New Sealife DC1200. + Hawaii

[Buglechaser]

I just purchased a new dc1200 with one strobe that came in a kit with the wide angle lens. I am going to hawaii in a couple weeks and was curious about the settings and the flash options. I know nothing about underwater photography and was wondering if someone can give some tips or some basic settings to try out. most dives will be 40-60 feet. thanks

 

[Steve_C]

Do you have the regular wideangle or the fisheye wideangle which is larger.

Fisheye - set the focus to the flower (near). Set the flash for near close, far depending on distance to target. Note that close is actually pretty close.
Set the strobe to auto so it will vary its intensity.

Buy a diffuser. They reduce hotspots.

If you have the regular wide angle lens then you also have focus choices of very close, close, and far (mountains)

Remember that it will take the flash a few seconds to recharge. If you shoot a second photo too soon, the flash will not be strong enough.

If you switch to video then there are no settings. It is fixed focal length.

these are the simplest settings.

My facebook page has some photos taken with a DC 1200 Albums are on.

https://www.facebook.com/steve.campbell.5496683/photos_albums

 

[Buglechaser]

thanks Steve. Just one question what is a diffuser? I have been reading a lot about F stops, ISO, EV, white balance…what are these and what settings do you think i should try out first?

 

[Coop42]

The diffuser is for the flash. If you have fewer than 50 dives, and have no photography experience (and really want to take a camera underwater) I strongly suggest you set everything to Auto, and let the camera do the work...

 

[Steve_C]

I have a lot more than 50 dives and agree with Coop42.

The diffuser on the DC1200 strobe is a white piece of plastic that covers the flash and spreads out the light. It helps avoid hotspots. For example, I like Atlantic Spadefish but they have some highly reflective areas on their body. Until I got a diffuser every photo of them would either be too under exposed or have hot spots. They are not expensive and really help avoid the reflections on fish bodies.

I have had two DC 1200s. The first should be to Africa by now. DO NOT TRUST THE WRIST BAND that comes with it. I had one break on me, unknowingly while doing a bouncy safety stop. The second and one with the heavy duty retractor strap that is tied to my BCD had the newer digital pro flash. The digital pro flash with its automatic setting is much better than the older yellow flash that is also compatible with the camera.

If using a flash you do not need white balance.

 

[Coop42]

Buglechaser, if you have the older (bulb shaped flash, the "Digital Pro Flash") the diffuser is a white plastic tab that attaches to the front of the flash. See the picture I've linked here: http://www.sealife-cameras.com/sites/sealife/files/products/sealife-flash-diffuser-positions-1.jpg


On the newer flash, it's attached to a short string. See here: http://www.sealife-cameras.com/sites/sealife/files/products/sealife-sea-dragon-flash-3_2.jpg


As Steve_C said, it's to cut down on "hotspots", especially on highly reflective surfaces. It's a useful thing to have.

 

[Buglechaser]

ok thanks guys. I bought the diffuser on ebay for about 25 bucks and I also bought a macro lens for it. When is it best to use the wide angle lens compared to without? I have also thought about getting a fish eye. I would think that using the wide angle most of the time would be best so you can get super close to your subject but still have a large field of view in your shot for best color.

 

[Coop42]

I'd stop buying kit, and start practising with what you have ;-).

Wide angle - what it says, if you're trying for an expansive, wide-angle view. The fish-eye is the same, but only wider.

The focus on the 1200 is pretty slow, you're going to get a few fuzzy shots, and photo's of fish tails for a while.

Use the automatic settings, and use the 'piano keys' quick settings for the basics; Above/below water, Shallow/Deep, Flash/No-Flash. At that point, you can focus (rimshot) on framing and getting your buoyancy right.

 

[Buglechaser]

file://localhost/Users/Mason/Pictures/iPhoto%20Library/Masters/2014/11/12/20141112-file://localhost/Users/Mason/Pictures/iPhoto%20Library/Masters/2014/11/12/20141112-file://localhost/Users/Mason/Pictures/iPhoto%20Library/Masters/2014/11/12/20141112-173400/PICT0067.JPG173400/PICT0052.JPG173400/PICT0039.JPGfile://localhost/Users/Mason/Pictures/iPhoto%20Library/Masters/2014/11/12/20141112-file://localhost/Users/Mason/Pictures/iPhoto%20Library/Masters/2014/11/12/20141112-file://localhost/Users/Mason/Pictures/iPhoto%20Library/Masters/2014/11/12/20141112-173400/PICT0064.JPG173400/PICT0050.JPG173400/PICT0041.JPGfile://localhost/Users/Mason/Pictures/iPhoto%20Library/Masters/2014/11/12/20141112-file://localhost/Users/Mason/Pictures/iPhoto%20Library/Masters/2014/11/12/20141112-173400/PICT0048.JPG173400/PICT0042.JPGfile://localhost/Users/Mason/Pictures/iPhoto%20Library/Masters/2014/11/12/20141112-173400/PICT0043.JPGfile://localhost/Users/Mason/Pictures/iPhoto%20Library/Masters/2014/11/12/20141112-file://localhost/Users/Mason/Pictures/iPhoto%20Library/Masters/2014/11/12/20141112-173400/PICT0047.JPGfile://localhost/Users/Mason/Pictures/iPhoto%20Library/Masters/2014/11/12/20141112-173400/PICT0046.JPG173400/PICT0044.JPGfile://localhost/Users/Mason/Pictures/iPhoto%20Library/Masters/2014/11/12/20141112-173400/PICT0045.JPG

 

[Buglechaser]

Just got back from maui. thanks for the advice guys. You guys were spot on with needing an extra strobe and getting some shots of tails. I don't think I did too bad for my first time with taking still UW photos. I deleted about half of my photos I took and these are the rest. Thanks again for the input.