Osprey

it certianly would defeat the purpose :-) does anybody know the math of relationship .... if lens is 36mm at wide angle setting, what angle that equates to ? assume there must be a way of working it out

Maybe I stated it wrong ... I know the Remora has a fixed horizontal spread ... i.e. the cone of light that emits out of it. Likewise he zoom setting of my camera affects the cone of light that 'comes into it' What I am trying to figure out is how to equate these ... for flash to be successful it needs to be equal to or greater spread than that of lens, so illuminating all tha the lens can see. Now the in built flash of F31fd works at full wide zoom so must have a horizontal spread that matches wide angle setting, I'm assuming that Remora will equal or exceed that. When I used to use 35mm film it was much easier ... lens quoted in mm ... and flash coverage was quoted the same. The Remora comes with a diffuser but I don't know if that spreads the light or just softens it .... I have had flash guns in the past which had clip on diffuser that you added when using 28mm lenses.

is there a simple way of relating angle to zoom capability ... i.e strobe is quoted in 80 degrees lens is 36mm ? be nice to have a common unit so I can see maximum angle of lens I can use with this strobe

I had been looking at the 105AD lens from INON It states the angle is 105 (in water) and a 0.51 magnification. but isn't the angle dependant on what lens is on camera (or in my case what zoom is) ? I have a 36mm zoom ... if I attach this lens won't it give a different result than if attached to a camera with 28mm zoom ??

My compact has wide setting of 36mm .............. (F31fd) so looking for a supplementary lens to use with that. Need to consider that I am using a Remora Strobe... one head only, so no point in going to a super wide fish eye lens, if strobe can't illuminate it effectively... and I do not want to go for twin strobe heads. Not sure what the actual angle of coverage is ... Hence the use of INON lens has a Question mark against it, will strobe give wide enough coverage. The following links have been supplied by Fantasea ... may be of interest to some How Big Eye works - http://fantasea.com/Dealer Packages/Fantasea Eyes/Big Eye Chart.html Video of it in use: https://system.netsuite.com/core/media/medi...03&_xt=.bin

I use the zoom on my compact camera set to 36mm wide setting when on underwater duty. Allowing for water diffraction, I obviously lose effective wide angle capability. Just read that I will lose 30% .... making my camera effectvely close to a 50mm standard lens when in the water. I'm considering buying an add-on supplementary lens (Fantasea Big Eye), the blurb states that it will correct any 'wide capability' loss when underwater and return it's full wide angle range ... to the same as when it's out of the water. is what I'm being told correct ?

I have a Fuji F31fd + housing, and have just purchased the Remora Strobe for this, set up with Optical cable link for synchronization. Now have set up the pre-flash setting no problem …. But wonder if anyone out there has experience of using the flash ? Couple of Q’s come to mind … # assume I leave the diffuser permanently in place – how do I know what setting to dial in for strobe power 1—100% # aligned to this does the camera automatically adjust the exposure dependant on % of strobe power applied ? (in conjunction with ambient light) # any particular ‘mode’ best to use on camera … tend to use the onboard Underwater mode, although without flash I have often used manual, set to -1ev and manual white balance, although would seem superfluous with a strobe. # don't yet have the LED focus light - is this worthwhile? Keen to have any tips.

what size & resolution images do you use ?

Ok ... I meant o do this a couple of years back but still not got around to it. I guess like many I have hundreds of digital images. I have master & adjusted versions ... and have copies of both for backup purposes. My question relates to sharing of selections of these images (and showing them) Typical scenario is that i would like to give a CD or DVD of images to friends & family - typically to be viewed on a DVD player, or on PC. I have had some CD's given to me that do this with a user friendly front end .. i.e it boots up with a graphical menau .. to allow user to select a 'folder' or play a slideshow. The folders appear as neat boxes, with appropriate titles ... not just a PC file format view. be nice if background, & music could be added - but not essential. I don't want to spend a fortune on yet another software package ... but would be interested in knowing what packages you guys recommend ? Second part to the Q is what size (quality) should I put these images onto disc .... I keep them once adjusted as 2100x1500 jpegs .... and this makes them typically about 4MB, do they need to be downsized to suit TV playback ? Any help appreciated. In case relevant ....my pc kit is as follows - 2.4GHz PC running Vista Ultimate 32bit 2 x 300GB RAID disk array 2 x 1TB DNS backup array Photoshop CS3 Roxio Creator DE ver 9 ImgBurn ver2.4 Windows Media Center - built in (never started this up) ACD ver 9 Pro Show Gold ver 3.2 This latter package was bought with intent to use to create my picture discs ... not tried it yet -maybe this is still the way forward :-)

good article - thanks

No previous camera had RAW output, current camera does not.

I had just been reading articles here and other sites ... and picked up the 'instructions' there. Mu use is to create images for sharing - to be watched on a PC screen or TV via a DVD player. I have no experience of Smart Sharpen ... can you give any tips as to how to use it ?

I use CS3 ... Following the advice read I always apply some sharpening to my pictures after I have finished any other processing. Just using 'sharpen' filter I have been told is not teh best way. The technique I have been following is: Duplicate Layer Select new layer - set blend mode to Hard Light Run High Pass Filter and adjust until color just appears and edges define (which always seem to be around a value of 4.5 to 5.5) Then set blend mode to Overlay On the Ron Bigelow pages on blend mode if I read it right seems to be saying: Duplicate layer Select new layer - set blend mode to Overlay Run high pass filter Which is the optimum way of doing things for best results ?

Thanks for this, it looks interesting, I'll give it a go tonight. My current steps are: 1. Crop image as necessary 2. Levels - adjust individual R,G,B histograms sometimes setting white & black if appropriste to image 3. Apply Auto Contrast 4. Apply Auto Colour If this does not work, I undo and try the Underwater .atn script If this does not work - undo, try and compensate using Colour Curves If this does not work - recently tried converting to LAB and adjusting curves. 5. Create a new layer, Sharpen using Hi Pass filter, tweaking slider to just below point any colour comes into image, and then use Overlay to apply 6. Check levels again ... Done. Be interested in your view (anmd anybody else) on my sequence, and will try incorporatin your steps in my sequence. Most of my images are JPEG, my new camera doe snot have RAW capability.

I have followed (to best of my ability) the pretty extensive tutorial on this site http://wetpixel.com/i.php/full/getting-rid...derwater-blues/ As a result I have made big improvements to some pictures by use of LAB mode, which I had never used before. However as this article was written in 2004, and Photoshop has evolved (considerably) is there any updated or newer article or sequence of steps anyone can advise ? I will admit to being a happy snapper underwater rather than diving just to take pictures, kit is simple ... a Fuji F31fd, and when possible I use manual white balance to get things as good as I can to start with (not allways in practise though) I have a good PC and CS3 ... but lack the experience in using them. Any links to tip or articles appreciated.

Just wondered if it is good practice to leave O’rings in place and close up the housing when putting camera into storage out of season ? Currently after a dive trip I remove the O rings, on the assumption that if left permanently under compression they may flatten off, and ultimately fail. Any comments? In case relevant it is a twin O ring housing, inner O ring a square shaped seal, the outer a standard round O ring.

A little off topic - but since I started UW photography - I am amassing loads of pics. After I have finished tweaking my pics after a dive trip, I would like to be able to create a CD that I can distribute to friends family that will play on a PC or on their DVD player. I recently had such a disc given to me .. the handwritten disc siad it was a VCD. Although it would play in a standard CD drive or on a DVD player. This was quite neat .. when you put the CD in, an opening screen popped up where you could select play - and it went through them as a slide-show, or select top level menu ... and then drill down to folders, subfolders to pictures .. Can anybody recommend any software that does this ... don't want to spend a lot of money as Photoshop CS has cost enough.

I have no doubt this has been asked before - but could not find answer using search. I'm new to underwater photography, just came back from my 3rd dive trip (Sharm this time) and while I have some great shots - majority have the typical Blue colour cast. Straight shooting - no strobe or filters used. (that will be for future) I have found a few tips for correcting with Photoshop - but some are a few years old, and I assume as Photoshop CS is 'better', and there are people out there with a lot of experience of correcting colour there may be an 'ideal way' Anybody care to 'step me' through how to do this, or point me to a link where this can be found. I have tried the setting white point with levels tool - but results not that good. (so far)

FUJI F30 in Fuji housing ... has to be best value quality set up. use in dedicated undewater mode - just point & snap. has low shutter lag, massive battery life and a large clear & bright screen. Small enough to clip to the BCD when not snapping away. Or new F31 if you want facial recognition for out of water shots.

Mint condition C-8080 and Ikelite housing, plus CR-PRO filter for sale. Housing & Camera under warranty only used on 2 dives. 8MegaPixel Prosumer camera Very highly rated for underwater photography due to large lens (good light gathering ability) and wide angle zoom. Has benefit of taking Compact Flash & XD at the same time .. so never need run out of storage while underwater. Has very good movie mode (with sound) Lens: 28 – 140mm Zoom: 5x Optical Zoom 3x Digital Zoom 15x Combined Zoom Remote Controller RM-2 A/V Cable , USB Cable LiIon Battery BLM-1 , Battery Charger BCM-2 Lens Cap , Lens Hood Software CD-ROM Instruction Manual The housing is an Ikelite 613.80 specific housing for the C-8080 Take a look at: http://www.ikelite.com/web_pages/oly_8080.html Simply the best UW housings in the world – nothing compares to Ikelite for digital housings. Also CR-PRO filter for the housing (can be removed or fitted underwater) … this greatly increase colour balance in UW photographs … take a look at : http://www.oceanoptics.co.uk/URPro.pdf Full kit cost new more than £1000 .... for sale £450 ono

Happy to send anywhere (as long as you pay p+p) have sent you the equipment costs by email ... let me know if you need more detail

Olympus C-8080WZ ... rated as a top spec prosumer camera, much vaunted for underwater use, due to excellent wide zoom lens, and full control of all features. 8 MegaPixel 5 x Optical Zoom Up to 1.5 frames-per-second Includes video & audio capability. Good variety of professional-quality photographic features, including scene modes. Articulated LCD and electronic viewfinder Simultaneous xD and CompactFlash/MicroDrive compatibility Long-lasting lithium-ion rechargeable battery http://www.olympus.co.uk/consumer/29_C-8080_WideZoom.htm Ikelite 613.80 - professional housing for C-8080, all camera functions available underwater : http://www.ikelite.com/web_pages/oly_8080.html CR-PRO CY filter for housing - to restore colour balance. All items in MINT condition, used on only 1 dive trip. Camera & housing under warranty. Would prefer UK buyer – but will ship anywhere at cost. Contact me direct for more details. rick_hughes@btconnect.com (Also if required 1Gb WA cards, spare Ikelite ao-rings, silcone grease etc )

Olympus C-8080WZ ... rated as a top spec prosumer camera, much vaunted for underwater use, due to excellent wide zoom lens, and full control of all features. 8 MegaPixel 5 x Optical Zoom Up to 1.5 frames-per-second Includes video & audio capability. Good variety of professional-quality photographic features, including scene modes. Articulated LCD and electronic viewfinder Simultaneous xD and CompactFlash/MicroDrive compatibility Long-lasting lithium-ion rechargeable battery http://www.olympus.co.uk/consumer/29_C-8080_WideZoom.htm Ikelite 613.80 - professional housing for C-8080, all camera functions available underwater : http://www.ikelite.com/web_pages/oly_8080.html CR-PRO CY filter for housing - to restore colour balance. All items in MINT condition, used on only 1 dive trip. Camera & housing under warranty. Would prefer UK buyer – but will ship anywhere at cost. Contact me direct for more details. rick_hughes@btconnect.com (Also if required 1Gb WA cards, spare Ikelite o-rings, silcone grease etc )

James ... if you do decide you want the Olympus C-8080 .... I have a C-8080 and Ikelite Housing (+ CRPro Filter) both camera & housing are MINT and both under warranty. Rick

Actually a slightly larger screen will help ... in the same way that I can read books without a problem, depending on print size ... so normal books are not an issue, but print in Financial times is a no go without reading glasses. Increasing the screen size to 2.5" is almost a 3 fold increase in viewing area .. equiavlant to going to a large print book ! I would agree that you need resoltuion to match ... Would welcome advice on any prosumer or good compacts that offer this