Canon Digicam Settings and Use?

[bsvihrajr]

I have a Canon S230 with the DC600 underwater housing. I've used it a decent amount in the past, but I was hoping I could get some input on how people are using their smaller <5MP cameras.

What settings are used? manual or automatic.

How do you maximize color without a strobe?

How do you minimize blur during an action shot?

And how do you prevent fogging? I've read people get moisture absorbing packets and put them in there, where would I get one of those?

Thanks in advance.

 

[samuelsk]

What settings are used? manual or automatic.
Check out Jim Spears’ (aka “Gilligan”) website for great advice: http://pt010.da-kine.info/settings.htm

No camera will be the same, so you need to determine what looks correct for your own camera and shooting style. My camera is a Canon S50 with SeaLife strobe. With manual, I had better control after establishing baseline settings for 3 feet and macro. I fixed my ISO to 100 (should have tried ISO 50, but I’m still learning) and shutter speed to 1/60th and took a series of shots from 3 feet throughout the range of f-stops at a subject that did not have any blue water behind it (the eel photo is ISO 100, Shutter 1/60, f 7.1). I did the same with a subject and blue background and with macro (the xmas tree worm photo is ISO 100, Shutter 1/125, f 8). My photos were with strobe, but you can do the same without). Without a strobe, you may want to see if you can adjust the output of your internal flash and run the scenario again.

How do you maximize color without a strobe?
Check out Jim Spears’ (aka “Gilligan”) website for great advice: http://pt010.da-kine.info/adjustments.htm (Photoshop users) or http://pt010.da-kine.info/adjustments2.htm (Paint Shop Pro users).

With internal flash only, you have to get close. Again, adjusting the flash output is one method.

How do you minimize blur during an action shot?
A faster ISO will do this, but you will get a grainier photo. A lower f-stop and higher shutter speed will also work, but you will loose depth of field.

And how do you prevent fogging?
I keep my camera and housing exposed to external (shaded) temperatures as long as possible. Open the housing as little as possible (changing batteries and downloading photos). I also use Sealife Moisture Muncher Capsules. You can get them at local dive shops or on the web (www.leisurepro.com key word “moisture muncher”).

Most of your questions have been addressed in other forums on this website. Use the site’s search engine, you’ll learn a lot—I did.

Jim Spears shares a wealth of information on his sites: http://pt010.da-kine.info/ and http://kayakdiver.com/ .

Good luck.

 

[bsvihrajr]

Wow. I checked out that photoshop tutorial and it makes my pictures soo much better. Furtunately, I love photoshop and use it for website development a lot, so working with that file was real easy. Thanks for the tips.

 

[mtiffee]

since you're familiar with photoshop, you might consider adjusting the histograms manually as well.

look here:

http://www.canon.co.jp/Imaging/uwphoto/index-e.html