Sea & Sea DX-5000G RAW (NC2592)-Compatability and SD car

If you have this camera and have experience with it, can you comment on a few questions?

1) I cannot open one of the NC2592 (RAW) files with Photoshop. I can open them no problem with the DU-10x (included software), but would really prefer to edit my images with Photoshop. When I attempt to open the file with Photoshop, I get the following error:

Could not open <filename> because the TIFF file uses and unsupported color space

I have searched adobe's site and a few others and cannot find a plugin or any information to get around this problem. I get the same error if I try to use photoshop to connect directly to the camera and download the images.

Has anyone else encountered this problem? Any resolution?

2) I timed an image save using a standard SD card (256MB) and it took a little over 80 seconds to save the image to the card (and make the camera usable again). I tried an Ultra2 (512MB) card (supposedly 60x write speeds) and the time came down to just over 30 seconds. Still too long in practice. What kind of times are you getting for NC images? Any way to speed this up?

3) The manual states that you can use up to a 512MB SD card in the camera. Has anyone tried a 1GB card? Does this work?

Thanks in advance.

Have you tried downloading the latest version of adobe camera RAW? It is available on their website as a free download. I couldnt' just RAW capability in photoshop untill I installed the latest version. Hope this helps.

No, I can't. I made a mistake. I am using Photoshop Elements, not Photoshop CS. There is no new RAW plugin fof Elements. I did send one of my pics to a buddy who uses CS and he couldn't open it either. I don't know if his CS haf the latest plugins or not

I know this is kind of a late post to this subject but I had the same problem and got an answer (at least I thought it was a good answer) from Sea & Sea. Here is what they told me.

Thank you for your inquiry.

As you know, jpg format is compressed data and is used for most software.

.tiff format is uncompressed data, so it needs more memories and takes more

time to proceed. However, this tiff format is little different from ordinal

.tiff format. In order to look at tiff formatted pictures, you need to

install software (DU10X) which is in CD ROM that comes with the camera.

Please install the software on your PC, open the pictures from memory card,

and save the pictures in your PC. It is still .tiff formatted data and you

can use Adobe or Photoshop.

As it turns out you must open each individual photo using the DU10X software then save them to your computer. You can then open this file using photoshop, photoshop elements or whatever photo program you use. That is a ridiculous time consuming process just to get a .tiff formated pictureQ! Yes it takes forever to write the pictures you take in NC2592 (Non Compressed tiff format) hardly worth the effort.

Hope this provides you some good info. I have emailed Sea & Sea several times and get replies within 2-3 days. I am using Panosonic Pro SD cards that are supposed to be the fastest possible. I just got my 5000G and am still learning it by using it on land before going under. I have a YS-90 Auto strobe that I was using with a sony housing. Any and all tips greatly appreciated.

Pacifichiflyer

My reply is rather late and very likely answered elsewhere.

I am using 1 gb SD cards in my DX5000G. Everything is working great.

Saving in the highest resolution .JPG mode gives over 450 shots. This looks like 3 dives and the battery is 1st to give out.

When you are saving .JPG files in the highest res. setting, how large were your files using this camera? How about in RAW setting?

I just purchased one of these (upgrade from DX3000) and wonder two things:

Is it worth while to get one of the Sandisk Extreme III cards and

Will the GX8 also fit the housing?

Just got the thing, haven't take a single picture and I'm already looking to upgrade. It's a curse.

dbeedle,

What are your reasons to want to upgrade so soon? Was it not what you expected?

dbeedle,

What are your reasons to want to upgrade so soon? Was it not what you expected?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Well...I'm only half serious (probably less) about upgrading. I literally received the camera two days ago. Haven't had it the water yet or even taken a shot other than messing around with it in the house.

I just noticed that the 8 MP is now out and the gadget geek in me perked up his ears! From what I can tell so far, the GX is a pretty sharp little camera and is certainly a step up from the DX-3000/Caplio G3s that I have been using, which has also done a good job for me by the way. It offers what I wanted in the 3000, a small, unobtrusive camera that could be taken from the housing and used on land and adds some extra features the G3s doesn't have (RAW, WB, a manual mode). The fast shutter lag is also attractive to me. I'm just curious if the GX8 will fit the same housing. If so, that offers an upgrade path without the added expense of another housing and offers an alternative if I should need to replace the camera.

I just purchased one of these (upgrade from DX3000) and wonder two things:

 

Is it worth while to get one of the Sandisk Extreme III cards and

 

Will the GX8 also fit the housing?

 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Answering my own question...I noticed today a number of web pages (in Japan) that reference a new, DX-8000G. It appears to be the 8MP Ricoh GX8 in the same housing as the 5MP GX. Another page (in German, which I can figure out sometimes but thank-you Babblefish) states that the DX-8000 is the 8MP camera in the same housing as the 5000.

hey dbeedle

i was wondering what your opinion of the dx5000 was.

i also own the dx3000 and have considerd upreading to the 5mp version, i now see that there is a 8mp version the dx8000g available.

i have heard mixed reviews ,

i have looked at other 5mp cameras as well.

a friend of mine has just purchaced a housed olly5060 and said her old dx3000 had better shutter response.

reguards

matt

So far I have only used the camera on land and not too much. I'll have the housing in the water over the 4th of July weekend though (Tobermory CA). I like the camera and it offers a few features over the 3000 including white balance and a manual mode (though not full manual). The built in flash seems to be on the wimpy side but so far that is my only complaint. The shutter lag is supposed to be a tad shorter than the 3000 and is one of the reasons I went with the 5000, along with the macro mode.

My only concern with the housing is that the buttons (I think) are smaller and closer together. Could cause problems with gloved hands. Also, if you have the wide-angle lens for the 3000 it will not fit the 5000. The 8MP camera, though, is said to fit the 5000 housing. I don't believe Sea & Sea will sell the camera with ought the housing though. The cameras are Ricoh Caplio GX and GX8 models and there should be availability should a camera suffer from exposure to moisture . That was also attractive to me as well as having a path to 8MP without having to invest in another housing.

thanks for the info

is apreciate seeing some photos and a few user comments when you return from your trip

reguards

matt

thanks for the info

is apreciate seeing some photos and a few user comments when you return from your trip

 

reguards

matt

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Managed to get in about 200 shots with the DX-5000 this past weekend in Tobermory, Ont. Had no problems with the camera and housing other than a broken fibre sync cord which I had grabbed by mistake, the new one was safe on dry land waiting for the next dive. I was surprised that I was able to use the controls on the camera as well as I was. It was cold water of course (37F at the coldest) and I was in a dry suit and dry gloves. I was still able to use most of the buttons and controls without too much of a problem and the others with some careful poking. The buttons are smaller on the back of the camera but are set at different heights which makes them much easier to access.

Using the camera and housing itself is very similar to the DX-3000 (I have the Model G3s camera). I really like that the power button is no longer on top next to the shutter (it's on the back). I have had occasion to turn the camera off instead of taking a picture. I experimented a bit with the manual mode but don't know that it offers much flexibility and I wound up using mostly the auto mode. The macro mode is still good and shutter lag is very good, no complaints there. One thing I did see on another board and notice on the housing...the diffuser that flips up to cover the internal flash is made of a thinner and much more opaque material than the 3000. Other had reported a lot of backscatter due to this and I took a hint from them and put black tape over it. Battery life seemed just find and I had no complaints from the batteries even after 4 dives one day. There are a couple of new display modes the G3s does not have including a histogram display and a battery saving display that turns off the LCD until the shutter is half pressed. I found that mode to be kind of difficult and annoying to use either pressing too far and taking a picture or not far enough and have the display go on and off. Could just be me, especially with the dry gloves. I did not experiment with the white balance, which is also new over the G3s, maybe next time.

Overall the 5000 is just as easy to use and maintain as the 3000. It's only very slightly larger but not enough that you would notice.

I have some of the shots online at Tobermory Shots. These are scaled down images to save space. If you want to see them I'll post full size files elsewhere or send a few to ya!

Aloha,

Been away diving and just catching up. As I said earlier I have the Sea & Sea 5000G with Sea & Sea YS90 Auto strobe. I took this to Palau and Truk and was very happy with the results. I need work on postioning strobes, but camera did great. I visited my favorite dive shop on my last trip to Tokyo and handled the new 8000G camera. Have to buy whole outfit camera & housing but the guy did say the housing is the same and that the Ricoh Capilio GX8 is the same camera. Have seen some for sale on E-bay and going to check out a couple camera shops my next trip to Japan. Thinking of getting one to have a backup. Cheers.