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vlad

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Posts posted by vlad

  1. Posted

    Hello,

     

    Yes, you definitely can do something to make it better!!! You are probably not getting amy strobe in those pictures. I used a Conon S50 for about ... 3-4 years adn I love it. I just upgraded to another compact underwater now but I still remember what you have to do.

     

    Here is how you should set your camera:

    - No red eye reduction

    - No preflash

    - Set your flash level at minimum

    - NEVER shoot at that high iso you are shooting. The small cameras are a joke for high ISO. YOu should set it to 50 and forget about ever setting it on something else.

     

    Now about your strobe. I am not familiar with that strobe of yours and I am not going to look it up right now. Is your strobe a slave strobe (so the light of the camera flash triggers the strobe), is is direct light or fiber optic. Does it have power levels?

     

    The mode that I shoot in is that I made a custom settiing on the camera and I use the Av mode as base with the flash always on and set to the lowest possible setting (I am shooting a DS50 slave strobe).

     

    In your pictures I am pretty sure that your camera flash starts to flicker for the red eye reduction adn the preflash adn then your strobe goes off and then the flash of the camera fires and the picture is exposed and the strobe doesn't have the time to get recharged.

     

    I hope this helps

  2. Posted

    Hello,

     

    I have been searching for quite a while for an easy to use web slide show script.

    To probably everybody's surprise, I can't find one that I like.

     

    I am running my pictures off my personal web server and I have scripts that transform them and create the web pages. I would like a button/link that can be pushed by anybody and start a slide show of the pictures that are on the particular folder they are looking at

     

    Here are my requirements:

    - Free

    - Stand alone - no pbase, no flkr, no yahoo photos. I want to be able to install it and use it from my own web server. Even better I would like to not install it, just copy it on a web folder and use it.

    - Easy to use - I don't want a automated thing that will create the folders for me and then the script and then the links and then copy the pictures in its folders. I want something that lets me add pictures in a file and then goes through that file and displays them. The file can be any format, xml preferable

    - Decent looking - I can write my own java script with a button that parses an xml file and displays the pictures indicated in it but I want something that looks better

    - I don't want to use a photo management daemon like gallery

    - I don't want to use JAlbum.

    - I don't want all the pictures from the slideshow to be preloaded.

     

    What I found that almost suits me is Autoviewer from http://www.airtightinteractive.com/projects/autoviewer/ but they preload all the pictures before starting to display them and I don't like that.

     

    Can anybody suggest something?

    Thank you

    Vlad

  5. Posted

    In my case, I did the dunk test with the camera in the case and everything was ok.

     

    I then attached the case to the strobe tray. The tray was from my last setup that was a Bonica strobe/tray.

     

    The tray had a removable piece that had two prongs that were sticing out and keeping the Bonica camera in place not alowing it to twist ...

     

    Well ... those two prongs were too tall for the Canon case so I bent it when I attached the case to the tray. Of course, since I did the dunk test before attaching the strobe I didn't bother checking it again and I flooded my camera in the camera bucket ... Sad but true.

     

    I agree with Simon about the insurance. For the low end cameras it is not worth it but ... as everybosy said ... flooding ... just a question of when and how severe...

     

    Vlad

  6. Posted

    Damned,

     

    Did EVERYBODY flooded their S4x - S5x cameras in the Canon housing????!!!

    Yes, I did too and yes it was my fault.

     

    Now that I am using it right ... I love it.

    It is a great case if you maintain it well (silicone grease).

    The 30m rating ... well, if you are going to do this you are doing it at your own risk but you can take it deeper. I think I had it as deep as about 135 ft or so, definitely way pass 120 ft. I have it operatin at 120 ft all the time.

     

    Oh and ... it is cheap!

     

    Add a strobe to it and set it up right and you are going to get very nice shots.

     

    Vlad

  9. Posted

    Hello,

     

    Well ... I am an ingineer and I have to say ... I don't think a standard will hapen. All the companies want you to buy their cables for $50 - $100 not for $2.99 from Radio Shack...

     

    Just look at all the standards that have been created .... Why do we have so many standards for cell phones, why do we have different batteries for evry (damned) laptop, why do we have more serial protocols that I can name, ... standards are a great thing but they are never going to be respected by everybody.

     

    How many wires we need on the cable ... well ...

    Is everything digital? I think so. Than we need 2 wires, ground and signal.

    Even better why do we need wires?

    Infrared is a good solution or if you are thinking that the sun can get in the way and saturate your receiver why not radio.

    If the wireless pressure sensors work for dive computers, why not something like that for camera strobe communication?

    How fast should the communication be? I don't know but I don't think the ammount of data that has to be transmitted is that big so I don't see any problem there.

     

    So ... let's build one.

    Vlad

  10. Posted

    Adam,

     

    Lights would help and the best one I tried would be something without a spot (like LED flashlight) because yes, you will see it in the picture. Try to build your self some difuser for the light.

     

    Viz'art's idea is great.

    I have a Bonica strobe, probably one of the first ones they had, no settings, no power level just a photo sensor but it worked damn good until I got my Ikelite strobe.

     

    Other ideas ... don't use a strobe and if you are not too deep you can still get colors to show if you do some digital processing of the pictures after you get them on your computer.

     

    Good luck.

    Vlad

  11. Posted

    Hello,

     

    Here are a few answers

     

    is marine snow particles lit up by the flash? how big of an issue is that?

    The marine snow is called backscatter and it is a very big problem. Of course if the water is crystal clear than it is better.

    You can reduce this by using an external strobe.

    If you don't have an external strobe, don't use your flash for subjects that are further than 3-4ft. For the rest shoot without a flash and use photo software to do color corection after that on your computer.

     

    What settings should you use ...

    Well, I would start with P mode (to be able to disable the flash) and probably setting the white balance to clowdy woudl be good.

    The big guys shoot in full manual.

    I use Av mode and set my aperture to about middle of the road.

    You want a exposure of not less that 1/60 if you shoot something that even remotely fast ... like fish :-)

    For effects, movement of course you can go slower thatn that. ... But you know all this since you are a top side photographer!

     

    Play with your camera and the settings, you will find what works best for you.

     

    Oh, a few more things ... I would set the focus mode to center and disable red eye reduction.

     

    Enjoy and I want to see some pictures after you come back.

     

    Vlad

  12. Posted

    What I think is done wrong is education. If you make you PADI there must be some lessons about the Sea Reffs corals etc.. How long its take to build up how sensitiv this sytem is and how importand it is

     

    Hello,

     

    SSI has one of the chapters in the book about marine life and preservation.

    I think it is a good idea too to teach the new divers about how slow the coral grows and how to preserve it.

     

    Vlad

  14. Posted

    Hello,

     

    If the marine pack is the heavy ziplock thingy ... don't do it.

    If it is a real housing, if you shoot without a strobe, don't use the flash. That's about it.

     

    And of course you need to correct the colors on your computer after that.

    You coult use a red filter but as I said, you can't show anybody pictures without touching them on the computer to rebalance the colors, gama, contrast.

     

    Vlad

  15. Posted

    Now hang on!!!

     

    It is not THAT bad.

    Probably you know when the strobe puts out the flash it also puts out a masive radio discharge. Sort of like when you drive through a thunderstorm and you are listening to the radio and you hear hisses and noises.

     

    The radio, being analogue makes you hear the hisses but since your computer to tank transmitter connection is digital (well, of course the radio stuff is analogue but that's just the phisical layer in the architecture model .... OK ... I'll stop now!) and there is a protocol that has to be follow. Just imagine you are talking to me and you say "Hello" and I say back to you "Hello". hat's how your computer and the transmitter talk. Computer says give me your readings and the transmitter sends the data.

    Welllll, just imagine that this data is corupted by your strobe, ... that's when the computer (thank you CRC and checksum calculations!) is not displaying partial understood data packets. ...

    That's why it doesn't displays anyhting.

     

    So, don't wory about it. It is going to re sync.

     

    Let me know if you need more explanations

     

    Vlad

  16. Posted

    My method of shark ID is by the different patterns in their Ampullae of Lorenzini -- as my macro Tiger shots show.

     

    My method is I grab hod to their tails. If I survive it was a small one. If I go to the ER it was a big one ... and if I don't survive ... it was a dam big one!

    :)

     

    Vlad

  17. Posted

    I have one too...

     

    I switched from my old Bonica camera and strobe to a nice new Canon S45 (at that time) and a Canon housing. I intended to use the Bonica strobe for the Canon rig since it had the sensor on it so it should have been no problem.

    I tested the setup and everything worked fine.

    I took probably about 20 pictures on land with the S45 before I got on the boat.

    Of course I had the case greased and everything, I did the bucket test, no bubbles and THEN ... I attached the strobe tray.

    ... The Bonica strobe tray has two small prongs to keep the camera from twisting. Those prongs fit perfectly on the lip of the Bonica camera case. ... Not on the Canon camera case.

    I tighten the screw to get the Canon case and the strobe tray nice and snug and since I already did the water test, I dumped the system in the rinse bucket.

    About 2 hours later right before getting in the water ... my camera case was flooded half way with water.

    I saved the CF card but the rest was toast.

     

    Got a new camera, S50 at this time removed the Bonica prongs and everything worked fine after that.

     

    Vlad

  18. Posted

    Hello,

     

    I am with critter on this one!

    I don't mind helping/sharing. I know my time will come too.

    Some people on the boat want pictures ... ehhhh, so what. As critter said, give them a link to your website. They are going to love you for that and you will get the fame and glory. ... Usualy I make up by eating their cookies.

     

    Don't keep your head down in your day trips! Make new friends, that's one of the things that's great about diving right?!

    No, I don't like either to get a fin in front of my camera when I shoot photos but when I feel the conditions are great I just dive a little bit away from the croud.

     

    ... With the ladiez ... It never worked for me withe the pictures and the email addresses :-) Good luck Alex! You show them that PhD sea cucumber!!!!!

     

    Vlad

  21. Posted

    Hello,

     

    I want to upgrade my setup and buy an Ikelite DS50 strobe with a manual controller.

    I looked on the Ikelite website and it looks to me that they don't sell their products online and they only sell through distributors.

     

    I want to buy the strobe through the internet not walk in a store and have them order it for me.

     

    I tried B and H photo but I think they don't have the combo with the manual controller.

     

    Where would you buy a DS50.

     

    Thenk you

    Vlad

  22. Posted

    Melissa,

     

    I have a similar setup (Canon S50 and Bonica strobe) and I would agree with James, you will get MUCH more color with an external strobe.

     

    You have to think about this a little bit though ... an external strobe is expensive and bulky are you still going to enjoy your dive with that much bagage?

    Maintenance on the UW case of the camera and on the strobe doesn't have to be neglected, are you willing to spend 15 minutes more before each day of diving putting together your photo gear?

     

    If the answer to all those questions is YES, then, go for it, you will love it.

    Buy your camera, case and strobe.

     

    Make sure you know that you need to setup your camera for UW use with the strobe. The S70 may have an underwater seting but the S50 doesn't. You need to disable red eye reduction and preflash on the camera to have your strobe trigger at the right time.

     

    Vlad

  23. Posted

    Hello,

     

    I have the same setup.

     

    Here are your answers:

    1) Can you power off the camera while in the UW case?

    YES you can.

    Of course you need to put the camera in the housing turned on and then if you press the WB/FUNC button for more than a few seconds the camera will turn off.

     

    2) Can you take the case to more than 100ft.

    YES.

    But ... of course you rick it.

    Grease good the Oring and be carefull.

    I took it down to max 130 ft.

     

    It is a great camera but you will need a strobe.

    Vlad

  24. Posted

    Hello,

     

    I have a new Olympus PT-016 housing that I am not going to use so I want to sell it.

    The housing has never been used.

    The only thig that is missing from the package is the original box. Straps, caps, silicon grease are included.

     

    I would like to get $120 for it but you can try making me an offer.

     

    Vlad

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