powershot 100 hs

[ckt9513]

Hi,
I'm new to underwater photography and just purchased housing for my powershot 100 hs for a trip to the caribbean-along with the blue water color corrector lens. I was wondering if there was any reccomendations for the settings on the camera. My camera has the "underwater" option. Can i still use that with the color corrector lens? I've read that I need to put the white balance on "manual" and reset it to something white every 5-10 ft change in depth. What about the camera flash and using the diffuser? Any advice would be appreciated. thanks!

 

[jimw]

I use a Canon S95 and always use the internal flash and diffuser. I think that would work for you as well. If you are using the color correcting filter--that assumes no flash is used, but try it both ways. If you have an UW Macro scene setting--use it. If you have exposure compensation--do 1/3 to 2/3rds of an f/stop underexposure. Maybe more--I sometimes do 1 or even 2 stops under if out in the sand. Get close and pretty much stay all the way wide angle or slightly zoomed in for best results. If that camera is able to do RAW files and jpeg both--do both and edit RAW, making the filter irrelevant. I found a series of settings that work here when I started using digitals. In shallow water, auto may work well, but may not deeper as that was my experience. Auto white bal may work well too, try it first dive with the camera. Anyway, it works well on the S and G series cams.

 

[BluewaterPhoto]

hi CKT

Good luck with your new camera. This article should help you alot. Let us know how it goes.

Scott Gietler

 

[Tippytoes12]

I have a similar camera and found the automatic white balance in UW mode useless. However the results from correcting WB manually are amaaaazing. You do need to do this every 5 mats or so.

 

[DENLASCUBA]

What housing do you use? I have used the s-100 with ikelite housing and internal flash with diffuser for quite a while and I am able to take some very nice photos. I generally switch between AV and TV depending on the subject, and lighting conditions, I also use manual white balance when I do not use the flash whih can be set quite easily. When I am using flash I use auto white balance and adjust this later on the computer. You can also adjust the power of the flash quite easily to get a better results. I have found that iso 200 works quite well sometime I bump it up to the 300 range, and try not to exceed this as the images will come out grainy unless its very low light and I do not have the focus light and or strobes.

I woud stay away from the auto modes unless absolutely nescessary I tend to get very blue or green photos, if you are shallow 10m/30ft or less than the results are not too bad. If you are no too familiar the AV or TV settings just play with them a bit to see what you get from your photos. I a going to assume your hosuing only has the fron ring function and no the rear ring function so if you use full manual you will be limited to the front ring functions, if you have a higher end housing then you can use full manaul quite easily if your are familiar with this setting.

In low light the s-100 has som trouble unless you have a focus light and or strobe