first timer, looking for tips

I'm making my first splash into UW photography during my upcoming trip to Belize. I have a Canon A630 (with the Canon housing). I don't have a strobe (yet), so I will use the internal flash.

The A630 has an UW white balance setting, does anyone know if this is the best setting? I had planned on this set up: UW white balance in TV mode (manual shutter speed mode) at 1/500 or 1/250, then let the camera manage the aperture and use an ISO of 200.

If anyone is familar with the Canon A series, please let me know if this sounds good. If using the M mode (full-manual) is better, what shutter speed, F-stop and ISO work best.

I've also read that depending on the depth, you can use the "day light" and "cloudy" white balance settings?

thanks in advance for any advice....I love this site.

UW white balance works quite well.

I would suggest for starting out to put it on P and then set the exposure compensation to -1. Also, don't leave it on Auto Flash, set it on flash for close up and no flash for stuff further away.

Depending on where you dive, if its nice clear water then i would leave it at ISO 100.

Also, unless you are very shallow or its very bright then the 1/500 will be too fast of a shutter speed. THat is why i suggest P and -1, that will give you nice blues. Then you can bracket the +/- to play with exposure

Have fun

UW white balance works quite well.

 

I would suggest for starting out to put it on P and then set the exposure compensation to -1. Also, don't leave it on Auto Flash, set it on flash for close up and no flash for stuff further away.

 

Depending on where you dive, if its nice clear water then i would leave it at ISO 100.

 

Also, unless you are very shallow or its very bright then the 1/500 will be too fast of a shutter speed. THat is why i suggest P and -1, that will give you nice blues. Then you can bracket the +/- to play with exposure

 

Have fun

thanks Mike...I've give it a try in P mode.

Hello

i just got a new camera and housing for it, but i didn't dive with it jet. I would like to know on what depth can i still take pictures without strobes?

Thank you

Polonca

If the water is clear, there should be enough light down to 30 metres to take photographs without a strobe. The main problem is the colour of the light and all your photographs will have a very blue cast. I found this out after my only strobe died on day 3 of a 6 day liveaboard. (I now have 2 strobes plus a backup.)

Anything below around 5 metres will have little colour and there's not much you can do it get it back. Photoshop can soften the blueness, but it is nothing like what can be achieved with a strobe.

Here are some examples from a dive without a strobe: Dive at Clam Gardens, Ribbon Reef #3, GBR on 15/09/2005

Hello

 

i just got a new camera and housing for it, but i didn't dive with it jet. I would like to know on what depth can i still take pictures without strobes?

 

Thank you

 

Polonca

If you want to go without strobe and not use the built in flash check out the magic filters

http://www.magic-filters.com/magicindex.html#

MJ