Anyone familiar with Sea and Sea cameras?

[sharky60]

sharky - that's good to know...can you give us more details:
- dive times and if the camera was on all or most or part of the time
- number of shots
- number of shots with flash on full
- approx time camera's lcd was on
- any reviewing you did
- use of zoom...light, medium, heavy

Thanks

great questions!! you pros are always thinking!

Ok, let's see how the old brain is working today:

Most of my dive times are around and average of 40min., shore dives can be over an hour, way over, and of course deep dives shorter.

I know I don’t shoot as much as a lot of people because Holly at Island Photo is always telling me to shoot more. Looking at my libraries it looks like I average 50 or so shots per dive, sometimes way more, some times way less.

I shoot probably 75% macro so my flash is not usually set too high. still trying to get a grip on the lighting process underwater, but it's coming.

I turn the camera on when I start to descend and turn it off during the safety stop. rarely turning it off under water, unless I've shot a lot on the first dive and feel I need to save the juice during the second dive, but that's how you miss shots drift diving, by the time you get the thing re-booted, it's too late. so I rarely turn it off.

I also DO NOT review my files between dives as a rule. reviewing files really eats up the batteries so I just don't do it.

I use the zoom A LOT!!!!! probably more than I should, I'm learing that the "manual zoom" sometimes makes a better shot.

 

[alcina]

Great stuff - thanks for answering

 

[sharky60]

I just remembered this last night, Jay has the 8000, here's a link to Christi's website and her photo galleries where she has some of his photos:

http://www.bluextseadivers.com/gall...06&PHPSESSID=7dc5fb06a749cfdc1a1dd640c2c1a729

 

[Chris Bangs]

For the 8000G use the NP-120 LI-ion battery. the higher voltage will recycle the flash faster. This battery will also last longer than Nimh rechargables

 

[rjsimp]

I shoot probably 75% macro so my flash is not usually set too high. still trying to get a grip on the lighting process underwater, but it's coming.

You should try this when doing macros the next time. Set your F-stop to something high (on my camera I go to F-22) and use a fast shutter speed (something like 1/125 or higher.. I go between 1/125 and 1/250) making sure you stay within your sync speed. Finally, set the flash on full power and aim it in a way to cast some shadows and create depth. Oh, and get very close.. Fill the frame on the camera and don't rely on cropping later.

This should give you some very dynamic macros with really nice color and texture. The reason you want to go with the fast shutter speeds in macro is because you want to minimize the blur from minor movements (which translate into huge movements in macro mode). The high F-stop will give you great depth of field while still giving you the blured background. Of course with those settings, the full power flash is almost always going to be required.

Sometimes if the flash is too close and blows the photo, don't be afraid to move it further away and maybe not be so direct as opposed to turning the power down.

Finally, have a GOOD set of batteries in your flash so you can shoot a LOT of pictures without running out of power..

Maybe these tips will help with macro lighting, they work great for me..

 

[Chris Bangs]

The resident photo expert in my shop suggested I get a Sea and Sea camera. I was using a reefmaster 310, and wasn't too crazy about it.

After looking around, I found the DX-750G (5 MP), and the DX-8000G (8 MP).

Other than the megapixels, is it worth upgrading to the DX-8000?

The 8000G ( Ricoh camera ) has better optics and more manual control but it does not shoot RAW! big bummer!

The 8000 is expensive! you can get a better camera and stuff it in a Ikelite housing for the same or less money. The Ike housings are much more durable and can handle extreme depths! But the Ike housing will be more bulky!

I do not like the hinged thin wall housings.l I have seen way too many of these flood! Ike Housings use a two clamp system which is used in all professional SLR housings.