sealife dc500 modes

[ronski101]

Just bought a sealife dc500 point and shoot but am having trouble using the right mode (9 choices) to get consistant good pictures. Does anyone know what the speed and flash power settings are for the 9 different modes that the camera has?

 

[bcwolfen]

I've been looking for more info on this as well. I have the external strobe with mine and have been using that setting with the flash set to far. I find that when I'm @ 80' on a sunny day up here in the North Pacific I have to be fairly close to my subject otherwise the pics are too dark. A friend has a camera without a strobe (not sure of teh brand)and is able to capture almost the entire superstructure on the Saskatchewan in one frame. Mine, with the strobe firing gets great shots of a diver sized subject filling the frame. But the superstructure is just a dark mass. I'm wondering if I should be using a differet setting in these darker waters and still use the external strobe?

 

[Aussie_pro]

What settings do you have your camera on?
I have a DC500 with an external strobe as well. When diving I have it on the fish mode and then advance it to a shark mode (press the ok button). The only pictures I have with it thus far are from Nova Scotia and Aruba (both with no strobe) and the conditions were extremely different. In Nova Scotia the water was silty and had a lot of suspended particles, the weather was overcast and at times raining. My shots, even with out the strobe came out fairly well. There is a bit of sediment and suspended junk but otherwise they are very clear and not dark (that was at 55 feet). In Aruba I was diving between 90 and 100 feet (I had the strobe, thought it was working... but the batteries in upside down on the plane and forgot to change them) The shots are a little darker but still quite clear. Because of the depth ofcourse the color is washed out a bit from farther away but I to superstructre of wrecks etc no problem... my only problem there was the suspended junk again... *note to self... change batteries.... *
Have you been using the shark mode? If not that might be part of it. I found the first time using it above water that I almost had to hold my breath to get a good shot becuse of the delay between the press of the button and the actual taking of the picture. Underwater my first set came out as you said - dark superstructure and ... well... generally dark.
I plan on diving in the next few weeks, as soon as the weather improves a bit here, and plan on taking my camera with me. I will play around with some more of the settings and see what I get. I'll not which pictures I took on which dive, what the profile was and what setting my camera was on and go from there.
It seems to me, if I am not mistaken... that some of my best shots have actually been on the 'auto' mode (this time with the strobe) but again, I play around with it.

Let me know if you find anything out (I'm from Nova Scotia, know all about the dark water deal ... if I;m not there, I'm in Calgary... ). I haven't changed the settin on my camera since my last dive in Nova Scotia so I will start with that. Waters here (Aus) are of course going to be a fair bit lighter than what we are both used to, but a little experimentation won't hurt!
Best of luck
AP

 

[Dive Right In Scuba]

I agree...try shark mode if you havent been....Otherwise let us know how you had the settings

 

[CheddarChick]

I am too dumb to not use the auto, it has worked great for me..I have the the strobe on autoflash, and if it seems too bright I cover it with my hand for close up shots...Can't wait until I am in Curacao I'll try to post pictures as I go there...