SeaLife DC1000 NEWBIE NEWBIE NEWBIE ALERT

[whodunit68]

hey y'all...got a brand spankin' new SL DC1000 a few days ago and I've been reading the manual and playing around with the camera and I'm all kinds of confused.
I'm not much of a photographer but I know and understand the terms aperature and shutter speed and macro and etc etc. It doesn't mean I know totally how to apply them but I get 'm.

So here I am muckin around with this camera and reading their manual. I have no idea what pre-spot or pre-shoot or whatever that thing is....their definition says something like it allows you to take a semi-transparent photo before you take the photo. Huh? So? What's the point? I don't see anything else.

More important, tomorrow I intended to take my new baby out on a boat dive (ok, 4 boat dives) and in all the photos I've been taking so far, I get a very distored, dark image. I get a bright spot in the lower right corner no matter where I point the flash. I followed the directions (even I can't believe that I did but it's true) and the photos are weird. I'm missing something huge but I don't know what it is.
I have a single strobe and I even read the strobe manual. I've got fresh batteries but boy am I confused. I was in a hotel room and taking photos with the camera in Ext Flsh Auto mode and got very, very dark images. I set the camera to "land" mode.

While it would probably be virtually impossible for you to diagnose this, has anyone had any trouble getting started with his or her SL? I'm convinced this is a user problem but how do I solve this user problem?
The flash fires. The camera shoots. I get dark photos even with the big ol' stroble.
Thanks.

 

[BrewingDiver]

I finally got to use mine last week in Cozumel. However, I had a DC500 before, using the same flash (SL960D). Ext Flash is only for UW mode, I believe. On land you would not use it, however you can test it to see if it fires. Otherwise on land use the built-in flash, with the flashlink adapter off of the camera, of course, so that the light can come thru.

Do you get the bright spot without the Ext flash also, when shooting with or without the built-in flash?

I have not yet found a use for the pre-shoot mode. If anyone can suggest one they find useful, please share.

 

[sabbath999]

hey y'all...got a brand spankin' new SL DC1000 a few days ago and I've been reading the manual and playing around with the camera and I'm all kinds of confused.
I'm not much of a photographer but I know and understand the terms aperature and shutter speed and macro and etc etc. It doesn't mean I know totally how to apply them but I get 'm.

So here I am muckin around with this camera and reading their manual. I have no idea what pre-spot or pre-shoot or whatever that thing is....their definition says something like it allows you to take a semi-transparent photo before you take the photo. Huh? So? What's the point? I don't see anything else.

More important, tomorrow I intended to take my new baby out on a boat dive (ok, 4 boat dives) and in all the photos I've been taking so far, I get a very distored, dark image. I get a bright spot in the lower right corner no matter where I point the flash. I followed the directions (even I can't believe that I did but it's true) and the photos are weird. I'm missing something huge but I don't know what it is.
I have a single strobe and I even read the strobe manual. I've got fresh batteries but boy am I confused. I was in a hotel room and taking photos with the camera in Ext Flsh Auto mode and got very, very dark images. I set the camera to "land" mode.

While it would probably be virtually impossible for you to diagnose this, has anyone had any trouble getting started with his or her SL? I'm convinced this is a user problem but how do I solve this user problem?
The flash fires. The camera shoots. I get dark photos even with the big ol' stroble.
Thanks.

care to post a picture (or PM me for my email address) so I can see what's up?

 

[sladerer]

It sounds like it could be a flash-link issue. If the strobe is firing but your picture is dark, it could be that the shutter is opening before or after the strobe has fired. This could be because of the way the flash-link is installed or how the fiber optic cable itself is installed, including:
1) if you tightened down the allen bolt too hard and have kinked/broken the fiber
2) if the fiber is sticking out too far from the insulating cover
3) if the fiber is not sticking out
4) if the fiber is not fully inserted into the nut/mount at the strobe end

just some suggestions.

 

[whodunit68]

I finally got to use mine last week in Cozumel. However, I had a DC500 before, using the same flash (SL960D). Ext Flash is only for UW mode, I believe. On land you would not use it, however you can test it to see if it fires. Otherwise on land use the built-in flash, with the flashlink adapter off of the camera, of course, so that the light can come thru.

Do you get the bright spot without the Ext flash also, when shooting with or without the built-in flash?

I have not yet found a use for the pre-shoot mode. If anyone can suggest one they find useful, please share.

the manual suggests that the Ext Flash is good for on land as well unless I grossly misunderstood (which happens - regularly).

I don't get the bright spot without the flash, only with Ext Flash.
I'm glad at least one other person questioned pre-shoot mode.
Pre-shoot mode is good for shooting pre-shots. What?!?!?!

thank you, BrewingD.

 

[whodunit68]

I had a much longer reply stating that Scott was correct. not sure what happened to that either. it's been a morning for sure....anyhow, it seems the fiber was not fully inserted and even though I had checked it already, I missed it. I caught it after receiving that suggestion again. Thank you all.

Sabbath - thanks a lot for the offer of assistance. I've seen some of your posts and appreciate your in-depth knowledge and willingness to assist.
As I had stated in that ghost post that disappeared, all the errors can now 100% be attributed to user-error/issue.
thanks all.

 

[SeaLife Joe]

Hello Whodunnit,

Just got the notice on this new thread and sorry it I am in after you took the camera out. How did it go? I think I know hte answer but let me help you get this all straightened out.

First, which system did you get, the DC1000 Elite? If so, the first thing to do is run through the easy set-up to get the camera working with the flash. When you have the camera in the housing and push the menu button, the very top selection is the Easy set-up. By pushing OK at the setting, it will walk you thorugh to setting up to work with flash. The next thing I would suggest is to open up the flaash and make sure the settings are correct. The pre-flash selector shoudl be at 0 and the Auto Bright should be at 1. Once these are both set, close the door and turn the knob all the way to the left which would place it in Auto mode. Try taking a few shots on land and let me know how it goes.

 

[whodunit68]

hi SeaLife Joe,
I'm not sure of the branding - I got the package with a single strobe. I believe that's Elite. In fact, knowing it's called Elite makes me feel special. ok seriously, the setup and all that good stuff I've already done (and had done so when I had the issues). The pre-flash was at 0 and Auto Bright was at 1. The knob was all the way to the left. All of those things were done. It was a simple matter and all is good. Bad photos are now 100% user-created ... I do appreciate you responding. The camera is fine. In fact, I'm enjoying it.
Steve

 

[whodunit68]

duplicate

 

[sladerer]

whodunit68

Glad to help - happy shooting!