S80 has arrived!

[SharkLover]

I just received my S80 UW package yesterday and here is what I have:

1) Camera: S80 (Amazon: $400 delivered)
2) 2GB Sandisk SD disk ($72 delivered)
3) Ikelite Housing (B&H Photo $360 + shipping + misc)
(with extra oring, silicone and misc button kits)

Anything missing here?

I have been watching, reading and searching this board for months in a process to educate myself. I have made copies of all of the posts of interest so I have much to read. As this is my first venture in UW photography I was amazed on how much there is involved. In the coming months I will do the following:

1) Learn to take pictures with the camera (focus on manual mode "I need to take the pictures, not the camera")
2) Try the housing underwater without camera: Learn the controls, sealing oring etc...
3) Figure out the desiccant, tampons, weights (?) to fit in housing. Get an overall feel for it and take many, many practice pics in the pool.

Alcina, Grajan, MustangFreak, Divingindeep, Peter Guy, Tom Winters (and any others that I missed) you guys are the best and many thanks in advance of the questions that I do not know yet that I will be asking!

My first real dive trip will be in July to Yap (I was there in January and loved it!). This time the focus is on photography so I have plenty of time to practice and learn.

Stay tuned.....the journey has just begun!

 

[Jamdiver]

Congratulations!!! .

I remember what it was like to get my grubby little hands on my camera and housing .
Now is the time to familiarise yourself with the camera's operations, options, general behaviour et cetera.

I'd recommend taking lots of photos topside using the different modes, try to move away immediately from the fully automatic modes like program or auto to semi-automatic modes such as 'TV' or 'AV' modes and eventually to full manual.

Since you mentioned Yap, I personally wouldn't worry about the need for dessicant as i've found based on my personal experiences that when in a tropical environment, prepping the camera & housing in warm, humid air (not air conditioned) and then diving with it fogging doesn't occur.

Again based on my personal experience, YMMV.

Only tips I can think of are go slow.., get close.. closer to the subject, shoot upwards if possible, fill the frame and shoot till your fingers bleed.

It's also enormously helpful to take a look at lots of u/w photos, figuring out which ones you like and trying to visualise how the photographer got the shot.

 

[CompuDude]

Take lots of varied shots on land, with the housing. It's not as easy to change modes through a housing as it is with just the camera in hand, and you're going to have a hard time remembering which function moves where while trying to take good pictures all at the same time!

I know you've just spent a lot of money, but your next step is definitely going to be to try to decide which strobe you're going to want to add. It won't take you long to realize the shortcomings of an on-board flash in underwater photography... about your second dive, you're going to start swearing at the camera, wishing you could take that neat shot without white blobs all over. (For the record, this is the step I am currently on... and as much as I love my SD550, I am jealous of your S80!)

 

[jeff99]

Hi Sharklover!

Same position as you - got the S80, can't wait to use it now! I researched long and hard before I got the S80 - the camera I have been using is an A30 Powershot, 1.2mp, and I just HAD to get something better!

There was a certain amount of brand loyalty as I also have the Digital Rebel, and as much as I would love to take it down with me I just simply could not justify the cost of the housing/strobe set up - in fact if I had got them I would not have been able to go to the Maldives at the end of the month!

Good luck with the pics - just keep deleting the crap ones and take some more Hope to see some manta pics from you on the board soon:14:

Regards

Jeff

 

[Peter Guy]

OK, just got back from 9 photo dives in the BVI using my S80 and the Canon housing. I decided NOT to use my SeaLife strobe because I was either taking very close pictures and the internal flash was sufficient or I was taking long shots and the strobe would have been irrelevant.

Here is what I concluded:

1. Av mode was the best to use since depth-of-field was the most important aspect. I "let" the camera decide on shutter speed (btw, I would change ISO depending on depth/light).

2. I did NOT use manual focus -- even on land I find it hard to do trying to use the LCD to get the focus right. With a mask (even though I have lenses for my aged eyes), through the water, through the case, there was just no way I was going to be able to get the focus better than the camera could. Also, with the Canon case (don't know about the Ikelite), you have to hold one button and manipulate one of two others in order to manually focus. Just wasn't going to happen!

3. For the most part I used the "underwater" WB setting. Every once in a while (at a couple of the wrecks) I used the manual WB (using the sand for WB) and I saw very little difference. In post processing, using Elements 3, I can't see any difference in the final image (btw, I get my best results by using the RGB levels correction and correcting for black -- often someone's wetsuit -- anyone have a better idea?) -- although setting WB was quite simple.

4. I love the camera -- love the images -- was VERY impressed by the little video I took. NOW, IF only someone would hack it to get RAW as an option....

 

[HowardE]

4. I love the camera -- love the images -- was VERY impressed by the little video I took. NOW, IF only someone would hack it to get RAW as an option....

Heh... that's funny. You can still buy an S70 which is 1MP less, but has RAW. Otherwise it's basically the same camera. I would bet that it works in the same housing?

 

[SharkLover]

good points Jamdiver regarding looking at other UW shots. I am doing just that. You say that preping the camera that you do not need dessicant, agreed. How about inbetween dives on the boat? I have a soft cooler that I will be putting my camera in so that it doesn't get too hot. I get dessicant free at work so I am wondering what the harm would be.

Dave

Congratulations!!! .

I remember what it was like to get my grubby little hands on my camera and housing .
Now is the time to familiarise yourself with the camera's operations, options, general behaviour et cetera.

I'd recommend taking lots of photos topside using the different modes, try to move away immediately from the fully automatic modes like program or auto to semi-automatic modes such as 'TV' or 'AV' modes and eventually to full manual.

Since you mentioned Yap, I personally wouldn't worry about the need for dessicant as i've found based on my personal experiences that when in a tropical environment, prepping the camera & housing in warm, humid air (not air conditioned) and then diving with it fogging doesn't occur.

Again based on my personal experience, YMMV.

Only tips I can think of are go slow.., get close.. closer to the subject, shoot upwards if possible, fill the frame and shoot till your fingers bleed.

It's also enormously helpful to take a look at lots of u/w photos, figuring out which ones you like and trying to visualise how the photographer got the shot.

 

[SharkLover]

CompuDude,

I am sure about the strobe at this time but I felt that by buying the Ikelite housing I have room for growth. At this point I am trying to keep this as simple as possible. But you never know...

Thanks, Dave

Take lots of varied shots on land, with the housing. It's not as easy to change modes through a housing as it is with just the camera in hand, and you're going to have a hard time remembering which function moves where while trying to take good pictures all at the same time!

I know you've just spent a lot of money, but your next step is definitely going to be to try to decide which strobe you're going to want to add. It won't take you long to realize the shortcomings of an on-board flash in underwater photography... about your second dive, you're going to start swearing at the camera, wishing you could take that neat shot without white blobs all over. (For the record, this is the step I am currently on... and as much as I love my SD550, I am jealous of your S80!)

 

[SharkLover]

This is the kind of info that I am looking at Peter Guy!

Now that yuou have one, I have questions:

1) Camera/Housing buoyancy: Do I need a weight? I am thinking that you want the camera somewhat negative. I have rather large desiccant packs that would be a weight if I need it. But do I?

It is interesting to me that the UW setting worked most of the time. Sounds like you like the video, I agree. How was the sound UW?

Thanks Dave

OK, just got back from 9 photo dives in the BVI using my S80 and the Canon housing. I decided NOT to use my SeaLife strobe because I was either taking very close pictures and the internal flash was sufficient or I was taking long shots and the strobe would have been irrelevant.

Here is what I concluded:

1. Av mode was the best to use since depth-of-field was the most important aspect. I "let" the camera decide on shutter speed (btw, I would change ISO depending on depth/light).

2. I did NOT use manual focus -- even on land I find it hard to do trying to use the LCD to get the focus right. With a mask (even though I have lenses for my aged eyes), through the water, through the case, there was just no way I was going to be able to get the focus better than the camera could. Also, with the Canon case (don't know about the Ikelite), you have to hold one button and manipulate one of two others in order to manually focus. Just wasn't going to happen!

3. For the most part I used the "underwater" WB setting. Every once in a while (at a couple of the wrecks) I used the manual WB (using the sand for WB) and I saw very little difference. In post processing, using Elements 3, I can't see any difference in the final image (btw, I get my best results by using the RGB levels correction and correcting for black -- often someone's wetsuit -- anyone have a better idea?) -- although setting WB was quite simple.

4. I love the camera -- love the images -- was VERY impressed by the little video I took. NOW, IF only someone would hack it to get RAW as an option....

 

[Jamdiver]

good points Jamdiver regarding looking at other UW shots. I am doing just that. You say that preping the camera that you do not need dessicant, agreed. How about inbetween dives on the boat? I have a soft cooler that I will be putting my camera in so that it doesn't get too hot. I get dessicant free at work so I am wondering what the harm would be.

Dave

It can't harm to put in dessicant, I was just basing this on my personal experience.
I usually drape a wet towel over my housing during dives or a soft cooler as you suggested is a good choice .