Canon S400 & Canon UW case WP DC-800

[6Gill]

I recently purchased a Canon S400 4 mp digital camera and later a WP DC-800 UW camera case. I'm looking for user tips and other useful data from divers who have and are using this setup.

I noticed in another thread in here that so called "pocket digital cameras" were sort of put down and the Oly 5050 given high marks, etc. I don't really want to get into comparisons with other cameras or what I should have bought, etc. I have this camera and will be using it. My other camera is an Ilelight Auto 35 film camera. This is my first attempt at a digital UW camera. So far, I'm very happy with the camera taking above water pics.

So, heres hoping that I get a lot of tips, etc. :multi:

 

[SimonJ]

Hi Gill,

Like you I have the Canon S400 and housing. Personally I love it. It's not perfect by any means, but now that you can add wide angle & macro lenses and filters using the Inon adapter, I can do everything I want to with it. My setup also includes a small YS25DX strobe, which when positioned well is great for close up shots. I have also seen other people use just the built in strobe and get great results.

The best advice I can give is to read the tips on this forum and perhaps also the guide that Canon provide at http://www.canon.co.jp/Imaging/uwphoto/index-e.html

Other than that enjoy it, and let us know how you get on

 

[Gilligan]

6Gill welcome to the world of amateur underwater digital photographers, not the Olympus world, even though I own a C4000.

Practice, experiment, practice, experiment.

That's my two cents worth. Things like using manual F stops, manual shutter speeds, manual white balance calibrated of a dive slate at depth for no-flash pics, getting used to focusing by the half-way depressed shutter button method so as to capture a target faster, etc. and last but not least a decent software program to fine tune your photos.

 

[6Gill]

Hi Gill,

Like you I have the Canon S400 and housing. Personally I love it. It's not perfect by any means, but now that you can add wide angle & macro lenses and filters using the Inon adapter, I can do everything I want to with it. My setup also includes a small YS25DX strobe, which when positioned well is great for close up shots. I have also seen other people use just the built in strobe and get great results.

The best advice I can give is to read the tips on this forum and perhaps also the guide that Canon provide at http://www.canon.co.jp/Imaging/uwphoto/index-e.html

Other than that enjoy it, and let us know how you get on

Thanks to both of you! I did vist that Canon web site and I can see that it has a lot of real good info! I'm also interested in the YS25DX strobe that you mentioned, as well as the wide angle, macro lenses, and filters using the Inon adapter. Could you tell me more about these or provide a web site?
:bouncesbl

 

[Dee]

Simon...I'm glad to see there's now lenses and strobe choices for the Canon.

Ditto Gilligans advice. As I was once told...shoot until your fingers bleed, delete them and do it again!

 

[Gilligan]

I can only tell you about the Inon D-180 strobe which I recently purchased. I am happy with it and it is comparible in power to the YS90DX. I can't give you a comparison as I have not used the YS90DX. Jeff Farris of DigitalDiver.net did an extensive strobe comparison and posted the results in a PDF format.
I chose the InonD-180 because of
1. Size
2. 4 AA bats same as my camera which makes for convenient re-charging.
3. The fiber optic cable setup.
4. The built in focus light which goes off automatically with the shutter.

This is the strobe head. It has two bulbs, one horizontal and one vertical. The round light is the focus light.

This is the fiber optic cable setup and secton of dark transparent film like material that goes over the cameras flash. It converts the cameras flash to infrared light and up the fiber optic cable to fire the strobe. The kit is different for each housing/brand.

I purchased mine from Ryan at Underwater Camera Pros. He was the best price next to ordering directly from Yuzo in Japan. I chose Ryan in this instance in the event of any warranty problems (or subsequent servicing) with the device as I would have a US company to correspond with/send it to.

 

[SimonJ]

6Gill,

If you can afford it, I would suggest that you save up for the Inon or the 90DX/Auto instead of the 25DX. The 25 is a little weak, but if well positioned to utilize the light then it works well. It is certainly cheaper and small than the 90.

I am still trying to figure out the best configuration of stay, arm and lens adapter that will work with my strobe and housing. Will let you know once I have made up my mind.

 

[Cabo]

6gill

You have the same camera/housing I do and also moved from the same system I had (Auto35). I got the YS25 DX strobe but wish I would have gotten the 90 DX to get more power (It's worth the extra hundred bucks or so)

I personally feel that when you compare shots taken from the S400 and the 5050, the talent of the photographer makes the biggest difference. With the 5050 you could set more things manually and for the person who really knows what they are doing, they will probably get better shots. I'm basically clueless taking pictures on land (Minolta Dimage 7) and even worse underwater. I'm a point-n-click kind of photographer. The only thing I adjust underwater is the power of my strobe since this is easy to do and to tell when it is done wrong.

My only complaint about the S400 is the small LCD screen. Sometimes it is difficult to tell if you got a good focus or not. It looks good on the little screen but when you get it back to the computer, you can tell it was a little off. But, I'm getting better at determining this.

I think that with a good strobe you'll be happy with the S400
Tips:
Use the little moisture muncher packs when you shut the case.
Turn off the intelligent Auto Focus thing AI??.
Turn off the red eye reduction
Set the ISO to 50 or 100.
Use spot focus/metering.
Turn the LCD off when you're just swimming around (save batteries). I can easily get 2 full dives before recharges.
On night dives, rubber band a small penlite to the top of the strobe. It helps to see what you're going to get a picture of and allows the auto focus to work well.

Here's a link to some folders that show the S400.

http://www.photo.net/photodb/user?user_id=400552

Cozumel - Thanksgiving 2003 was with the S400 (the underwater ones)
Flower Gardens - 2003 was with the S400
Isla Mujeres - 2003 was with the S400
Underwater - was with the Ikelite Aquashot II and Auto 35
Flower Garden Banks was with the Ikelite Auto 35

 

[rad21]

6gill


I personally feel that when you compare shots taken from the S400 and the 5050, the talent of the photographer makes the biggest difference. With the 5050 you could set more things manually and for the person who really knows what they are doing, they will probably get better shots. I'm basically clueless taking pictures on land (Minolta Dimage 7) and even worse underwater. I'm a point-n-click kind of photographer. The only thing I adjust underwater is the power of my strobe since this is easy to do and to tell when it is done wrong.

Cabo makes some valid points here. I was happy with my MX-10/YS-40A with the WA and Close up lenses. It was easy to use, easy to assemble and I got some decent photos. Sure they are not professional grade but for memories and showing friends they were more than acceptable. Now that I bought the 5050/PT-015, I realized, it's not as "easy" to set up as the old MX-10. Since I am a diver who likes to take photos, I am eyeing my wifes S400 since it seems so easy to use compared to the 5050.