Canon S50 What can i do with it?

[Shogun2722]

I have had a canon s50 for a while now and have used it on a few occasions Australia and Thailand and i havent really gotten that great of photo out of it. I am sure i am doing something wrong. I have only set it on auto as im not to sure about what to do with manual settings underwater? Is there anyone out there with this line of cameras that can tell me some basic considerations for the use of this camera. I know the basics of photography but need to know more.
Thanks CHris

 

[alcina]

Have a little look around for threads with Help, Settings and Canon in the title....there have been quite a few lately and although I don't know about your particular camera, the start points for uw photo are pretty much the same across the board.

Here's a couple of links to get you started:

Link One

Link Two

Also check out the getting started thread and Gilligan's website.

Hope this helps! Let me know if I can help more...

 

[KeyLargoBrent]

I have had a canon s50 for a while now and have used it on a few occasions Australia and Thailand and i havent really gotten that great of photo out of it. I am sure i am doing something wrong. I have only set it on auto as im not to sure about what to do with manual settings underwater? Is there anyone out there with this line of cameras that can tell me some basic considerations for the use of this camera. I know the basics of photography but need to know more.
Thanks CHris

Setting the white balance manually, at depth, will vastly improve your results. You'll need to carry something white (a slate?) with you on every photo dive, and you'll need to reset the white balance as your depth changes (every ten feet or so). You'll have to consult your s50 owners manual, along with your wp-dc300 owners manual, to learn how to manually calibrate white balance while the camera is inside the underwater housing. If your shots are still too blue for your liking, you can use Adobe Photoshop to tweak them. Usually, running "auto-levels" on my underwater shots does the trick. I've used the s50 since June 2004 to produce over a thousand underwater images using the above method. Try it... you'll like it!

 

[archman]

I use my software to clean up my S50 images too. Underwater I leave the camera mostly on auto setting.

 

[hvulin]

Hi,

the best way to start are P and full auto mode (but you need some tool to fix white balance later), but with time you'll probably wan't to move to M mode and use all of it's features:
- couple of preset white balance modes, 2 custom (manual) modes, and AWB (it takes 3 pictures - 2 extremes and one in the middle setting)
- raw mode format
- manual shutter speed (left-right on joystick)
- manual aperiture (up-down on joystick)

It can be somewhat tricky to get to white balance menue while in case but look here:
http://web.canon.jp/Imaging/PSS50/PSS50_3000-e.html

There is a table on the bottom of the page that shows how to do it, and underneath it is a nice tutorial on UW photography with your camera!

Dive safe and make many pictures

 

[StarrySkies]

It can be somewhat tricky to get to white balance menue while in case but look here:
http://web.canon.jp/Imaging/PSS50/PSS50_3000-e.html

There is a table on the bottom of the page that shows how to do it, and underneath it is a nice tutorial on UW photography with your camera!

Dive safe and make many pictures

Thanks for posting that - I recently acquired a S50 and am getting ready to get the UW housing and found that tutorial helpful. Although kind of sad that I have been on that page before and didn't notice the tutorial... :icorolley

 

[mtiffee]

The S50 takes very good pictures underwater in available light. Don't use the strobe unless you're shooting something very close - like a eel in a hole.

I shoot everything in "P" mode with manual white balance. I set my white balance at about 35-40 feet and it's good for the entire dive. If I use the strobe, I switch over to full auto, as you don't want the manual white balance with a strobe.

Here's a gallery shot with the S50- almost all the shots with no strobe.
http://www.miketiffee.com/diving/Belize2004

 

[Tuckster]

The S50 takes very good pictures underwater in available light. Don't use the strobe unless you're shooting something very close - like a eel in a hole.

I shoot everything in "P" mode with manual white balance. I set my white balance at about 35-40 feet and it's good for the entire dive. If I use the strobe, I switch over to full auto, as you don't want the manual white balance with a strobe.

Here's a gallery shot with the S50- almost all the shots with no strobe.
http://www.miketiffee.com/diving/Belize2004

Did you have a light ?? Some of them looked like you used a strobe but it said no flash.

 

[mtiffee]

I just noticed that.. No, I have not light but there are a handful that I used a flash and it says "flash: no" I only have the internal flash.
Used on the:
glassy slipper
eel
lobster
crab
spotted drum fish

 

[Tuckster]

I don't want to invest a lot of money in gear as I don't normally take very good pictures but it sounds like with a little work, a small investment can provide great pictures. I'm going to get me a Canon & housing. Thanks for the help.