Trouble With Dc 1400

[Andrea Spotorno]

This is my second dive with DC 1400 with light and flash, i try to setup the camera manually but the first photo are all dark. During the dive i setup with easy setup in dive mode.
The first problem is that i have a lot of photos out of focus. And other with little sharpness.
Here is the photos
First dive: Dropbox - Sub_21_02_2016
Second dive: Dropbox - Sub_20_03_2016

The second problem is that with flash in auto all the photos are overexposed, i switch the flash in manual mode and i setup the intensity manually.
What you think about this photos?

Sorry for bad english.

 

[BFRedrocks]

Just a thought, but from my experience, it looks like you are not giving the camera enough time to focus and adjust the flash intensity while it's in auto mode. You need to push down the shutter button (the one used to take the picture) about halfway and wait til it shows green in the viewfinder (usually within a second or so), and then push the shutter button the rest of the way to take the picture. I recently dove in Roatan and used the auto flash setting and I don't think I had a single overexposed photo.

Keep with it...it takes time to get it down, and usually you'll only get (for us novice photographers) about 1 really good picture for every 10 that you take.

 

[Andrea Spotorno]

I did some tests at home, is very difficult to find the right pressure on the shutter button.
I think that the controls are not comfortable to use, the zoom lever has a slow return and it is not easy to stop on the desired item on the menu.
The set button is not replicated and when to use the menu, the shutter button is not at hand.
Set with the use of external flash, I can not decide to make a single photo without flash
If I decide not to use the flash is not a specific command, I have to go into the menu and change the scene, for example P and then disable the flash with the option specifies.
Being a camera that is born for underwater use could make it easier to use.
Unfortunately I bought this camera without having seen it before and I was very unhappy.
In the next dive I will do more testing and I hope to change my opinion

 

[dmaziuk]

Unfortunately I bought this camera without having seen it before and I was very unhappy.
In the next dive I will do more testing and I hope to change my opinion

Check the website for firmware updates, the one I installed a year or so ago did help with shutter lag. Also, I recommend reading the "setting the manual white balance" page in the manual and trying that instead of the presets. And yes, because you have to change the white balance as well as exposure & aperture for no-flash photos, you have to change the scene: if you're set for flash, your no-flash pix will come out blue. If you're set for no flash, your flash pix will come out red. Can't be helped, all you can do is get used to changing the settings.

I wish DC1400 could export RAW, but other than that it's a very nice underwater point-and-shoot.

 

[scubabudie]

Use the intensity knob on the back of the flash head and be sure to turn it down to 1-2. Give it time and keep playing with it. I've had mine for many years and love it. The pictures come out great. It does take some adjusting. I also built a custom tray to move the flas outa bit to provide a wider base of illumination.