Sea & Sea DX8000

[DiverChix]

I just upgraded my Sea & Sea camera. I've taken some really nice photos with my old camera (Sea & Sea 3100 with a YS25 auto strobe). I tried to use my new camera last week while on vacation, and all my photos were over exposed. My new strobe is a YS27DX manual strobe. Even at the lowest setting, it still is over-exposed. I was diving at 60+ feet, so I know the water was dark enough to warrant using the flash. Shots at 3-4 feet were over exposed. I tried everything the manuals suggests. Any ideas or thoughts with this setup? Should I just go back to my old strobe? I never seemed to have problems with the sync. I would like to use both strobes if possible. Here is my current set up:

Sea & Sea DX8000
Strobe - YS 27DX
Sync Cord
2 Arms

Any help would be appreciated. One thought I had was that the dealer that sold me the setup should have sent an auto strobe instead of a manual strobe. Given that fact, any suggestions for a manual strobe? I tried to set the manual number on the strobe to match what the camera is using and that doesn't seem to help.

Thanks for your help,

Tessa

 

[iruka59]

What exactly was overexposed (the subject, the background/water, or everything)?

What setting was the camera set to?

If you were using an "auto" setting, the camera will adjust to the lower light levels (shutter speed, aperture, ASA). Since the camera has no idea that you have an external strobe it will not compensate for it. I.E in a low light situation it will open up the aperture and use a "fast" ASA, which may produce an exposure setting that, is too high for your strobe at its lowest setting.

Please feed me more info and I will try to give you a few tips.

CB

 

[alcina]

And some sample images would be good, too

 

[sharky60]

Don't know how different the u/w settings would be for the 8000 vs. the 5000, but here are my 5000 u/w settings...these are the setting given to my by Holly at Island Photo when I purchased the camera & had my photo class on it with her...

flash: on
iso 100
ev, (exposure comp.) -0.3
white balance: cloudy
photometry: multi
sharpness: normal
lcd confirm: 2 sec.
step zoom: off
Power save: off
...I guess that's the important one's

I'm also using the YS-25 stobe, single arm, which I don't usually crank up much past the first or second setting.

 

[ce4jesus]

Yes the YS27DX is completely manual so the strobe. The camera, for all practical purposes, doesn't even know the strobe exists. So you would need to put the camera into manual mode and use either a higher shutter speed or lower Fstop. The good news is your camera is obviously synced up the the strobe. Most people start about middle of the road...ie shutter speed of 125 with a aperture setting of 5.6 since that's usually the sharpest aperture on digicams. Take a sample photo at depth and adjust the settings or strobe output as necessary.

 

[DiverChix]

Don't know how different the u/w settings would be for the 8000 vs. the 5000, but here are my 5000 u/w settings...these are the setting given to my by Holly at Island Photo when I purchased the camera & had my photo class on it with her...

flash: on
iso 100
ev, (exposure comp.) -0.3
white balance: cloudy
photometry: multi
sharpness: normal
lcd confirm: 2 sec.
step zoom: off
Power save: off
...I guess that's the important one's

I'm also using the YS-25 stobe, single arm, which I don't usually crank up much past the first or second setting.

Thank you this is very helpful. I will be diving in Monterey, CA soon and I will give this a try.

 

[DiverChix]

Yes the YS27DX is completely manual so the strobe. The camera, for all practical purposes, doesn't even know the strobe exists. So you would need to put the camera into manual mode and use either a higher shutter speed or lower Fstop. The good news is your camera is obviously synced up the the strobe. Most people start about middle of the road...ie shutter speed of 125 with a aperture setting of 5.6 since that's usually the sharpest aperture on digicams. Take a sample photo at depth and adjust the settings or strobe output as necessary.

Do you think it would be worth it to keep my auto strobe hooked up at the same time, or should I just try to get the manual system working properly? I am bummed every time I take a photo, and it is frustrating after taking so many nice photos with my last system.

 

[ce4jesus]

I wouldn't hook them up at the same time because the YS27 will always output the light that you have it set to on the back of the strobe. It might complicate things somewhat and you'll really start blowing shots out. I would take your auto strobe with you. If on the first dive you can't figure out why you're over exposing the shots with the 27 then hook up the auto. I know conditions in California aren't ideal for taking photos so you really need to be close to the subject you're taking a photo of. There's so much stuff mixed up in the water in CA that the camera could be focusing on something other than the intended subject. Don't be embarrassed to post a few shots. There are some folks on here who are really good at diagnosing shots if they see them.

 

[DiverChix]

I wouldn't hook them up at the same time because the YS27 will always output the light that you have it set to on the back of the strobe. It might complicate things somewhat and you'll really start blowing shots out. I would take your auto strobe with you. If on the first dive you can't figure out why you're over exposing the shots with the 27 then hook up the auto. I know conditions in California aren't ideal for taking photos so you really need to be close to the subject you're taking a photo of. There's so much stuff mixed up in the water in CA that the camera could be focusing on something other than the intended subject. Don't be embarrassed to post a few shots. There are some folks on here who are really good at diagnosing shots if they see them.

What is the best way to show a few photos? I am kind of new to this whole posting thing.

BTW - I hope you have a great trip!

 

[ce4jesus]

At the very top you'll see a tab called photo gallery. In there you should be able to create a photo gallery of your own under my photos. No cost, just simply log in and set it up. Once you get a folder set up you'll need to resize your photos to 800 x 600 in your photo editing software. Then when you hit hit the upload photos button. It will upload them to your gallery on Scubaboard. You can then select them, hit copy to clipboard then paste into your reply on here. Should do the trick.

BTW...thanks. I've never been to the Philippines so it should be a hoot!