Intova IC- 12 Camera Manual settings

[nomro]

Hello all ,

I bought a new Intova IC-12 camera after I lost the CP9 and I need some tips to manually configure the camera for diving.

First the white balance :
- For below 10 meters dives , is it better to use the white balance set to Fluorescent light setting to compensate the loss of red ?
- Or should I manually configure it using the white board provided with the camera ? In that case I should take the white board with me in the dive to set the camera at 15 or 20 meters ?(this does not seem to be practical)

Second the shaky and blurry pics :
- The camera has an option for fast photos , I believe it reduces the shutter time and does not do pre focusing , what are the pros and cons ? should I use it.
- Also there is a steady hand option that can be set to enhance picture stability ,what are the pros and cons ? what does it actually do ?

Thanks for your help and if you have any other tips to overcome blurry , and blue pictures without using external strobes , just through camera settings , please don't hesitate to share.

Best Regards
Nomro

 

[IntovaJoe]

Hello Nomro,

The absolute best way without using accessories is to manually white balance the camera using the white balance board. Manual White balance is a very important factor for good underwater images. We recommend you reset every 10 feet as water conditions and light penetration change significantly as you descend so that the camera recognizes the degree of color loss and can compensate very accurately. The second place option is to use the Fluorescent setting as you stated above. It will not be as spot on as manual white balancing but works nicely and you only have to select this setting one time so its more carefree. If you’re not looking to spend a lot, try utilizing a red filter. A red filter can be beneficial for adding warm tones back to images.

Best solution is to utilize the auto focus option by pressing the shutter button half way down as you approach your subject allowing the camera to auto focus calculating for example how much light is available and how close the subject is so when you do have your perfect shot lined up all the calculations are loaded shaving time off the shutter speed giving you clean crisp photos 99% of the time. There are also many solid photo tips on the Intova web site Intova underwater cameras, waterproof MP3 players, and underwater torches to help get you ready for your next photo shoot.

Sports mode (for fast moving subjects) or anti-shake mode are good options to use if strobe is not being used underwater along with florescent white balance and auto focus option described above.


Best Regards,
Intova

 

[nomro]

Hello Joe,

Thanks for the tips ,it is really nice to hear from an expert, these simple points are really helpful.
One last question though , what is the difference between fluorescence 1 and fluorescence 2 options , which one should I use ?

Best Regards
Nomro

 

[nomro]

Anyone knows about the difference between the 2 fluorescent settings in the Intova IC 12 and when to use each ?

 

[nomro]

I tried the camera today in the pool and I would like to say that I'm falling in love with that camera, I tried the fluorescent WB 1 and 2 and they did not make a big difference with the blue photos, but when I tried the manual white balance setting using the white board, it was like magic. The camera calibrated itself and finally I could get colourful images underwater . It is as if life came to those pics.

Thank you intova for the great camera and thanks for the great support especially Joe

 

[IntovaJoe]

Hello Nomro,

Thanks for the positive feedback!!!

Best Regards,
Joe

 

[Carel Aucamp]

Hi Nomro and IntovaJoe

Thanks for all the tips. I have recently tried my new Intova IC 12 in Mauritius and have found the Manual WB most usefull, especially below 20 meters. You get funny green photos back on the surface if you forget to reset, of course! At 20 meters on the Program AE setting, and Manual White Balance, would you set the ISO on Auto, or go for a low ISO? Would you set the Saturation at all?

Best regards

Carel

 

[nomro]

Hello Carel ,

I'm not a photography pro , so I try to keep the settings on automatic as much as possible . I think reducing the ISO manually means that the photos might become a bit dim in poor lighting conditions , setting the ISO high would mean blur photos if your hand is not really steady . I would go with auto and focus in the WB manual config. Anything else could be adjusted on the PC using any simple photo editor program .I use MS office picture manager , which is simple and effective for saturation, brightness etc... editing.You can go with photoshop for advanced editing

Best Regards
Nomro

 

[IntovaJoe]

Basically, ISO is set based on light conditions or the amount of action (movement by subject) in a scene or a combination of both. Set ISO to 100 or 200 for bright (lots of) light conditions and/or slow moving (or not moving) subjects. Set ISO to 400 for medium light conditions and/or moving subjects. Set ISO to 800 or 1600 for low light conditions and/or fast moving subjects.

In a situation where the light conditions are consistent, setting the ISO manually will cause the camera to utilize a range of aperture and shutter speed combinations that is associated with that ISO number(s). Please see sample chart below based on a particular amount of ambient light.

ISO SHUTTER SPEED APERTURE
100 1/250 of a second f 3.1
200 1/640 of a second f 3.1
400 1/640 of a second f 4.6
800 1/2000 of a second f 3.1
1600 1/2000 of a second f 4.6

So for example, setting the ISO manually to a higher number can be good if you have bright light conditions and fast moving subjects since the shutter speed utilized by the camera will be faster, which can help in reducing or preventing blurring of moving subjects. Also, a larger f number means a smaller aperture opening, thus increasing "depth of field" which helps in the range of focusing front to back in a particular scene.

However, there is a downside to increasing ISO which is the increase in noise or "graininess" in the digital image. People who have shot film can relate to this a lot easier.

Usually "Auto ISO" is good for general photo taking especially in situations where light conditions will change often or quickly.

Thanks,
Intova

 

[Mal.practice]

Hi Intova Joe,
greetings from an Irish man in New Zealand who would like to pick your brains a bit further. I have used the IC12 twice now and getting the pics I would expect as a beginner. When I use the white balance manual setting, everything is shaky but if I set camera up in Sports mode, I cannot manually reset white balance. I think the anti-shake will let me manually adjust but wanted to check with you. I am probably not utilising the auto focus tip you gave above so will watch out for that next time too. Is basic auto focus OK or should tracking feature option be selected. I would be very grateful for your comments or advice. Best, Malachy.