Lumix FT 4 advise ?

[Wantonmien]

Hi,

I've been diving using an Canon G11 & then G12 for a few years, strobes and what have you and pretty pleased with results, but on a recent dive a mate with an Itsy Bitsy little camera with no strobes climbed out the water with me, and on looking at his photos - WOW, amazing clarity, perfect colours and better than my results. The camera they were using was a Lumix FT4. Subsequently, for Christmas my missus bought me a Lumix FT4 & I just bought an Ikelite housing for it. I am raring to see if the little baby can get me results as good as I saw a dive mate producing.

Don't suppose anyone in here is using an FT4 - and if so could give me a few hints, Do's, Dont's, and settings etc ?


Thanks in advance

 

[JohnAraki]

I have one of these (TS version), which I got after killing my TS3. I got the same housing as you did as well (for the TS3 & the TS4). I only used my TS3 once w/out the housing and it leaked & fried itself. The TS4 has the same hatch, I wouldn't trust it naked.

I am a freediver, typically down to only 15' or so. I have found in some instances the underwater setting performs better than the snorkeling setting at these lesser depths. Images at wide angle offer the greatest clarity (zoom introduces blur).

I find the Panasonic jpeg recipe's strength is with in-camera color correction/filters. Images are a little too oversharpened for much more than internet photos (which may be to compensate for the small P&S sensor).

This shot shows the oversharpened processing

Underwater setting, great color

I'm looking into getting a strobe to keep the camera for a while longer before upgrading.

How has your FT4 been treating you?

 

[primus]

At the moment I am using FT4 and before FT4 I had all Panasonic FT cameras and all Pentax W cameras (My underwater cameras album | Primoz | Fotki.com, photo and video sharing made easy.). I also tested all other UW cameras. My opinion is, that FT4 is the best UW camera at the moment: it has the best IS and UnderWater mode is unrivaled among other underwater cameras. And this is important for all freediving photographers.

My FT3 and FT4 cameras survived even 18 meters (60 feet) deep waters and are capable to take excellent photos - just don't use flash and telephoto.

My UW photos (all taken during freediving, with mask and fins only, and up to 18 meters deep) Public Home | Primoz | Fotki.com, photo and video sharing made easy. and videos UW Video Reports - YouTube

 

[JohnAraki]

Beautiful shots, primus.

Have you any strobe experience w/ the FT series?

 

[primus]

Beautiful shots, primus.

Have you any strobe experience w/ the FT series?

No!

8 years ago I decided to use these small, light and relatively cheap UW cameras only during snorkelling or freediving and without any aditional light source or UW housing.

 

[8u88les]

i got the ft4 several months ago after having an even more compact and more basic camera for many years. i dont know about the ikelite housing, but i bought the lumix dmw-mcft3 housing for mine. that housing is good for ft3 and ft4. it also allows access to all controls. i found that using manual mode is better and more versatile than underwater mode. you set white balance precisely using a white slate at subject distance and you can also adjust iso #. underwater mode doesnt allow changing iso # and white balance function not as versatile. if shooting very close, flash only covers right half of frame so better to increase iso# instead of using flash. if clear water can leave a little distance between camera and subject, set white balance at subject distance using slate, and use flash. macro not good enough for the tuny tiny stuff like pygmy seahorse so i bought inon lens mount base 28ld for that housing and inon macro lens. can put on/take off underwater and keep in neoprene pouch attached to housing lanyard. any macro tips?....please share.

 

[primus]

Of course, using manual mode is better (while in SCUBA mode), but when you take UW photos like this, [video=youtube;_fWJBPBSKpc]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_fWJBPBSKpc[/video]
it is not (most of the time) possible, mainly because of short bottom time.