EOS1Ds by Seacam

We are pleased to announce the first Seacam EOS1Ds housings are beginning to arrive in US from Austria. For a quick look see:

http://www.stephenfrink.com/seacam/sc-albu.../inc-eos1ds.php

Stephen Frink

I'll get this added to the news section as soon as the server will let me. Sorry for the delay.

I spoke with someone who owns a Seacam 1Ds housing today, and he informed me that it is impossible to change ISO given the controls in the housing.

I change ISO a lot while underwater. I'm wondering why this was left off of the housing. How many of you out there also change ISO while underwater?

UPDATE -- you CAN change ISO. My source was incorrect.

Having the ability to change ISO was a major factor in my digital conversion.

For super macro this will be a wonderful feature. I also do a lot of "deep" tech diving and I think this feature will also be quite helpful.

I am still a digital infant and I do have a question, how does a ISO change affect a digital image. Is there some quality loss as you use higher ISO settings.

Chris

I've never used this function. My D100 starts at ISO 200 and I always use this underwater. I think that your ISO choice depends mostly on the depth at which you'll be diving, so pick your ISO based on your dive plan. Shouldn't be a big loss. For deep tech diving however, I guess you might want to lower ISO as you ascend and kill time at your safety stop. Of all the important features this one wouldn't concern me.

I change it constantly based on conditions. I've found times when I've gone through most of the range on a single dive. While I agree with Kasey that you should set it based on your dive plan, but I've run into a number of places where it's not as simple as that. Deep tech diving is definitely a good example. I could probably live without it if I needed to, but I can't see why it would have been left off as Eric said.

I never change the ISO. I find it an unnecessary chore. I find that up to ISO 400, noise levels are quite acceptable. Since the D100's lowest setting is 200, it's a one stop change, a parameter more easily done via shutter speed or aperture. If I still need more, chances are it's a lousy shot anyway, like shooting down the wall. For macro, it doesn't matter at all since its flash controlled anyway.

Us former film people who've shot Velvia/Provia are amazed at the flexibility gained by ISO 200. The one or two stops gained even at ISO 200 allows a much better range of apertures.

I change ISO underwater pretty regularly between 100, 200 and 400. It's great to have if you jump in and then it gets cloudy when you are shooting wideangle with not that much available light. Sometimes there is no other way to get a stop or 2 other than changing ISO.

When I dove the Yukon in San Diego for the first time, I had NO idea what the conditions would be like, so I just jumped in, hit the bottom, and then set my ISO accordingly (to 400 on that dive).

HTH

James

I've never done it intentionally! (Never enable auto-ISO on your D100!)

I could see certain approaches that might favor changing ISO but haven't done so myself. I'm surprised that it was left off. On the D100 you can set ISO directly through the function/command controls or you can do it in the menus. Perhaps you could do the same on the 1Ds?

The 1Ds has explicit ISO change buttons you have to press -- can't do it through the menus.

I regularly change ISO if clouds move in, or on those dives closed to dusk when light can change a lot from the beginning to the end of the dive.

I'm talking about IS0 100 and 200 -- and very rarely 400. But the point is that it is a part of the way I shoot, and leaving it off of a housing is a major thing for me, and others who shoot the same way.

Having a minimum ISO of 200 changes things. It's less rare that I push past 200, so it might be ok for cameras who don't go below 200...

so eric... what are you taking underwater these days? have you relapsed to the D60 for now?

Relapsed? from what? I've always been shooting the D60...

I change ISO a lot while underwater.  I'm wondering why this was left off of the housing.  How many of you out there also change ISO while underwater?

I have changed ISO on dives where I am shooting wide angle and the conditions are bad or change significantly. For whatever reason I find it easier to control my blue backgrounds in a slightly higher ISO mode - probably physological but whatever works right? :-)

I don't do it every dive or even regularly, but it is certainly a feature I like and use on the housing I currently use.

M

Relapsed? from what?  I've always been shooting the D60...

I thought you'd sold off your D60 and housing, but now I remember that you just switched housings. Your Great White shots are 1st class! You may have another mag cover in that batch.

Eric, I've got to say, it feels like there's a 1Ds housing in your not so distant future...

Relapsed? from what?  I've always been shooting the D60...

I think he was talking about the mandatory 12-step program for Canon users.

I've asked Austria for clarification on the ISO control issue and will advise once I hear back. Just back in town myself.

Steve

Steve - the guy I know with a 1Ds tells me that it is just a labeling problem. The housing allows you access to both of the buttons you need to change ISO, but the housing itself is not labeled to tell you which buttons they are.

I think it unfamiliarity with the camera on his part. Sorry for the confusion!

Interesting thread nonetheless

Interesting perhaps ... Except for the unnecessary consternation it caused me :-).

Yes, between the instructions, and sometimes the labeling, you will be reminded English is a second language with Seacam products. However, our common language is photography, and that is spoken quite well.

Steve