Accessing function on XZ-1

[coralcruiser]

I will be using my XZ-1 for the 1st time the last week in June.... on the T+C Explorer... and just started playing around with the camera.

From those of you that have used it already, what is the fastest way to get to the various functions (Macro, WB, flash settings, etc),

It seems that I need to press the OK button and then scroll through all types of settings on the right side of the screen to find the function/setting I want to change and on the bottom of the screen and then scroll across the bottom to get the one I actually want.

PLEASE tell me there's an easier way to do this!!!

My previous camera was a G-10 and using the controller wheel on back was a breeze!

 

[herbdb]

To answer your question, look at the legends on the back of your housing. You will see one with a flower (shooting mode), a lightning bolt (flash), top center is up, bottom center is down, ok button lower right.

So if you want to change flash, press lightning bolt, up or down for setting then OK. Same process for shooting mode.

Having said that, I have an XZ-1 and before my first trip I did a lot of research on setups. I have two basic setups. One preset in Custom setting for macro, the other in Manual for wide angle.

Here is a cut and paste of my notes from various forum postings based on using an external flash. These settings were suggested by others in forum threads.

for macro, our starting setting is iso100, M mode F8, 1/160, macro on, force flash at 1/64 or 1/16 with YS-01 in M mode, for YS-01 select the second M setting (before TTL), strobe power depend on the distance, you can practice in the pool and refine later, make a note as necessary, say for 15cm, 30cm and 60 cm.

for WA, starting iso200, M mode, F5.6, 1/90 (adjust 1-2 up or down as necessary once you in the water to get your prefered blue bg, macro off; force flash at 1/64 or 1/16; use strobe to control your fg, same as above, adjust power according to distance, but usualy I put at 75% as starting point. Sometime hv to crank to IS0400, but not more.

No one recommended using the macro modes in a housing because the internal flash will not fire in all modes and it is needed to trigger an external flash. The internal flash is set at its lowest setting and forced on so it will always fire to trigger the external flash.

I was a little leary of shooting all manual, but it worked well. Here is a link to my photos from the trip. My best by far.

http://photobucket.com/albums/p623/Herbdb/Bonaire March 2012

Experiment and find what works for you.

 

[coralcruiser]

Thanks for the info. I played with it some more and am starting to get the feel of it.... just used to accessing things quicker with my old canon I guess.

Not worried about using it in the housing since you still need to go through the same motions to get the settings you want for shooting. I do a lot of supermacro but use a subsee +10 for my shots, not the camera's supermaco.

One thing I know I'll like is the fat that I can set the flash power to 1/16.... just enough to trigger my Inon strobe.

Next question is how to I set up a custom setting. (I hate reading the manuals!).

Since it has a pop up flash... how did you mask it in the housing? On my G-10, I simply covered the flash with exposed infer-red film and kept it that way all the time since I only used it for UW photography. I have a different camera for topside work.