new 5050 question

[mallinr]

I just recieved my new olympus 5050, and am trying to learn it's many modes, buttons etc. My plan is to learn to use it on land and then get a PT-15 and take it to Cozumel in December. The manual is terrible, and I ordered a short course book to help me learn the camera better. My question is are there underwater photography books that would help me learn how best to use this technological monster? My last camera was an SLR manual 35mm film circa 1980!! Thanks,
bob

 

[dwood]

The CD that comes with the camera is much more complete than the small booklet. It's a pain to work your way through it, but without doing so, you won't know all the cool features of the camera. Some people have it printed out ond bound.

 

[bluebanded goby]

I'm like those people Dwood referred to ... I took the PDF file for the full manual to a Kinko's and had them print it out and spiral-bind it.

Having owned a C-5050z for a few weeks now, I can attest that its complexity is daunting at first, but it gets easier as you use it. I've been familiarizing myself just by snapping pictures around the house and in day-to-day activities. Then when I can't remember how to do something like change the flash mode, I do a quick check in the manual. I'm currently out of the water for a while due to an ear squeeze, but have taken some test shots with objects at home to simulate the modes I'll be using for fish portraits. (Besides the camera and housing I'm using it with a couple of external strobes.)

Good luck!

 

[Dee]

Check out Digital Diver Forum. The alot of the members there are using the C-5050. You can learn alot about all aspects of that camera. If you'll just read back through the posts and use the search button, you'll be amazed at what you'll find!

 

[Dr. Jay]

The Digital Diver forum definately has a wealth of information, straight from the pros.

The settings on the C-5050 probably aren't much different from your SLR camera. You can control a wide variety of settings with the 5050.

If you looking for a nice book on UW Photography in general, check out Jim Church's Essential Guide to Composition. It's definately worth a look, and not a bad price. No real info on digital photography, but the tips are nice in general.

 

[mallinr]

Thanks all. I am headed to historic, downtown Charleston today to get some practice.

 

[Hooked4Life]

mallinr: I used my 5050 for 7 months before attempting to take it underwater. As you can see from my web site, I took plenty of pictures before taking it underwater. The camera has so many features it is a little overwheliming at first. The controls are very easy to use, once you get used to them. Just when you think the camera is getting easy to use, wait till you are underwater with 5 mil gloves on and you are trying to press 2 buttons and turn the jog wheel.