SP-350: Shot to Shot Time

[DontLieToMe]

I am considering a SP-350 but have read a couple of reviews where some advice would be very helpful.

1. Shot to shot times. I read that in SHQ - high resolution mode - it can take 5 seconds to write a JPEG file. I think the review said even longer in Raw mode.

2. I also read that focus times are slow in low light but that someone used a spotter light to speed the process.

3. I am also trying to decide between the Olympus and Ikelite housings.

Any experiences would be helpful.

 

[Larry C]

SHQ=2.5 sec.
RAW=10 sec
RAW w/SHQ back-up = 14 sec

Since I can't use the shutterbutton to trigger the clock, nor do I have a frame by frame video timer, these are hand timed on the conservative side. Generally, my watch click is a little ahead and my watch shut-off a little behind the camera.
These were timed with the older style m memory cards. I don't have the supposedly faster h model yet. You can also program the camera for a double frame. Hold the button down, it shoots two and records them both. If you're using the built in flash, it won't recycle fast enough for the second frame, but if you have a strobe on the hotshoe, you'll get flash on both shots.

Yes, I know this is slow. Nonetheless, I have had little problem with action shots underwater except switching from macro to wide fast enough to take them. What I normally do is keep the camera in macro while I'm rock crawling and switch it to wide when I get off the rocks and try to catch my impatient dive buddy.(wife with no camera)

Regardless of the extra time, I have chosen to shoot RAW with a SHQ back-up and I don't think I've missed any truly memorable shots as a result. I think if you carefully frame your first shot, you can usually wait on the second. Otherwise, I could just switch it to video and I've got a 15 second high quality 30 fps capture with almost instant repeat capability.

I guess it's all in your priorities. On many of my pictures, the camera has processed the jpeg better than I could do on the RAW. On many others, where I was off on the lighting, etc. I've had an unusable jpeg and processed the RAW into a great picture. Worth it for me, since the main competition from brand "C" doesn't shoot RAW at all.

Focus time is almost entirely dependent on what mode you're in. You can get very quick shots if you set the camera for a fixed focus, e.g. 8 feet for wide shots because thats the best your lighting will do anyway, or 12 inches for macros because that's your comfortable set up distance. I haven't had any issues with the macros, but I tend to do fixed focus wides in SHQ simply because I can get them before they run away.

I'm happy with the Oly housing, it is small, light and all the buttons are easily accessible, but I haven't used the Ikelite.

 

[DontLieToMe]

Larry C. Thank you. Great information. Most of what I do is macro and it sounds good. One more question. What strobe are you using?

 

[Larry C]

I've got an Oly FL-20 that I've used topside and have the FLE-01 underwater housing for it. Housing retails at $299 but you can get them in flawed packaging on Oly e-bay auctions for consistently around $100. I paid $98 + $6 shipping. The flash can be had online for $106 to $149 (retails for $199). I haven't used it underwater yet because I either have to build a tray for it or wait for my backordered forever Sunpak to arrive ($179 including tray and arm). I plan to use the Oly on ttl and slave the more powerful Sunpak to it. The Oly works great topside, but isn't the strongest. Should be fine for macros though. If you're doing supermacro, you'll definitely want a strobe, as the lens masks the light from the built in flash any closer than 3". It also only fires the flash on "slave" in supermacro, but it works fine. I've taken some really nice supermacros without a strobe-see the nudies and snails in my gallery-but I've had to correct the shadowing with my raw conversion program.

 

[Ryan]

I plan to use the Oly on ttl and slave the more powerful Sunpak to it.

This won't work, the Oly camera has no idea the light from the FL20 is coming, and your shots will be conistently over exposed.

You could use both manually.

 

[oly5050user]

This won't work, the Oly camera has no idea the light from the FL20 is coming, and your shots will be conistently over exposed.

You could use both manually.

I believe Ryan is right on this.TTL will not work with oly housing..Need a ikelite housing with an ike strobe to get true oly ttl to work..have upgrade my housing for this as I purchased it when the electronics for it were unavailable..ikelite is much better durable housing.

 

[Larry C]

I've used the ttl on the FL-20 topside in dark, light natural and artificial light and it takes perfect pictures in all conditions, both in the PFL-01 housing and directly on the camera. I use the external flash only setting on the camera. I don't know what will happen when I slave the Sunpak to the FL-20. I'm hoping that if I aim it correctly, I'll get a balanced light source with adequate flash. I've taken everything from supermacro to wide shots with the FL-20 on board and had zero overexposure problems in the ttl-auto mode. I hope it will work as well under water. I'm fairly confident as I got it based on the experience of Gary (ce4jesus) on Wetpixel who has been using his fairly extensively in the pool and got excellent pictures. He unfortunately had to take his strobe off due to clumsiness while snorkel shooting the manatees on his only open water dive with it so far. Am I missing something Ryan? Did you mean to say Sunpak and typed FL-20, maybe?