More questions Sealife DC500

[divingHeidi]

I have just bought for my husband’s birthday next week the Sealife DC500 with the external Flash and Flash Link.
And I was checking on the Board some comments with Pro’s and Contra’s. So I am a bit confused and not sure anymore if I made a good purchase.
But I think there is a few things I forgot to buy…
I didn’t buy a separate battery charger and I can see from the comments that a full battery only lasts 1 or max 1.5 dives. I can only charge the battery in the cradle together with the camera.
Also I didn’t buy a ballast weight. Some say it is needed some say it isn’t???
Anymore advice on this camera?
We will probably go diving straight after he gets the camera, how long does it take the first time to load the battery?
The Yellow Flash is not digital is that right?



Thanks in advance for your advice

 

[CheddarChick]

Hi Heidi!
I just got the camera also. You do need to charge the battery over night. I got the dc500 pro, the elite set is with the digital flash. I am just fumbling with the camera but I think it needs the ballast weight also. It floated quite a bit!

 

[Bbarnes]

You definitely need the ballast weight unless you are using the wide angle lens. If you have the lens attached you are pretty close to neutral in salt water. I prefer to have my camera negative so I like to use the lens along with the weight. You do need a longer screw if you want to connect the weight to the bottom of the strobe. If you have the yellow, non digital strobe, you can insert the weight inside the strobe head. Check to make sure that you got the unit that has the PIE.5 firmware on it. You can get directions on how to download free upgrades at the Sealife website, www.sealife-cameras.com. It will take care of some of the issues that some people have had with the camera. Apparently they are coming out with a new battery at the end of the month that will last longer. I might wait and spend my money on it. All in all I am very pleased with my camera. Sealife's customer service is unbelievable. That is one of the main reason I stayed with their line instead of going with Sea and Sea or Olympus. Good luck. Feel free to PM me if there are any other questions that I might be able to answer for you!

 

[mike_s]

I've got the DC310, flash, and wide angle and it still floats some, but not that bad. I still don't use the ballast weight.

While I like my camera, after seeing some Oly 5060 pics of some other folks I dive with, I kinda wish I'd bought a nicer camera.

 

[justleesa]

Moved from Photography Market Place to main Photography forum

 

[trigfunctions]

The Yellow flash will work on the DC500. The black "digital" flash has a few extra features. It has adjustable flash intensity. Also, you can set it to respond to the "pre-flashes" that some cameras have for red-eye reduction, but since the DC500 doesn't do that, that's not an issue.
I have the black digital flash and it is extremely bouyant, so I need the weight. I don't know how bouyant the yellow flash is. I think you can fit the weight inside the yellow flash - you can't on the digital flash.

Overall, the DC500 can take good pictures but the battery life is terrible. I am very dissapointed with the battery issue. It does only last 1.5 dives, so you either have to pace yourself by taking fewer pictures or buy the extrabattery and charger and change the battery between dives - both of which were supposed to be advantages of digital cameras over film. My friend has a Canon A620 and the batteries lasted 6 dives. Aaargh.

 

[divingHeidi]

Thanks all for you advice.
I am now checking with the Sealife Web-site.
Where do you normally order your accesories from? As we don't have any dealer her in Dubai or in the United Arab Emirates in general, I always need to order online.
I had used SailGB before.

Regards,

Heidi

 

[Jcsgt]

Thanks all for you advice.
I am now checking with the Sealife Web-site.
Where do you normally order your accesories from? As we don't have any dealer her in Dubai or in the United Arab Emirates in general, I always need to order online.
I had used SailGB before.

Regards,

Heidi

I order everything from ebay (now known to my sweetie as "The Devil's Workshop". It's probably easier for me being in the States, though.

 

[divingHeidi]

Thanks again for the advice. I checked Bbarnes link for Sealife support and they were great replied straight away to some of the questions I had.
Anyway I am giving the camera to my hubbie next week (he has to wait till his birthday) and then the 1st week of June, we willtry out the Dc500 in Turkey, I just right now booked a diving holday in Kas. I will keep you all informed about my experience with the DC500 and will have for sure a whole photoreport about our holiday!!!
Greeting form warm Dubai

 

[justleesa]

Don't for get to test the housing on a dive (w/o the camera inside) before taking it down with the camera!!!