Re: Underwater Digital Camera recommendations

Richard Faulkner wrote:

>> Yes, if you optically slave it (that is, the flash fires based on the
>> on-camera's "flash").
>
>
> What do you need to do this? I have a Sea & Sea TTL Strobe - could this
> be made to work on a point & shoot like a Canon ixus, (IXY SD500).

If the Sea & Sea strobe has a built-in slave sensor it will fire when the flash on
the camera fires. Since the ixus is digital, though, it probably has a pre-flash,
which means the flash will fire when the camera is checking focus and exposure, and
not when the camera is actually taking the picture, unless the strobe is designed for
digital cameras. For a digital camera that has pre-flash you need a slave sensor that
is designed to ignore the pre-flash and fire on the main flash. Ikelite offers two
slaves that will do that, for about $150 each. Look here, and scroll down a bit:
http://www.ikelite.com/web_pages/sync_cords.html

The TTL slave sensor uses the camera's flash duration to control the external flash,
and the manual controller offers you 10 power settings and can be triggered with a
sync cord (when the camera and housing are compatible with it) or its built-in slave.
The catch is that they only work with Ikelite's new digital strobes, which will set
you back at least $300. You can get a package with the smaller strobe, sensor and a
strobe arm for about $500 and change.

Be aware that the slave sensor may not give you the full power of an external strobe.
If the flash duration of the on-camera strobe is too short the external strobe may
not reach maximum output before being quenched. For some cameras Ikelite will suggest
the manual controller for that reason.




--
Steve

The above can be construed as personal opinion in the absence of a reasonable
belief that it was intended as a statement of fact.

If you want a reply to reach me, remove the SPAMTRAP from the address.

If you are going to use an external flash on a digital camera using it as a
slave unit, it must have three additional functions:

1. It must have a slave sensor that can trigger the flash from an external
flash. For reliable operation you may need a fibre-optic cable kit to
ensure that it will still trigger even when not pointed directly at the
cameras built-in flash unit.

2. It must be compatible with the pre-flash given out by many digital
cameras, otherwise it will 'flash' when the internal camera does it's
pre-flash, not when the main exposure flash is triggered.

3. You will need a variable flash power setting so you can manually set the
external flash to suit the distance between you and the subject, aperture
and ISO (ASA) setting. In addition this can also be useful when balancing
flash against ambient light, as when photographing a close-up whist not
losing detail in the background.

Many UW flashes have these functions. I use the Sea&Sea YS90TTLdx Duo, the
YS120dx also has these functions. Ikelite, Subtronic, Epoque and Inon also
of these functions on some of their models.

The Inon are getting very good reviews over here in the UK.

>Get the Sony 7MP (DSC-P150) and their housing. The total should be right
>in the $600 range if you buy right.
>
>Its a fantastic camera and will work for you on land too. Takes nice macro
>shots underwater, has a movie mode, and is reasonable.
>
>One nice thing about the P150 is that it has very low shutter and start-up
>lag, making it entirely reasonable to carry shut off and power it up when
>you want to shoot.
>
>--
>--


that is the unit I just bought, (AFTER our cameras dumped on us on our cruise)

I have not got the chance to use in underwater yet,, but it is a great camera
on the land. the marine pack comes with a great housing that lets you use ALL
functions/buttons. as well as a removable red lens filter, and flash defuser.

I am a sony dealer, and can sell them, but found "BEST BUY" will meet my
price, and had the cameras in stock, and found the marine pack on ebay for
about $10.00 cheaper then I could sell it to myself for.
so with shipping it was a wash.

"A.K.A. - MORK" <cricket202@aol.comno-spam> wrote in message
news:20050114152156.14195.00000008@mb-m10.aol.com...
> >Get the Sony 7MP (DSC-P150) and their housing. The total should be right
>>in the $600 range if you buy right.
>>
>>Its a fantastic camera and will work for you on land too. Takes nice macro
>>shots underwater, has a movie mode, and is reasonable.
>>
>>One nice thing about the P150 is that it has very low shutter and start-up
>>lag, making it entirely reasonable to carry shut off and power it up when
>>you want to shoot.
>>
>>--
>>--
>
>
> that is the unit I just bought, (AFTER our cameras dumped on us on our cruise)
>
> I have not got the chance to use in underwater yet,, but it is a great camera
> on the land. the marine pack comes with a great housing that lets you use ALL
> functions/buttons. as well as a removable red lens filter, and flash defuser.
>
> I am a sony dealer, and can sell them, but found "BEST BUY" will meet my
> price, and had the cameras in stock, and found the marine pack on ebay for
> about $10.00 cheaper then I could sell it to myself for.
> so with shipping it was a wash.

How does Sony compare with Canon for underwater use?

Adam

"Adam Helberg" <sendspamhere@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:uJfGd.8322$Ii4.121@newsread3.news.pas.earthli nk.net...
>
> "A.K.A. - MORK" <cricket202@aol.comno-spam> wrote in message
> news:20050114152156.14195.00000008@mb-m10.aol.com...
>> >Get the Sony 7MP (DSC-P150) and their housing. The total should be
>> >right
>>>in the $600 range if you buy right.
>>>
>>>Its a fantastic camera and will work for you on land too. Takes nice
>>>macro
>>>shots underwater, has a movie mode, and is reasonable.
>>>
>>>One nice thing about the P150 is that it has very low shutter and
>>>start-up
>>>lag, making it entirely reasonable to carry shut off and power it up when
>>>you want to shoot.
>>>
>>>--
>>>--
>>
>>
>> that is the unit I just bought, (AFTER our cameras dumped on us on our
>> cruise)
>>
>> I have not got the chance to use in underwater yet,, but it is a great
>> camera
>> on the land. the marine pack comes with a great housing that lets you
>> use ALL
>> functions/buttons. as well as a removable red lens filter, and flash
>> defuser.
>>
>> I am a sony dealer, and can sell them, but found "BEST BUY" will meet my
>> price, and had the cameras in stock, and found the marine pack on ebay
>> for
>> about $10.00 cheaper then I could sell it to myself for.
>> so with shipping it was a wash.
>
> How does Sony compare with Canon for underwater use?
>
> Adam
>

The Canon A85 has an underwater mode which does a number of things,
including emulation of the UR Pro filter. The UW housing gives access to all
the pushbuttons. It has a flash diffuser and a hood for the LCD.

Adobe Photoshop CS does a nice job of colour correcting in case the UR Pro
filter doesn't quite get it right.

Hope to baptise it in April at CocoView. I am considering a strobe. Any
recommendations?

Rudy

"chilly" <slarson@shaw.canada> wrote in message
news:2VhGd.86707$Xk.44376@pd7tw3no...
>
> "Rudy Benner" <bennerREMOVE@personainternet.com> wrote in message
> news:10uja0u7k1naf9c@corp.supernews.com...
>>
>> "chilly" <slarson@shaw.canada> wrote in message
>> news:CzhGd.86594$Xk.19249@pd7tw3no...
>> >
>> > "Rudy Benner" <bennerREMOVE@personainternet.com> wrote in message
>> > news:10uj318n4poce62@corp.supernews.com...
>> >>
>> >> Hope to baptise it in April at CocoView.
>> >
>> > When in April, to you plan to be at CocoView?
>> >
>> >
>>
>> We are aiming to arrive on April 23, which is a full moon. Are you
>> coming?
>
> Not to CocoView. However, if I do return to Roatan in April, that is my
> planned date of arrival.
>
> Right now, it is just a pipe dream.
>
>
>

Its not nailed down yet, but correspondence has been exchanged and that date
is available.

"Rudy Benner" <bennerREMOVE@personainternet.com> wrote in message
news:10uja0u7k1naf9c@corp.supernews.com...
>
> "chilly" <slarson@shaw.canada> wrote in message
> news:CzhGd.86594$Xk.19249@pd7tw3no...
> >
> > "Rudy Benner" <bennerREMOVE@personainternet.com> wrote in message
> > news:10uj318n4poce62@corp.supernews.com...
> >>
> >> Hope to baptise it in April at CocoView.
> >
> > When in April, to you plan to be at CocoView?
> >
> >
>
> We are aiming to arrive on April 23, which is a full moon. Are you coming?

Not to CocoView. However, if I do return to Roatan in April, that is my
planned date of arrival.

Right now, it is just a pipe dream.

Jeez chilly, if Rudy's gonna moon, ya don't wanna be in range.

JF (from sunny Mexico)


chilly wrote:
> "Rudy Benner" <bennerREMOVE@personainternet.com> wrote in message
> news:10uja0u7k1naf9c@corp.supernews.com...
> >
> > "chilly" <slarson@shaw.canada> wrote in message
> > news:CzhGd.86594$Xk.19249@pd7tw3no...
> > >
> > > "Rudy Benner" <bennerREMOVE@personainternet.com> wrote in message
> > > news:10uj318n4poce62@corp.supernews.com...
> > >>
> > >> Hope to baptise it in April at CocoView.
> > >
> > > When in April, to you plan to be at CocoView?
> > >
> > >
> >
> > We are aiming to arrive on April 23, which is a full moon. Are you
coming?
>
> Not to CocoView. However, if I do return to Roatan in April, that is
my
> planned date of arrival.
>
> Right now, it is just a pipe dream.

"JOF" <jofrancis@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:1105915945.635357.125770@c13g2000cwb.googlegr oups.com...
> Jeez chilly, if Rudy's gonna moon, ya don't wanna be in range.
>
> JF (from sunny Mexico)

Good point, John. How the heck have you been? You've been conspicuous in
your absence.

>
> chilly wrote:
> > "Rudy Benner" <bennerREMOVE@personainternet.com> wrote in message
> > news:10uja0u7k1naf9c@corp.supernews.com...
> > >
> > > "chilly" <slarson@shaw.canada> wrote in message
> > > news:CzhGd.86594$Xk.19249@pd7tw3no...
> > > >
> > > > "Rudy Benner" <bennerREMOVE@personainternet.com> wrote in message
> > > > news:10uj318n4poce62@corp.supernews.com...
> > > >>
> > > >> Hope to baptise it in April at CocoView.
> > > >
> > > > When in April, to you plan to be at CocoView?
> > > >
> > > >
> > >
> > > We are aiming to arrive on April 23, which is a full moon. Are you
> coming?
> >
> > Not to CocoView. However, if I do return to Roatan in April, that is
> my
> > planned date of arrival.
> >
> > Right now, it is just a pipe dream.
>

"chilly" <slarson@shaw.canada> wrote in message
news:onDGd.94676$6l.54393@pd7tw2no...
>
> "JOF" <jofrancis@gmail.com> wrote in message
> news:1105915945.635357.125770@c13g2000cwb.googlegr oups.com...
>> Jeez chilly, if Rudy's gonna moon, ya don't wanna be in range.
>>
>> JF (from sunny Mexico)
>
> Good point, John. How the heck have you been? You've been conspicuous in
> your absence.

He's in Mexico now. Maybe he only posts on vacation, like Reef Fish.