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Are consumer digital cameras useless for diving?
I've noticed a couple of questions regarding dive cameras so thought I'd
continue the trend. A friend spent $700 on a 6mp cannon camera with a dive case. I've noticed most of the pictures suffered from a severe lack of light and the camera automatically went to a long exposure causing many of them to be blured. Those that weren't blurred were quite dull. Only closeup shots were acceptable really. After having a look at the pics I'm kinda of the opinion that only a high quality camera with a full size lense (to let more light in) and a good external flash would be required to get acceptable photos. Is this true? I'm not a camera zealot if anyone is wondering as I quite happily take shots out of the water with a compact and reckon it is pretty good. I usually dive around the 18 metre mark. Here's some examples: http://mikesdriveway.com/misc/dive2.jpg http://mikesdriveway.com/misc/elizaramsden124.jpg |
#2
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Are consumer digital cameras useless for diving?
Michael C wrote:
I've noticed a couple of questions regarding dive cameras so thought I'd continue the trend. A friend spent $700 on a 6mp cannon camera with a dive case. I've noticed most of the pictures suffered from a severe lack of light and the camera automatically went to a long exposure causing many of them to be blured. Those that weren't blurred were quite dull. Only closeup shots were acceptable really. After having a look at the pics I'm kinda of the opinion that only a high quality camera with a full size lense (to let more light in) and a good external flash would be required to get acceptable photos. Is this true? I'm not a camera zealot if anyone is wondering as I quite happily take shots out of the water with a compact and reckon it is pretty good. I usually dive around the 18 metre mark. Here's some examples: http://mikesdriveway.com/misc/dive2.jpg http://mikesdriveway.com/misc/elizaramsden124.jpg Common digital cameras (and film cameras) can work quite good under water. However, some are better then others. That said, even the most expensive camera will have difficulties if not setup properly. Some general advice (others will probably expand on this a lot): 1) Get an external flash. The flash on cameras is too close to the lens to be of use - instead of illuminating the subject, these flashes just tend to light up the silt and floaties in front of the camera. An external strobe can be placed to the side, which causes this backscatter to occur away from the lens. I suspect this may be a problem with your photos. 2) Get close to your subject. Water tends to scatter light, so the farther away you are from your subject the less clear the picture will appear. About the only way to get amazingly high-detailed shots is in macro mode. Also, water tends to absorb red/yellow light, so getting close will also help restore some colour (if you are using a flash). 3) Shallower subjects will generally image better, as less sun light will be absorbed, giving you more light to work with. 4) Composition. Many divers will "hide" some of the problems underwater photography has by making sure their subject(s) are against a colourful background, etc. This'll help hide things like backscatter, and reduce the "flat" appearance of blue-water shots (like your ray). The general rule is "get close, get low, shoot up". 5) White balance. Most digital cameras give you some degree of control over white balance. Try playing with it to see if you cannot get more colourful images. Lastly, although it's too late for you, when picking a digital camera you want to look for one with good low-light capabilities. dpreview.com does a good job of reviewing camera, and most of their tests involve a low-light test. Bryan |
#3
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Are consumer digital cameras useless for diving?
On Apr 18, 9:06 am, "Michael C" wrote:
I've noticed a couple of questions regarding dive cameras so thought I'd continue the trend. A friend spent $700 on a 6mp cannon camera with a dive case. I've noticed most of the pictures suffered from a severe lack of light and the camera automatically went to a long exposure causing many of them to be blured. Those that weren't blurred were quite dull. Only closeup shots were acceptable really. After having a look at the pics I'm kinda of the opinion that only a high quality camera with a full size lense (to let more light in) and a good external flash would be required to get acceptable photos. Is this true? I'm not a camera zealot if anyone is wondering as I quite happily take shots out of the water with a compact and reckon it is pretty good. I usually dive around the 18 metre mark. Here's some examples:http://mikesdriveway.com/misc/dive2....ramsden124.jpg Well .. not really the case... you do have to make some changes to the base settings. pics bellow were all shot on a Canon A95 5MP PnS. OK so they aren't the best thing going but I can't afford 20+K I would need for the camera I really want. The biggest difference I found was to not use the cameras underwater setting and make sure the flash is always on. http://ca.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/cay..._HNnGBFoy.QH_z |
#4
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Are consumer digital cameras useless for diving?
"Michael C" wrote in message u... I've noticed a couple of questions regarding dive cameras so thought I'd continue the trend. A friend spent $700 on a 6mp cannon camera with a dive case. I've noticed most of the pictures suffered from a severe lack of light and the camera automatically went to a long exposure causing many of them to be blured. Those that weren't blurred were quite dull. Only closeup shots were acceptable really. After having a look at the pics I'm kinda of the opinion that only a high quality camera with a full size lense (to let more light in) and a good external flash would be required to get acceptable photos. Is this true? I'm not a camera zealot if anyone is wondering as I quite happily take shots out of the water with a compact and reckon it is pretty good. I usually dive around the 18 metre mark. Here's some examples: http://mikesdriveway.com/misc/dive2.jpg http://mikesdriveway.com/misc/elizaramsden124.jpg The problem with most inexpensive cameras is that they adjust the shutter speed to set the proper exposure, so when the light drops the shutter speed goes down causing blurred pictures. While a flash is best underwater for good color and clear pictures, you can try raising the ISO speed on the camera (if adjustable). The photos should look fine, and this will give the camera a chance to raise the shutter speed so your photos aren't blurred anymore. |
#5
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Are consumer digital cameras useless for diving?
On Wed, 18 Apr 2007 23:06:27 +1000, "Michael C"
wrote: I've noticed a couple of questions regarding dive cameras so thought I'd continue the trend. A friend spent $700 on a 6mp cannon camera with a dive case. I've noticed most of the pictures suffered from a severe lack of light and the camera automatically went to a long exposure causing many of them to be blured. Those that weren't blurred were quite dull. Only closeup shots were acceptable really. After having a look at the pics I'm kinda of the opinion that only a high quality camera with a full size lense (to let more light in) and a good external flash would be required to get acceptable photos. Is this true? I'm not a camera zealot if anyone is wondering as I quite happily take shots out of the water with a compact and reckon it is pretty good. I usually dive around the 18 metre mark. Here's some examples: http://mikesdriveway.com/misc/dive2.jpg http://mikesdriveway.com/misc/elizaramsden124.jpg I don't dive, but I stayed in a Motel 8 last night... Underwater photography is always going to be a fight to get enough light. A faster lens (smaller f/number) will help immensly, as will a very good flash. The less expensive dive cameras, and the housings for others, don't have any special capabilities other than the ability to keep water out, that would make them better able to somehow get around the lack of light. If you watch the Planet Earth series for the underwater episodes, you'll see that they must pick their opportunities carefully to get clear water, and they use some pretty pricey gear. Your samples show pretty much what's normal for amateur divers with time and money constraints. -- THIS IS A SIG LINE; NOT TO BE TAKEN SERIOUSLY! Hillary Clinton postponed her meeting with the Rutgers women's basketball team Monday due to weather. The team forgave a middle-aged white guy for humiliating them in front of the entire world. Hillary wanted to go there to collect her royalty check. |
#7
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Are consumer digital cameras useless for diving?
As one goes deeper (more than about 5 metres) the changes in light
cause a colour distortion. Red is lost and blues are slightly intensified, thus the need to change settings. Take your digital pics to a developer familiar with developing underwater pictures(or mail them off to one). If they are knowledgeable, they will modify the developer to compensate for the light changes, resulting in clear pictures that more closely match the real colours underwater. |
#8
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Are consumer digital cameras useless for diving?
"Michael C" pounded away at his keyboard resulting
in: :I've noticed a couple of questions regarding dive cameras so thought I'd :continue the trend. A friend spent $700 on a 6mp cannon camera with a dive :case. I've noticed most of the pictures suffered from a severe lack of light :and the camera automatically went to a long exposure causing many of them to :be blured. Those that weren't blurred were quite dull. Only closeup shots :were acceptable really. After having a look at the pics I'm kinda of the pinion that only a high quality camera with a full size lense (to let more :light in) and a good external flash would be required to get acceptable hotos. Is this true? I'm not a camera zealot if anyone is wondering as I :quite happily take shots out of the water with a compact and reckon it is retty good. I usually dive around the 18 metre mark. : :Here's some examples: :http://mikesdriveway.com/misc/dive2.jpg :http://mikesdriveway.com/misc/elizaramsden124.jpg There are lots of good answers here already. Hopefully you read them. arrogance The most important part of any camera, either underwater or on land, is the person holding it. I use a commercial digital camera with only 4 megapixels and I do ok. I don't use an external flash and have recently started to attempt underwater photos with natural light only. So it can be done. /arrogance While I do ok, I still reject at least 75% of my shots for various reasons. Sometimes they are duplicates (if you want good pictures take lots) or sometimes they are sub-standard for one reason or another. If you are just getting started, thank your lucky stars that you are not using film. And keep at it. Experience matters. Dan Bracuk If we don't succeed, we run the risk of failure. ----== Posted via Newsfeeds.Com - Unlimited-Unrestricted-Secure Usenet News==---- http://www.newsfeeds.com The #1 Newsgroup Service in the World! 120,000+ Newsgroups ----= East and West-Coast Server Farms - Total Privacy via Encryption =---- |
#9
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Are consumer digital cameras useless for diving?
The water in your examples seems pretty cloudy.
Here's some shot in Maui in 06 using a Canon SD500 with Canon's case Max water depth was about 30 feet (turtle in hole shot) Out of probably 150 to 200 shots, 20 or 30 were keepers of any quality. Some were shot within 5 feet of the surface http:\\bshellenbaum.smugmug.com click on the Maui folder. One thing the P&S do that the more expensive SLRs don't, is video and it makes a real difference putting together a DVD of the vacation. The year before my daughter and I were diving at Molokini crater and I was shooting video with the canon elph, while capturing a shark swimming below us, we heard whale song and it was captured as well. Pretty darn cool. |
#10
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Are consumer digital cameras useless for diving?
I bought the FujiFilm Finepix F30 and associated underwater case. The
F30 has an "underwater" setting. I think I paid a total of $480 for the package but that was the weekend following Thanksgiving last year. The quality is certainly not professional but it was worth $480 to me. One nice thing about digital is that you can take a thousand poor quality pictures (which I did) and it doesn't cost you a dime. http://soxmax.myphotoalbum.com/ The photos are of diving in Tortola with a few of the Rhone wreck up to 80 feet depth. I think there is also a surface picture. Best Regards, Derek |
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