65 replies to this topic

[Drew]

Wags
Here are some pics from the A1U. Since we're lambasting it, may as well use it to prove the point.

In the wide pic, you'll see it to be dimmer and the histograms shows at least 1/5th stop dimmer than the standard.
What you are noticing when you go all wide is that the camera compensating for the added lit subjects, there isn't more light but more lit subjects, giving the illusion of a brighter pic to the naked eye but the camera sees it all.

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[NickJ]

Outstanding Dean, when are you coming to Singapore? I'm based here, although I'm out of town a lot, so knowing your dates would help.......

Be great to have a beer and discuss Tuscany, Stoney Cove, my new FX1 etc

Cheers, Nick

[NickJ]

Drew - interesting post supporting what I have thought to be true re light and WA (that wide angle shot sure is ugly as well, lots of distortion).

My empirical field experiece is that the WA lens (or at least a WA converter) cuts down light a lot.

Shawn and I were shooting side by side topside in the bar of the Deep Blue in Galapagos last year. Same light, same subject, same camera (TRV950), same shot, same settings, but whereas his was very acceptable, my WA shots were almost unuseable.

Same happened at Wolf island on the Shark Bay drop off at 25m in the afternoon. Shawn, no WA, good ambient light shots. Me, WA converter, very dark grainy, all other settings the same (the u/w comparison is a little less apples to apples though as I had a flat port and Shawn's was not - so more variables .....)

[NickJ]

BTW Dean, if Sony ever do bring out an A1 'upgrade' it will still be a 1CCD 'crash-cam' and still have it's limitations. Would certainly be a great cam, but I've convinced myself that one has to go 3CCD for the richness of picture quality, colour saturation as well as the better light performance (downside is poorness of user after purchase... )

[DeanB]

I arrive in Singapore on the 15th of Sept (Fri) staying at the Holiday Inn Atrium. We get picked up by the MV Mata Ikan early on the 17th (sun).

Then "I'll be back" (add Arnie jokes) Saturday the 23rd (10am) and fly out on Sunday 24th at 11pm.

If you can make it for a beer or two, great...

Dive safe

DeanB

P.S I can see me using the A1 for a back up, in the non to distant...

[NickJ]

Cool Dean - I've blocked Sat 16th - we can meet up at some time and compare notes. Where are you diving? (send me a personal mail - this is off topic)