Probably a dumb question .

[moray71]

Is there a popular "generic" setting that people use for their pics? I am getting decent shots but I always think I can do better. I have messed around with different settings sometimes with good results sometimes not. I guess I'm asking if there's kind of a "Settings for Dummies" where a beginner like myself can get good starting point settings for different kinds of shots.
Where I live I do mostly close-ups due to water clarity, but I also occasionally dive some nearby springs which have great visibility, if that helps.
Thank you in advance.

 

[bowlofpetunias]

Not a dumb question at all.. I am very interested to see what answers you get. I need a Photography for dummies course too. I have been lucky with getting some reasonable shots but I KNOW my camera can do so much more than I know how to ask of it! Probably the information people will need is the kind of camera you have.

I will confess that I have taken advantage of the knowledge of others who have the same camera as I have. They have come up with the settings that worked and I was lucky enough to get that info from them.

I figure in the end it is all about getting pics I enjoy to remind me of the dives

 

[moray71]

I have a Nikon D90
18-55mm lens ( I know not the best, but it's what I could afford )
Ikelite housing
Ikelite DS161 strobe
Sola 1200 floodlight ( mainly for illumination on night dives )

 

[bowlofpetunias]

I am sure some people will be able to help you with that. I have been experimenting with the sola as well. get interesting effects propping it behind finger sponge and stuff

 

[Peter69_56]

The only question that's dumb is the one you never ask. Ask away here, that's the whole idea of this site, to help others and to gain knowledge (amongst other things). Anyone who has to get on a soap box and beat people about the head have their own insecurity or huge ego issues, ignore them and keep asking as someone here will be able to help.

Life is far too short not to enjoy life and diving.

 

[moray71]

Very cool idea, I never would have thought about doing that. One thing I thought about doing at some point is mounting a GoPro onto my housing so I can get movies as well as stills. That way I can capture those unexpected things without having to go back and forth between camera settings. Just run the GoPro thru the dive and edit out the boring parts.

 

[Tigerman]

I dont shoot nikon, but I do shoot DSLR and my "base setting" is manual, 1/250, f/8 and TTL.
Reason being I want a fast shutterspeed due to fish (and diver) movement and f/8 is the sharpest aperture of both my macro and wideangle lenses.

 

[Chuck Tribolet]

Nikon D300. For macro (60mm), ISO 200, 1/250, f/ 22 (for a starting point), two Nikon SB-105 stobes at 1/16 power, everything manual.

Shoot manual, learn to read the histograms. Shoot raw and max color depth (14 bits/color on D300).

Chuck

 

[James R]

I shoot a Nikon D7000 & either my Nikon 105 AF-S or Tokina 10-17 fisheye with two z-240 strobes. Always in manual & RAW.

These are where I start (blue water, daytime, high viz etc)
macro: 1/250, F22, ISO100
wide angle: 1/250, F8, ISO100,

 

[vladimir]

You might want to try letting the camera pick the settings on a dive or two. Take some shots in Auto and some in Aperture priority and look at the settings and results later. It will give you a starting point for manual shooting in various conditions on subsequent dives. And, of course, tell the camera to bracket everything.