vetdiver
Contributor
Hi, all -
My first time posting on this forum, but I have lurked a bit and have picked up some useful tips. As you are about to find out in PAINFUL detail, I am not a photographer. But I aspire...someday...and I have taken a few (like 2 or 3 overall) nice shots, I guess.
I have been using a Canon SD550 with Canon housing, mainly locally (New England). I try to stick to using it for shore dives with lots of ambient light, close shots (basically 1-2 ft away from the camera, MAX, and only if there is decent vis). Seems like in this sort of setting, it is always better to turn off the flash completely, use the camera's UW setting +/- macro mode, and white balance everything at home, as otherwise things seem to get overexposed. (Comments here are greatly appreciated, though this is not my question)
My husband and I are off to the Solomons in a few months, and my husband went out and bought a Sea and Sea DX8000G with a YS-90 strobe/arm and WA lens. I guess that I wish we'd bought an SLR with housing, since we spent that much cash, but we both like the point-and-shoot aspect of this one, so that was that. And let's face it, we'd be even more lost with an SLR. My biggest problem is that here I am, clueless about f-stuff and strobes and all, and we are only 3 months away from our trip. We have one charter booked before we go that will have us at 90 ft, and we can maybe get in a day or two of shore diving in addition to get accustomed to our new equipment. I am starting to get a little worried. When I say I am clueless, it may even be an understatement.
From the boards, I have learned the following helpful tidbits:
1) Shoot towards the surface if trying to reduce backscatter on more WA shots
2) CLOSE to the subject is better
I guess I am wondering where else to start... What do I do with the camera's internal white balance? What do I do with the camera's internal flash?
I am seriously lost here. Any help you guys could give me would be appreciated. Please be kind. And thanks.
My first time posting on this forum, but I have lurked a bit and have picked up some useful tips. As you are about to find out in PAINFUL detail, I am not a photographer. But I aspire...someday...and I have taken a few (like 2 or 3 overall) nice shots, I guess.
I have been using a Canon SD550 with Canon housing, mainly locally (New England). I try to stick to using it for shore dives with lots of ambient light, close shots (basically 1-2 ft away from the camera, MAX, and only if there is decent vis). Seems like in this sort of setting, it is always better to turn off the flash completely, use the camera's UW setting +/- macro mode, and white balance everything at home, as otherwise things seem to get overexposed. (Comments here are greatly appreciated, though this is not my question)
My husband and I are off to the Solomons in a few months, and my husband went out and bought a Sea and Sea DX8000G with a YS-90 strobe/arm and WA lens. I guess that I wish we'd bought an SLR with housing, since we spent that much cash, but we both like the point-and-shoot aspect of this one, so that was that. And let's face it, we'd be even more lost with an SLR. My biggest problem is that here I am, clueless about f-stuff and strobes and all, and we are only 3 months away from our trip. We have one charter booked before we go that will have us at 90 ft, and we can maybe get in a day or two of shore diving in addition to get accustomed to our new equipment. I am starting to get a little worried. When I say I am clueless, it may even be an understatement.
From the boards, I have learned the following helpful tidbits:
1) Shoot towards the surface if trying to reduce backscatter on more WA shots
2) CLOSE to the subject is better
I guess I am wondering where else to start... What do I do with the camera's internal white balance? What do I do with the camera's internal flash?
I am seriously lost here. Any help you guys could give me would be appreciated. Please be kind. And thanks.
eepwalla
