Canon s400 Digital Elphs--For Dummies
- Thread starter scubahiro
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kelpgurl
Registered
Thanks for this great thread! Thanks Scubahiro for starting it and all for responding, particularly Cabo and bubble blower.
I've been shooting with the S400 above ground with great results for almost a year now, and just bought the 130' housing for it last weekend. I was wondering about how the white balance, ISO, and other settings would affect the camera's performance underwater.
Cabo or bubble blower, how do your settings change for night dives? (Your shots are fabulous, Cabo, BTW)
My best buddy and I played with the camera and housing in the pool at our LDS last weekend -- actually he was playing with the camera while I was playing with my new drysuit, thus providing him with plenty of (somewhat hilarious) still and movie photo ops... I'll only cop to one feet-first ascent, despite any documentary evidence to the contrary! "^) We did find quite a lot of backscatter, but then we were shooting in full auto mode, so I guess that can be improved with manual settings. Can't wait to try them!
I've been shooting with the S400 above ground with great results for almost a year now, and just bought the 130' housing for it last weekend. I was wondering about how the white balance, ISO, and other settings would affect the camera's performance underwater.
Cabo or bubble blower, how do your settings change for night dives? (Your shots are fabulous, Cabo, BTW)
My best buddy and I played with the camera and housing in the pool at our LDS last weekend -- actually he was playing with the camera while I was playing with my new drysuit, thus providing him with plenty of (somewhat hilarious) still and movie photo ops... I'll only cop to one feet-first ascent, despite any documentary evidence to the contrary! "^) We did find quite a lot of backscatter, but then we were shooting in full auto mode, so I guess that can be improved with manual settings. Can't wait to try them!
Cecil
Contributor
One thing I've been trying lately to fool the camera underwater, is to set the ASA to 400 and the exposure to -2.0 ev and then I turn up the internal flash power. This gets me the faster shutter speed to minimize motion blur, the decreased exposure minimizes the noise and the brighter flash get me the correct exposure.
Kelpgurl
For night dives, I leave my WB on sunny since the cloudy really only helps with the bluish tint and at night there isn't any.
One issure for night dives is auto-focus. There needs to be enough light on the subject for it to focus quickly. What I do is rubber-band a couple of the small pen-light lights to the top of my strobe. This also helps with strobe aiming since wherever the small lights shine is where my strobe will hit. I'm considering getting red covers for them so the light doesn't scare the fish as much.
Cecil..
Do you use an external strobe? If so changing the internal flash power shouldn't matter since it is blocked anyway. I didn't know we could adjust the flash power by the way. I'm off to read the manual again. I"m going to have to try something other than ISO 50-- I suppose if a subject is far off (like my WhaleShark shots) ISO 400 would have helped a lot. I could have worked on the noise later. Hopefully there will be a next time.
For night dives, I leave my WB on sunny since the cloudy really only helps with the bluish tint and at night there isn't any.
One issure for night dives is auto-focus. There needs to be enough light on the subject for it to focus quickly. What I do is rubber-band a couple of the small pen-light lights to the top of my strobe. This also helps with strobe aiming since wherever the small lights shine is where my strobe will hit. I'm considering getting red covers for them so the light doesn't scare the fish as much.
Cecil..
Do you use an external strobe? If so changing the internal flash power shouldn't matter since it is blocked anyway. I didn't know we could adjust the flash power by the way. I'm off to read the manual again. I"m going to have to try something other than ISO 50-- I suppose if a subject is far off (like my WhaleShark shots) ISO 400 would have helped a lot. I could have worked on the noise later. Hopefully there will be a next time.
I just went and shot a few test pictures for you (obviously not underwater...I'm in my living room). The first shot is ISO 50 and the secong is ISO 400. Both shots are an un altered crop from the original. As you can see the 400 is very grainy.
Cecil
Contributor
I am using a Sony DSC-P5 (very similiar to the Canon) with the internal flash only. I like the option of being a diver and not always a photographer.
I have not tried this is in a side by side, I'll try that this weekend. Here's a recent shot, using that method. Now this is in cold dark very cloudy water.
I have not tried this is in a side by side, I'll try that this weekend. Here's a recent shot, using that method. Now this is in cold dark very cloudy water.
Cecil
Contributor
400
