sony cybershot - underwater photo experience ...

[obreuer]

hi guys,

I have a question:

I would like to know if someone has bought the sony flashlight hvl-ml20m to add on the underwater housing mpk-pha for use with sony cybershot digital cameras ???

I have the sony dsp-p10 with the underwater housing mpk-pha and all of my photos are blue. So i need a flashlight or a filter, and i would like to have some advices regarding the only one sony flashlight available for my underwater housing.

If you have this kind of material, can you give me your opinion ?
Because that's expensive and noone can give me an advice on this...

Thanks in advance,

Oli

 

[obreuer]

I have taken some holidays in may in the red sea - Egypt - and i have taken some pictures with my sony and some with the internal flash.

I invite you to have a look:
http://www.apnee.be/modules.php?op=modload&name=My_eGallery&file=index&do=showgall&gid=3

As you can see my pictures a very blue and i would like to have more colors.

I have see some pictures taken with a nikonos and 2 flashlights,
and, the photos are more colored.

Awaiting your remarqs,

olivier

 

[Crazy_J]

obreuer,

One thing that you can do is edit these images using Adobe Photoshop or a similar photo-editing software. The trick is to modify the balences to bring out the colors...contrasts etc.....

See some examples below...

NOTE: I had to shrink and reduce the quality to upload, but you get the Idea ;-)

Nice shots btw...

Cheers,
Crazy_J
:doctor:

 

[Crazy_J]

:doctor: J

 

[Crazy_J]

:doctor: J

 

[Crazy_J]

That's about it! ;-)

:doctor: J

 

[5615mike]

Oli

Outstanding shots. Very clear. Is that a 5mp rig? What is a mpk-pha housing and who makes it?

 

[kelpdiver]

Before relying on editing software (confession-I'm pretty ignorant about those), you can do as you yourself said--use a filter or add artificial light. Sony makes a red filter for its housings--as best as I can research on the web, the same one fits all the sony P* housings. You can probably buy it directly from their website, as well as from many resellers. A red filter, with no added light, works great for me with Sony digital video, at least in clear tropical waters, and would be the least expensive way to go.
You'll likely get better color with a strobe rather than a "flashlight" or always-on video light, but would probably pay more. There are several manufacturers making strobes with mounting stays, etc. for this system--including Sea and Sea, Ikelight, and others.
At the risk of sounding patronizing, do you need to study some basics of underwater photography? i.e., how quickly you lose reds (even a strobe won't help if your subject is too far away), etc.
Good luck. I'd be curious to know what you come up with and how it works, as I'm considering this system, myself.

 

[Crazy_J]

I agree w/ Kelp, you should not solley rely on photo-editing software, however it would be a great idea to learn how to use it.....as you not only can use it to modify the color..but can remove fish, backscatter....add things etc...it provides MANY facilities that the digital photographer "or atleast this one " loves! Granted, a strobe will reduce the dramatic need to use software, but likely not elimitate it completely...atleast not for me ;-)..... as Kelp said..there is alot to learn..and I am far from knowing even much.. lol

Examples:

Original Image (resized to smaller size)

Balances modified:

Cheers,
Crazy_J
:doctor:

 

[Crazy_J]

Little Fish Removed:

Cheers,
Crazy_J
:doctor: