days I want to smash my camera with a hammer. That's what makes photography fun.

 

[stu_in_fl]

take lots of photos - even of boring subjects just to practice (i.e. dont just wait for that classic shot, fumble around, mess it up and get disheartened !). Work within the limitations of your camera as well - you have a nice one, but there will still be some shutter lag and nuances of focusing on small, vs large vs close vs furhter away vs stationary vs moving subjects - just play around to see what they are....you're really just limited by your memory card and battery (and hard disk space)

saying you need a strobe and it will instantly improve your shots is not true....but when you get it all working together it will (but there is a learning curve).

The froggie is cool.

 

[fisheyeview]

The camera you are using is one of the best P&S cameras for underwater. IMO

Practicing in a pool is a great idea. I do this when ever I get a new lens, or a new piece of equipment. Better to practice the settings and get to know the system there than on a dive trip.

I have friends that spend their flights to some exotic dive destination trying to read the instructions to some new system they just picked up, and have never used. The results they have on these trips show this too.

You will make mistakes, and shoot shots that make you want to pull your hair out. Once the settings for the system you are using become second nature then it will get a lot easier.

In the old days of film I used to throw away a lot of slides. Now I just hit the delete button.

Don't get down on your self. Get out there and keep shooting.

 

[scubapatton]

What are the acronyms PPD and UWP Workshop. I assume UWP is U/W photo, but who offers those classes? Is there a site?

I just got a new G9 with Canon housing and will be taking it to the ocean for the first time this Sunday. I have taken a lot of land shots to get used to it, but I suspect I will not get many great photos this time. I will probably play with it in the pool on Friday just to make sure I know where all the key buttons are, but I do know my old S230 Canon was pretty good without a strobe. I am going to get an Ikelite housing with 125 strobe after Christmas, but wanted both housings so that I can have options for small setup or big kahuna.

David, I understand your issues, but I do think you just need to play with it more. I feel comfortable with my S230, but I still only get about 80% success on the shots I take and I have used that camera for around 60 or so dives...

 

[hammerhead man]

Scubpatton, here is a link to some online underwater photo classes that you can take: The Underwater Photographer, Underwater Digital Photography Classes: Improve your underwater photos. I have take two of these classes and I learned a lot. They are also don't cost an arm and a leg to take. They are very reasonably priced. What is also great is that when I had a question, I emailed the course author and they responded right away. Can't speak highly enough about them. Even today (took the course over a year ago) I email some of my pics to them for comment and they still respond.