EauBoy

Mark, Thanks for your reply. It's good to know that other 707 users are still able to get good pics with this setup. I have purchased a bright (if a bit too narrow) mini-C light from Ikelite which I'll mount in parallel to the strobe to aid in lighting and composing. In dry experimentation with this solution shooting moving subjects is next to impossible, but I'm fairly sure that the nudibranchs won't escape me! Can you tell me more about the pre-shutter option that you're using? My half-press requires a delicate touch with the shutter control that may be difficult to master. Regards...

This topic is pretty much the same as one I posted in the lighting forum. I've since figured out that it is a camera-specific issue, not a lighting issue. My apologies to anyone reading this a second time. Here's the situation: I want to shoot w/ aperture priority and/or full manual. The ISO is set to 100. If I use aperture priority, say f8, then the shutter speed comes out too slow, even though the flash is there to make a good exposure. So, I have to go to full manual. That works pretty well. I can set f8 and 1/100th (or there 'bouts) and get a good exposure with the flash/strobe. Here's the problem: I cannot compose with manual settings in moderate or dim light. The camera doesn't illuminate the LCD much at all. Like it is saying "hey smartguy, with the manual settings you've selected this will be a dark picture, and I'm showing you what it will look like". When I half-press the shutter, the camera briefly illuminates the LCD while it autofocuses, then goes dark again. If I proceed with the shot, it goes fine; the flash/strobe does the job. But clearly it is next to impossible to compose a good shot in this situation. If I use auto, then everything is fine, at least in moderate light. But I don't want all of my exposures to be f2 and 1/40th. If I go to shutter priority, then I can force it up to, say, 1/100th, but as I do, the display starts to dim again. I can only imagine that in lower light situations such as when diving, that even modest manual settings will yield a dim display. It seems like there should be two ways to prevent this from happening: 1 -> The camera should be able to compose with the aperture wide open, only closing the aperture when I press to shoot. That way, I'd get plenty of light to compose. 2 -> The camera should sense the flash/strobe in aperture priority during the pre-flash sequence and add enough light to allow the camera not to use a ridiculously slow shutter speed. It just doesn't seem right that the camera could (if it wanted to) show me the extra light during composition, but chooses not to. Please note that the Sony DSC 707 (and other models) have what they call a 'nightframe' mode, which seems to be IR viewing for low light situations. This IS very good for framing in low light and may be a handy feature on the camera. It is NOT however an option when shooting manual. So, I'm back to f2 and 1/40th on all of my shots. Does anyone have insight to this problem? Especially a fellow DSC 707 user? I'm using the camera in an Ikelite housing with their DS-50 strobe, but the camera behaves the same way in or out of the housing. This is NOT a problem with the housing or strobe, as far as I can tell. Thanks!!!

Thanks Peter & James for your suggestions. The Sony features a 'nightshot' feature which is basically an infrared imaging setting which helps frame in low-light environments, but takes a natural-light photo when the shutter is pressed. I'll experiment with that feature to see if it is a viable workaround. (nope, just found out that doesn't work in manual mode). Until then, I'll hope another 707 user steps in to share their experience. If that isn't normal behavior I'd love to know. I'll also try the F5, 1/100th settings, Peter, but I noticed on your very helpful web site that you recommend f8 for macro shots. Naturally I'll experiment with both and have some fun figuring out what works. Regards...

Wow! That is just gorgeous. I especially love the hint of blue drawing the eye toward the subject in an otherwise warm image. And the composition, while abstract, is excellent.

I think having the diver in the upper reaches of this shot makes all of the difference. Nicely done.

Very nice color. Like you said, a 'neon sign' effect. And the black background helps point it out very well. Can you do something about the somewhat overexposed dorsal/trailing fin? I found it somewhat distracting, especially since there is some blur there.

Cute pic. The Burrfish (?) has an almost human looking expression of joy, and the ambient light in the background with plants is very cheery. This is a 'fun' picture. I've always thought that subjects moving/looking into the frame are slightly better compositionally than subjects swimming/looking away, as in this example. If you want to print/frame the image then you might consider using PS to take some of the backscatter out of the image, too. (this from a guy who has yet to snap the shutter on more than 5 UW pics in his entire life)

Greetings all, I just purchased an Ikelite housing + DS50 strobe for my Sony DSC 707 digital point-n-shoot. The Ikelite housing features a TTL sensor with a bulkhead connection to the DS50, which then works in auto/TTL mode. In dry testing with the setup I noticed that I obtained blurry pix caused by very long shutter speeds. I had been using aperture mode set to F8 and with ISO set to 100. The exposure level was correct, but obviously too blurry. Ikelite mentions exactly this issue in one of their FAQs. So, I went to an entirely manual setup. I chose F8 and a more reasonable shutter speed (I think 1/40th). This worked just great. Good exposure, no blurriness. Cool. The problem is, with these settings in a moderately-lit room (sunny outside, but scant direct sunlight entering room), the LCD doesn't light. My understanding/assumption is that the Sony 'knows' that there isn't enough light at F8&1/40th to light the scene so the LCD obligingly shows almost total darkness. When I half-press the shutter the LCD (briefly, during autofucus) illuminates, allowing me to compose and shoot. I expect that this behavior would be the same underwater, in similarly darkened environments. In fact, the behavior is evident even when the camera is un-housed and using only its own flash. Everything seems to be working fine, but this issue confounds me. Composing will be difficult without an illuminated LCD, and trying to compose with the shutter half pressed will be a real challenge, especially since the LCD only lights briefly, during autofucus, then turns back to semi-black. Plus, what if I half-press then need to change distance to subject? Any guidance would be appreciated. Again, I don't have any reason to think that any of the equipment isn't working exactly as designed. Hopefully, newbie that I am, I'm simply missing something small.