pt-015, c5050, and flash questions

[sailor025]

I read the threads on the c5050 and pt015 and have decided that is the camera and housing that I will buy. My question relates to the flash.

I dive off the Texas coast where the water is not as clear as southern Florida and some of the other cool places you live. Does the internal flash work well in the more cloudy water? Do I need and external flash? What are the external flashes that most people are happy with? One or two externals?

I'm new to u/w photography and am ready to get some good pics! I'm especially concerned about the flashback from little particles in the water or the cloudy look to the photo. My guess is that close up will correct the cloudy. Am I right? What prevents the particle flashback?

 

[ssra30]

Generally the closer you are to the subject the less the number of particles are going to be between the flash and the subject.
Unfortunately when you use internal flash, you are going to get backscatter if there is any particles in the way.

The strobe will be better as the reflection will not go directly back to the lens but the strobe will not make the water looks any clearer so you will still see those particles, just not as bright or intrusive as internal flash.

The best thing to do is still to shoot without a strobe first, just to get use the camera setting, composition etc. Eventually you can add a strobe if you like but it will add a bit more complexity to taking pictures ie aiming the strobe, choosing the strobe level vs TTL etc.

 

[Dee]

I always give the same advice SSR30 gave you.....use the camera without a strobe for a while. This will allow you to get real familiar with camera and what it can do on its on. And you'll be amazed at the photos you can get without a strobe! The internal flash on the Olympus cameras, and probably other brands as well, is extremely bright. In fact, I frequently have to set mine back a few settings. Backscatter is the only problem but it happens even with a strobe, just not as bad. But if you get close to your subject, decreasing the water between you, it helps.

I'm also from Texas so I know what you mean about our water. I often dive without a strobe in order to keep my rig smaller and easier to handle in the current. Our water is just fine!