CP5000 - monitor on-time and shooting CFWA

I'm a new user of a CP5000 in an Aquatica A5000 housing w/ Ike DS125 strobe. Got great results in Cay Sal using add-on Aquatica WA, but have two questions.

1. How do I get the monitor to stay on longer...I couldn't find anything in the manual about increasing the on-time of the monitor, it seemed that after shooting a shark and waiting for another to come around to a reasonable distance/angle I would have to depress the shutter to get the monitor on again...the lag time is frustrating. I know this will eat more battery power, but I'll accept the trade-of.

2. When using the WA lense I was attempting to shoot Close Focus Wide Angle shots, using a subject within 1-2 ft. of the lense as the primary, strobe-lit subject, then a diver siloueted behind that, with the sun in a corner of the frame, looking upwards. This has always worked great with my Nikonos 15mm, but I get a huge blob of washed out light, where the sun is, on digital. Is this a whit balance issue...setting is on Auto on the camera?

Any suggestions are greatly appreciated, got some great shots to be published about the blue holes on the Bank in the next issue of Advanced Diver magazine.

Thanks,

Hodagey

1. Menu/Setup(thats the S page)/Auto Off/choose a longer auto off time.

2. The blown out sun sounds like its just a digital "lack of dynamic range" issue. Film can record a greater range of brightness than digital. Digital SLRs may do a better job than compacts like the Collpix 5000.

2. When using the WA lense I was attempting to shoot Close Focus Wide Angle shots, using a subject within 1-2 ft. of the lense as the primary, strobe-lit subject, then a diver siloueted behind that, with the sun in a corner of the frame, looking upwards. This has always worked great with my Nikonos 15mm, but I get a huge blob of washed out light, where the sun is, on digital. Is this a whit balance issue...setting is on Auto on the camera?

Bracketing may sort out the wash out issue, I recommend you start by increasing your shutter speed, and only open the aperature if the increase makes the shot too dark. I have a general rule of thumb for this situation of open aperature one step for every two/three step increases in speed.

:shock: hope that made sense?

Aengus