So my pics suck but my video rocks!

[So Cal Divin]

OK , So I've been to 2 So Cal Oly meetings with my Oly 5050/PT-015. Met some great peoples and very knowledgeable photographers. I've learned how to set up My Modes and even worked with Manual mode while diving. Can't seem to get the -3.0 anywhere near the magic 0.0.
So I eventually end up putting it back in Auto about half way through the dive. I even try using the cameras Auto settings as a base line with marginal success in manual mode.

So last weekend while on a boat dive to Anacapa I was trying to take pics of a pair of seals teasing me. I put my Oly in Movie mode and Voila. As my friend would say Beautiful! 46 sec of WOW. If I could post it I would but it's 11+ mb. Earlier in the dive we spotted a 3'+ horn shark cruising the shallows and I got 1 OK pic from above him . Next time it's Movie mode. Even my first pic (encounter) ever with a grren moray turned out phttplb!!! How do you spell it when your tounge vibrates and you slobber over everybody?
Now if I could only find some noisy BSB.

Since I can use 2 types of media simultaneously with the push of a button I think I will dedicate my 512 mb (=24 minutes) CF card to taking video and purchasing a 512 mb SM card for pics. Anyone need a 128 mb CF card or 32 mb xd card both virgin cards. Would help pay for the bigger card. Man I love this camera now if it would only make me a better photographer. I think I need a dummies guide to underwater photography.
How do you filter out all that blue ?
I took a pic of a bat ray that wouldn't be half bad if not for the BLUE out .

I have a suggestion for the next So Cal Oly meeting can we have an in water session maybe even on a dive boat to say Catalina in search of BSB or the Channel Islands . I'm sure we could fill half a boat with just are members. 3 dives ,food air, comraderie and some tips from the pro's between dives. I desperately need help in the water on paper just isn't doing much for me.

Sea yall soon Jeff

 

[Guru]

Please, send a link to your movieclip...

 

[alcina]

Jeff -

Hang in there! Your pictures will get better the more you do.

Maybe pick one thing to work on during a dive. Say, only shoot invertebrates. Or only fish portraits. Get your eye in. Get used to changing the settings. Get used to seeing what the results are.

Also, you might consider using RAW - good to work with if you don't get the colour/white balance etc just right. Also slows you down which can be a good thing.

I have just started using the histogram on the review screen when I shoot and it is a nifty little tool. I don't understand all the ins and outs, but I do have the basic concepts and it really helps!

Like to see some of your pictures posted...maybe we can help with post-processing?

 

[Dee]

Hang in there...we all know what you're going through. It really does get easier!

About that -.3....that's just about perfect for underwater. Topside you want 0.0, but I've found my best shots result from that little red -.3!

 

[So Cal Divin]

Thank you all for your encouragement.

I think I'll focus on taking pics of stationary objects like anenome's and starfish and switch to video for the sea life that won't stay put.

I would love to post a link to my video but have know were to post it at this time. I'll have to check my personal web page and see if I have enough room.

I've uploaded 2 recent pics that I hope yall can help me with!

One pic of is a batray in a Blue out! I searched the forum and found an thread on green out and an underwater action file for Photoshop. Will it work with PS 4.0 ? I haven't had a chance to install it yet.

The other pic is of a red tube sea anenome surrounded by colorful spiny octopus starfish. I have no idea if these are the names of the starfish or anenome. Point is it was breath taking. Underwater the anenome was glow in the dark red. it was the only anenome on the whole reef and was on a plateau surrounded by these starfish which were everywhere.
They're also in the pic with the batray. The clumps on the ocean floor are actually starfish.
The anenome/starfishes were so beautiful it's a shame that pic didn't turn out ! At least I still have my mental pic of it.

Both were shot in auto. No flash I think ?
Batray: F/2.6 Exp. 1/100 sec. ISO-213
Anenome: F/2.6 Exp. 1/100 sec. ISO-400

What should I try next time. It seems that in P mode it sticks to F2.6/7 and 1/80-1/100 sec. exp. and flash. No I don't have a strobe just yet.
I know how to program My Mode. Should I start with S mode and 1/80 sec. Exp. ? Spot metering ? No flash ? ISO-100 ?
AF/FLOWER/MF ?
M mode just doesn't work for me right now. Although it did help me figure out how to change the F/stop and Exp. underwater.
Thank you in advance for all your help and allowing me to ramble on.

SEA YA ! Jeff

 

[alcina]

OK, I see what you mean about not being happy with your pictures!

P mode sucks for most things I think.

As you don't want to do M at the moment (which is really the best option - you can always start with like f 5.6 and only adjust your shutter until you get comfy...the advantage here is that if you NEED to adjust the aperture (like to f8 for that nudi) you can do so quickly), you'll have to do some experimenting to see which you like better - Aperture or Shutter Priority...they are going to be useful for different types of things. My guess is that for stationary things choose your aperture and let the camera decide the speed.

I would also change your ISO to 64 or 100 to reduce the noise.

I use slow1 for flash and it stays on for almost all shots; not using my external strobe yet. I also leave my camera in macro (the flower) for all shots - the exception being our two big guys, mantas & whale sharks. I use it in autofocus but my continual autofocus is off, I think.

You don't need an external strobe to get some awesome results. You do need to be always close for the internal to be useful. You can also try the manual white balance if you turn your flash off. Or you can shoot in RAW which will allow you to alter your white balance (and to some extent colour & exposure & shadows etc) after you get home - you'll need the software to do this.
HTH

 

[Dee]

Alcina covered it very well. All I can say is Ditto.

 

[TheNitroxinator]

I think the one thing lacking in this thread is perspective.

One of the instructors at Sport Chalet made a comment during the AOW class. He's a great photographer, who always shoots slides, and he said if he gets 1 great photo in a roll of 36, he's happy. After hearing that, all I aspire for is getting 1 shot out of 36.

I got certified last June, and started shooting pictures the first chance I had. I'm up to 156 dives, and I'd guess I've averaged taking between 30-40 pictures per dive. If you look at my gallery, I have 72 pictures posted, some of which are excellent, and a bunch are good (the ones from Roatan, Truk and Palau were with a Canon S50, everything else is with an C5050 in manual mode). But its probably taken me 4500 shots to get those 72! Granted, I do have other good to great shots than those 72 I posted. I didn't want to have a bunch of duplicate good images; however, I probably have deleted over 3000 photos that were completely out of focus, or didn't have close to enough lighting to do anything in the way of post processing.

If you want to get great shots, throw your camera in manual mode, and take as many pictures as you can. Make sure you look at the preview after you take your shot, so you can judge whether you should be changing things. Take lots of shots of the same thing, because the preview is not always a good indicator of your shot - its reduced, and sometimes it may look like it was focused pretty well until you get it on a big screen. Don't worry that you get crappy shots - its digital, it doesn't cost you anything to process it, and you can just throw it away. And learn to use the strobe - there isn't enough light underwater, so you have to take bring your own.