Sp350?
- Thread starter Albion
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From Friscuba, in previous, "which Oly camera is best for a newbie" thread (page 2)
"This camera has much better focus response than my old d-40, and might be comparable or a hair better than the 8080. My wife just picked up a Canon A620 and with 3 dives has yet to take one photo that can match the focus and exposure of any of 18 of the 24 (6 or so weren't usable) shots I took with the camera on my very first 20 minute quickie dive with the sp-350. To be fair, I have a bunch more experience with the Oly line than she has with the Canon line so I'm not having to learn menu settings. The factory set Oly "underwater macro" setting seems to do very well though."
Personally, I haven't used other cameras underwater, so I have no point of comparison. This camera got dissed by the topside photo press for its comparative performance against similar models, but I've had really good results with it, and heard very little but praise and seen excellent pictures from other owners. Check the VERY long SP-350 thread for lots of details, and shots by a variety of people. I've got some current shots in my "Diving Monterey, July 1" thread. And if they ever get the Gallery working again, all my shots there are with the SP. Take note that I'm a rookie. Since I got the camera for X-mas this year, these are the only UW pictures I've ever taken.
"This camera has much better focus response than my old d-40, and might be comparable or a hair better than the 8080. My wife just picked up a Canon A620 and with 3 dives has yet to take one photo that can match the focus and exposure of any of 18 of the 24 (6 or so weren't usable) shots I took with the camera on my very first 20 minute quickie dive with the sp-350. To be fair, I have a bunch more experience with the Oly line than she has with the Canon line so I'm not having to learn menu settings. The factory set Oly "underwater macro" setting seems to do very well though."
Personally, I haven't used other cameras underwater, so I have no point of comparison. This camera got dissed by the topside photo press for its comparative performance against similar models, but I've had really good results with it, and heard very little but praise and seen excellent pictures from other owners. Check the VERY long SP-350 thread for lots of details, and shots by a variety of people. I've got some current shots in my "Diving Monterey, July 1" thread. And if they ever get the Gallery working again, all my shots there are with the SP. Take note that I'm a rookie. Since I got the camera for X-mas this year, these are the only UW pictures I've ever taken.
Here's a shot from yesterday. I've been trying to get a good picture of a strawberry nudibranch for years, never could as they are small and dark. The preset macro didn't hack it, the SuperMacro setting put on spot focus was dead on but no flash so the picture didn't pop, Supermacro with the spot focus and setting the flash to slave produced this.
The nudi was in between pieces of coral so I couldn't get quite as close as possible, but there's plenty of leeway for cropping in SHQ.
This camera may not be the end all for cameras, but I think it's a pretty darned decent little camera. I can find a setting that seems to make most anything work.
The nudi was in between pieces of coral so I couldn't get quite as close as possible, but there's plenty of leeway for cropping in SHQ.
This camera may not be the end all for cameras, but I think it's a pretty darned decent little camera. I can find a setting that seems to make most anything work.
Amy B
Contributor
BEAUTIFUL nudi! Love it. 
I haven't had the opportunity yet to take my SP350 underwater, but as the topside results have been dissed I thought you might like to see some of my practice shots...
Obviously, they're not perfect, I am NOT a professional photographer!
Bee: http://img261.imageshack.us/img261/3103/bee8xu.jpg
Fly: http://img261.imageshack.us/img261/1434/cropped0nh.jpg
Fish: http://img261.imageshack.us/img261/7825/fish3ma.jpg
Seeds: http://img261.imageshack.us/img261/3792/fluff4ep.jpg
Fly: http://img261.imageshack.us/img261/3985/fly0kv.jpg
Hoverfly: http://img261.imageshack.us/img261/2197/hoverfly5ur.jpg
Petunia: http://img261.imageshack.us/img261/5318/petunia0vo.jpg
Spider & moth: http://img261.imageshack.us/img261/1364/spidermoth4cn.jpg
Sundial: http://img261.imageshack.us/img261/9899/sundial3yp.jpg
P.S. They're all taken with the "underwater macro" auto settings on.
I haven't had the opportunity yet to take my SP350 underwater, but as the topside results have been dissed I thought you might like to see some of my practice shots...
Obviously, they're not perfect, I am NOT a professional photographer!
Bee: http://img261.imageshack.us/img261/3103/bee8xu.jpg
Fly: http://img261.imageshack.us/img261/1434/cropped0nh.jpg
Fish: http://img261.imageshack.us/img261/7825/fish3ma.jpg
Seeds: http://img261.imageshack.us/img261/3792/fluff4ep.jpg
Fly: http://img261.imageshack.us/img261/3985/fly0kv.jpg
Hoverfly: http://img261.imageshack.us/img261/2197/hoverfly5ur.jpg
Petunia: http://img261.imageshack.us/img261/5318/petunia0vo.jpg
Spider & moth: http://img261.imageshack.us/img261/1364/spidermoth4cn.jpg
Sundial: http://img261.imageshack.us/img261/9899/sundial3yp.jpg
P.S. They're all taken with the "underwater macro" auto settings on.
Those are really nice, Amy. You really like those bugs, don't you? Can't wait to see what you get underwater.
OzeDiver
Contributor
I've also got the SP-350 but haven't got the housing yet beacuase they have discontinued PT-030 in Australia and are only doing one last shipment. So it is due on the 14th of August. Only 6 more weeks.
This is my first digi cam so can't compare it to anything, but here are some shots I took in MANUAL mode.
Stairs at a local lake:
Down the Stairs at the local lake:
Grevillea (bottle brush) from my backyard.
and are only doing one last shipment. So it is due on the 14th of August. Only 6 more weeks.This is my first digi cam so can't compare it to anything, but here are some shots I took in MANUAL mode.
Stairs at a local lake:
Down the Stairs at the local lake:
Grevillea (bottle brush) from my backyard.
Amy B
Contributor
Larry C:
Hehe, it's not that I like them... In fact, I'm TERRIFIED of spiders!! But they make using the macro mode SO easy... Wich is probably what I'll be concetrating most on using underwater, so I figured I'd better get used to it!
Not had chance to play around with it manually yet, mind...
thnaks for all the repsonses, have had a bit more reading around an dpicked a SP350 this week complete with the pt30 housing. My sea and sea tray also fits nicely (better than it did on the old sony housing), so its off for a try out this weekend
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