New User needs Tips and advice

[TimIng]

Hi All,

just bought myself a nice new Oly c5050z and PT-015 housing. Very happy with the camera topside. Took it on a dive onto HMS Hood (Weymouth Harbour, UK) the other day and took a couple of snaps, which turned out ok but felt could've been better.

One of my main questions - is there anyway to set-up the camera so that when diving in water with a strong green tinge it automatically corrects it? I can correct in a photo package but I'd rather not.

Also, the autofocus wasn't great and the images aren't really that sharp although this could've been due to my swim and snap behaviour. I'm still a UW snapper and a long way from being a photographer and having the patience that that requires.

I'd post a piccy but can't work out how.

Cheers all for any help.

Tim

 

[blacknet]

Hello,

Two phrases. "Manual focus" and "Hyperfocal distance"

those 2 will never let you down no matter what conditions you are in. Autofocus is crap and not suited for underwater work.

Ed

 

[Dee]

I don't have a 5050, only a 4040, but quite a few here do. You can set the sharpening and the white balance but AFAIK, you can't set any color changes. You might also want to ask this question on Digital Diver. A large number of the member have upgraded to the C-5050 and have worked out alot of the idiosyncrocies (sp?) of it.

Oh...and take Blacknets comment with a grain of salt! He should have put the preface "In my opinion" before his comment. There are a whole lot of us who are perfectly happy with our auto focus cameras...professionals included.

 

[blacknet]

Hello,

Sure take everything I say with a grain of salt. While your at it take everything I say and put it under a microscope. What I posted works and will yield at least 2x the quantity and quality. I know this method is high speed and low drag. When the action gets tense it's the only way to go. Like stated, don't take my word for it. Get in the water and try both methods and see for yourself.

Ed

 

[Dee]

Ed, the grain of salt comment was out of line and I apologise for it. You are entitled to your opinion same as we all are.

What I was intending to get across to Tim was that your way of doing things is not the ONLY way, much as you try to make it seem so sometimes. Maybe it's this cyber-field we play on but most of your posts come across as elitist and condescending.

I know you must be a good photographer and have alot to offer all of us here. But there ARE digital photographers here, most who started with film, and they all feel just as strongly about the future of digital and the quality it has reached up to now, as you feel strongly that film and your methods are the only true way.

It's sort of like the DIR/non-DIR argument....there is no best way. There is different, and there is best for this person or that but there is no blanket best for everyone.

 

[blacknet]

Dee,

No your comment about the grain of salt was NOT out of line. In fact it was very intelligent to make that remark. It does help to point out time and time again what St. Adams preaches, testing testing and more testing! Sometimes people need a good swift kick to get them out and try new things and to see things differently. note, see my upcomming post on that other topic about no strobes.

I guess I would be classified as an elitist but don't take that personaly or hard. It's not ment to degrade, little, deface or the like to anyone. If I come across as an elitist it's because I take my photographer very seriously as any dedicated student should.

Ed

 

[TimIng]

Cheers guys,

I posted the same question on DD following Dee's advice - so between here and there I'm hoping for some good advice.

Anyways here's an uneditied / untouched piccie - so you'll see what I mean about the colour.

Cheers,

Tim

 

[JWDiver]

I recently teied out my new C5050 in a local quarry. Once topside my buddy was less than impressed with the extremely green pics.

However, Photoshop took out the green with a simple funciton and added in brilliant orange, red, blue, and yellow. I have NO idea how it could find those colors as it was all washed-out green in its original form, but it did very well.

As for your blurry pics I would blame a slow shutter speed. If you are shooting in an auto mode, letting the cam chooses the shutter speed it is likely a bit slow for the amoutn of movement you have underwater.

Remember the long shutter lag and breath-hold while you shoot. I got many blurry pics from movement at first, but refined my technique quickly.


BTW, I do have the pics posted HERE

 

[Kirky]

Blimey - you turn up all over the place. Bring the set up to the YD gig at Anglesey. Simple starter rules for digital - get close and use the autofocus. I`ve also got a list of general UW settings if you like (work on the 4040z) to get you started. Also dont be put off - remember that the vis in UK waters is always going to tarnish your pice. Get a copy of Photoshop7 (pm me - I can get you one for yorkshire pennies) - this is great for tidying up crappy pics.

Remember - all those fantastic UW pics you see published have all been subject to some sort of post `tweaking`

See ya soon

Kirky

 

[scubatexastony]

but I prefer either spot or full matrix auto focusing for macro. If it's a difficult area to reach, i.e. in the photo of this crab (had to extend arms lenth and point and shoot to prevent damage to the reef). I do shoot aperture priority (5.6 area) to get a good depth of feild most all the time. This shot was like 1/30 exposure and I only use the internal flash.....practice, practice, learn and practice more.

tony