Shooter
02-12-2007, 02:59 AM
I have greatly injoyed reading this section of the forum and have learned and used a few new tricks from it. As much U/W photo knowledge as there is one this site, it feels as most of it is in digital SLR's. So I would like to throw in my two cents worth of knowledge into the P&S thread.
All though P&S camera shutter lag times have reduced considerably in about the last year to all most SRL fast. I have found that this speed is only avalible in the cameras auto setting mode. Leaving you with what ever it thinks is the best possible picture, which is often not that great. If the water is not crystal clear you end up with really out of color looking pics or looking to much of what they looked like and not something that you would want to show around.
IMG_0151_1_2_1.JPG (http://www.uwphotochat.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=113&stc=1&d=1171264836)
As well if you use the manual mode to correct the white balance, the camera takes longer to take the image and you end up with a blurry pic. This shouldn't be a problem with most newer P&S cameras as most have Image Stabalizers.
IMG_0138_2_1.JPG (http://www.uwphotochat.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=114&stc=1&d=1171265036)
But the biggest issue I have next to fuzzy pics is the flash. With it being so close to the lens, it generates so much Back Scatter that you can loss the subject that you where trying to photograph.
IMG_0164_1_1.JPG (http://www.uwphotochat.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=115&stc=1&d=1171265036)
There is suppost to be a eel in this picture, but I have no idea as to where it disappeared to in amoungst the Back Scatter.:eek:
Even if the water was clear enough to us the built in flash. It rarely lights up the whole picture. Leaving a dark corner somewhere on the opposite side of the pic from where the flash is sits.
IMG_0406_1_2_1.JPG (http://www.uwphotochat.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=116&stc=1&d=1171265036)
I may of shown some limitations to using point and shoots under water but this is not to say that they aren't a good choice. Any of the limiting factiors can be over come relatively simply.
In fact I think they are an excellent choice to take underwater. There small, cheap (relativley considering your budget), easy to use, and versatile, going with you pretty much anywhere on land and in the water.
For example my setup is; about the size of a Canon PS S3 IS with out a housing, in its housing. The Camera and Housing cost less than $900 Canadian. Operation is pretty much a grease up housing O-Ring, pop in the camera and turn it on, jump into the water thing. As well it when with me everywhere, I have over a 150 pics from my most resent trip to Costa Rica of day trips, the resort, scuba diving and even a video I took of myself going down on of the worlds longest water silder. That video is over a minute long.
So if you are wanting to take pictures when you dive a Point and Shoot is a really great option to start with.
All though P&S camera shutter lag times have reduced considerably in about the last year to all most SRL fast. I have found that this speed is only avalible in the cameras auto setting mode. Leaving you with what ever it thinks is the best possible picture, which is often not that great. If the water is not crystal clear you end up with really out of color looking pics or looking to much of what they looked like and not something that you would want to show around.
IMG_0151_1_2_1.JPG (http://www.uwphotochat.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=113&stc=1&d=1171264836)
As well if you use the manual mode to correct the white balance, the camera takes longer to take the image and you end up with a blurry pic. This shouldn't be a problem with most newer P&S cameras as most have Image Stabalizers.
IMG_0138_2_1.JPG (http://www.uwphotochat.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=114&stc=1&d=1171265036)
But the biggest issue I have next to fuzzy pics is the flash. With it being so close to the lens, it generates so much Back Scatter that you can loss the subject that you where trying to photograph.
IMG_0164_1_1.JPG (http://www.uwphotochat.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=115&stc=1&d=1171265036)
There is suppost to be a eel in this picture, but I have no idea as to where it disappeared to in amoungst the Back Scatter.:eek:
Even if the water was clear enough to us the built in flash. It rarely lights up the whole picture. Leaving a dark corner somewhere on the opposite side of the pic from where the flash is sits.
IMG_0406_1_2_1.JPG (http://www.uwphotochat.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=116&stc=1&d=1171265036)
I may of shown some limitations to using point and shoots under water but this is not to say that they aren't a good choice. Any of the limiting factiors can be over come relatively simply.
In fact I think they are an excellent choice to take underwater. There small, cheap (relativley considering your budget), easy to use, and versatile, going with you pretty much anywhere on land and in the water.
For example my setup is; about the size of a Canon PS S3 IS with out a housing, in its housing. The Camera and Housing cost less than $900 Canadian. Operation is pretty much a grease up housing O-Ring, pop in the camera and turn it on, jump into the water thing. As well it when with me everywhere, I have over a 150 pics from my most resent trip to Costa Rica of day trips, the resort, scuba diving and even a video I took of myself going down on of the worlds longest water silder. That video is over a minute long.
So if you are wanting to take pictures when you dive a Point and Shoot is a really great option to start with.