Coolpix 990 users choice!

Hello everyone,

I'd like to get in touch with other Nikon

Coolpix 990 users here. So please post

your equipment here.

I am using the 990 in UK-Germany

Housing with a subtronic alpha pro

strobe.

The strobe is way too strong for the

camera and the TTL functions always

tends to give the pictures too much light

exposure. But some of you might have

solved this problem. I would be glad to

hear about it. Because currently we are

always doing several shots to adjust the

strobe strenghts first.

Thanxx, Andi

[Edited on 28.2.2002 by andi]

Hi Andy. I have the 990 in an Ikelite housing and I use a Nikon SB102 (big) strobe with it. I have shot literally THOUSANDS of UW shots w/ this setup.

I shoot in aperture priority mode w/ the strobe in TTL

Here are some of my shots:

www.reefpix.org

Here is a nicely "balanced" shot w/ a good TTL exposure and a good blue background:

I'll get into more specifics if you want when I get home tonight. I love talking about my setup and I'm sure we can share some good information. I am always looking to improve.

Don't lose heart, you WILL be able to get good exposures, but it takes PRACTICE, patience, and a willingness to do "work" and learn.

Cheers

James Wiseman

Hello James,

pleased to find someone else here. Allright I got the hint for atomated aperture before, but it did not solve my exposure problems. But I'll get back to that topic in a 2nd reply. All in all I found out that the TTL is nearly working fine in wide angle use. But as soon as you try to go macro or approx. 50 cm you will fail or get a completely white image. The same is guaranteed to happend when trying to use the TTL on a nightdive.

I remember this experience when using a rented strobe (your modell) on a night dive in TTL (example attached). I have attached the resulting image to this message.

As you see it was absolutely screwed... :mad:

But when trying the strobe intesities manually, I managed get several nice shots... here is one of them The only thing which is a little disturbing is that the strobe was positioned absolute left that time which results in a strong shadow on the right...

[Edited on 28.2.2002 by andi]

As promised another one. In this I'd like

to show the nice "balanced" blue which

James mentioned before. I have also

attached the EXIF-Data for this shot, which is:

File: DSCN5799.JPG

File size: 1,108KB

Camera Model: E990

Firmware: E990v1.1

Date/Time: 2001:09:22 11:58:15

Shutter speed: 1/286 sec

Aperture: 3,9

Exposure mode: Program

Flash: NORMAL

Metering mode: Spot

ISO: 0

Focal length: 8,2 mm

AF mode: AF-C

Image size: 2048 x 1536

Image quality: FINE

White balance: AUTO

Sharpness: HIGH

The picture was made by my buddy Lars

Kirchhoff. He was very well assisted by

the TDI-Instructor on the picture how to

position the strobe.

On another try and same conditions the

result was completely different and blue

became green. To give you hints, here

are the settings again:

File: DSCN5787.JPG

File size: 1,283KB

Camera Model: E990

Firmware: E990v1.1

Date/Time: 2001:09:22 11:53:03

Shutter speed: 1/229 sec

Aperture: 3,5

Exposure mode: Program

Flash: NORMAL

Metering mode: Spot

ISO: 0

Focal length: 8,2 mm

AF mode: AF-C

Image size: 2048 x 1536

Image quality: FINE

White balance: AUTO

Sharpness: HIGH

What I do not undestand yet is, that

even with only a very slight change in

the apperture of 0,4 we received such

a devastating result? Who can find a

pattern here? Or was it just the sun in

the backround? Has anyone successfully

made a digital picture against the sun?

Questions,... seeking answer!

Thanxx in advance, Andi

[Edited on 28.2.2002 by andi]

Hi Andy,

Let's talk about the night dive first. I would suggest you try using a flash light as a modelling light for your shots. When you use the camera in Aperture Priority Mode, since the coolpix doesn't fire a preflash, it selects the shutter speed based on the available light/contrast. The camera uses contrast to set focus and shutterspeed. When the strobe goes off, the flash sensor uses the return to quench the flash - that's the TTL part.

Now let's talk about the difference between the two photos of the diver you posted.

The aperture is slightly different for the two shots, but note that the shutterspeed is also different. When shooting in aperture priority, the camera will select the speed - and it can pick funny speeds like 1/226th or whatever.

Second thing to consider is distance. The first shot has much "richer" colors because the shot was taken closer to the subject. The more water between your lens/strobe and the subject, the more "bland" the picture will be. That explains the general "green blue tint" in the second shot - which appears to be taken about 2 times as far away from the subject. So, the lesson? Get close, and use a wideangle lens if you want to shoot bigger subjects.

Hope that helps. Please post more of your photos too, they look fantastic!

Cheers

James Wiseman

your second image has the sun in it. I suspect this has affected your metering and or your white balance.

Also the subject in the first pic fills most of the frame. In the second only a small part of the frame. This is why TTL dosen't work for wide angle images. TTl works great for macro and close up as the subject composes most of the frame and the metering is correct. With wide angle close subjects tend to be overexposed as the metering ties to expose for the dominate background. (It took me 15 years to learn this) Go manual exposure for wide angle shots

Also the subject in the first pic fills most of the frame. In the second only a small part of the frame. This is why TTL dosen't work for wide angle images. TTl works great for macro and close up as the subject composes most of the frame and the metering is correct. With wide angle close subjects tend to be overexposed as the metering ties to expose for the dominate background. (It took me 15 years to learn this) Go manual exposure for wide angle shots

Andi, I noticed that you had the white balance set to auto. With all the strange lighting conditions that exist underwater I would suggest that you set your white balance to "fine" (Fine=Sunny on the 990) this way you will get consistent color with regards to exposure. Try it, I'm sure you will see the difference on your next dive.

I use a CoolPix 990 with a SeaLux housing and Sea&Sea YS120 strobe. I love it. But I haven't used anything else to compare with.

I use a CoolPix 990 with a SeaLux housing and Sea&Sea YS120 strobe. I love it. But I haven't used anything else to compare with.