New Camera

[M&P+4]

I just ordered my first UW camera - a Fuji F10.

http://www.fujifilm.com/JSP/fuji/epartners/digitalF10Overview.jsp?item=I833110&dbid=833110&urltype=overview&NavBarId=I833110

I have done some research and this camera came up as a simple camera to use - has terrific low light features and has a factory enclosure. There is supposed to be an updated version of it called the F30 to be released in May-June but I'm sure it would be more money and I really don't want to wait that long - I'm not sure if a housing will be available for it for a while either.

I plan on bringing it to Bonne Terre next month to try it out.

[nauifins73]

Congrats on your new toy! Can't wait to hear how you like it. I got a Nikonos V for Crhistmas and it is still dry :( (in my hands).

[Captain Caveman]

Nice, I love my Fuji F700. you made a good choice by going to the Fujifilm

[M&P+4]

Nice, I love my Fuji F700. you made a good choice by going to the Fujifilm

I would have never considered a Fuji - from what I've seen so far I'm impressed.

Here's a link to the enclosure - I could have gone to an Ikelite but it was a larger enclosure and more money. It was good to greater depths, but for me (for now) 130' is plenty. Besides, I'm not sure that a point and shoot that doesn't have a strobe connection would be all that hot for that deep anyway.

http://www.fujifilmmall.com/product.asp?sku=2782152

[M&P+4]

New camera and enclosure showed up today so I charged up the battery and headed to the pool.

I'm impressed with how easy the camera is to use and how quickly it starts up and is ready to shoot. The enclosure is a jem (IMHO) also - not any larger that it has to be. All the camera's buttons are operable from the outside, the display is easy to see and it came with and extra set of seals, moisture sponges, a wrist strap and a weight that makes it just a touch negative.

Here are some pictures of my kids in the pool with the camera in full auto mode. I tried some at ISO 800 and no flash but they turned out pretty bad - heck I'll put one in just so everone can see what a bad idea it was.

[Captain Caveman]

With the camera you need to set the speed of the shutter faster so the pics do not come out blurry.


heres some at 100feet. http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid200/pc094dc296e0fa90e2e5e5fdadfc39203/f0675cbe.jpg

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid200/p38b626454abf4d6c9ac029a273dfaf0a/f0675c0d.jpg

if you put the settings to auto it will not do it but if you set it to [sports] it should keep it right. but on the front of your camera theres a setting for constant focous. If you press it you will hear the camera make clicking sounds, use that and every thing comes out clearer.
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid200/paec222dd5efd304e2f644ee00b007ba7/f06759df.jpg
here's me in a cenota in Mexico. I used the stock flash and you can see the flash pics up any bubbles/ dirt in the water. Im looking for a stobe for my fuji f700.

If you have the small black memory card you can get the 1gig card for 100$ and it take over 250 pics with 6megs or 45min videos. We to video in mexico at 100ft and its clear as day. if you got high speed set up I will email it to U.

http://www.imagestation.com/album/pictures.html?id=2111973503

the rest of my pics.

[M&P+4]

I'll have to look, but I don't think there is a sport setting on this camera - it has four modes to select from - movie, manual, auto, and SP. Maybe SP is the sport mode. I have much to learn about the camera - any help is greatly appreciated.

I ordered a 1 gig H xD card from outpost.com - I got it for $49.99 + $6.50 shipping. Here's the link -

http://shop4.outpost.com/search?search_type=regular&sqxts=1&query_string=xD+Picture+Card&cat=&submit.x=10&submit.y=7

It was last weeks special but is still listed for $49.99 if you search the site for 'xD picture cards'. As soon as you put in in your cart the price will go up to $65. I called them on it and they honored the price without a fight. I was impressed....

[Captain Caveman]

I got msn messanger and aol.
chris02zr2 for aol and chrisstacey@comcast.net for msn.

[M&P+4]

I found out what SP stands for - Scene Position. From there I can choose natural light, portrait, landscape, sport and night. There are also quite a bit of things to mess with in manual mode that don't mean anything to me yet - maybe they never will. I'll keep fiddling around with it trying to learn - so far I've learned to not fiddle with it and things turn out just fine.

We have messanger but I haven't taken taken the time to figure it out yet. My daughter seems to use it a lot (more than I think she should anyway).

[steve2281]

You can take it for what it's worth, cause I make no claim to be a photographer: I have found BY FAR the most important setting for UW pics is to set a manual white balance after getting to depth. Do this by pointing the camera at a white dive slate while in "Set custom white balance". Any white object will do but a slate is handy. Be sure to fill the entire frame when setting. I use a Canon camera so I'm sure the menus are different, but I bet you can do it if you get in your book and figure out where it's at.

Chris' advice about a fast shutter speed may work in VERY clear water with plenty of light, but for your Bonne Terre trip a fast shutter speed is likely to get you some very dark pics. In caves I use a super slow shutter speed to grab all the light I can. As Chris pointed out, that will result in blurry pics without a steady hand. I have taken several hundred pics in caves and have yet to get a single pic I am really proud of. Practice and experiment is all I can tell you. good luck steve

[Captain Caveman]

I dont think the light will matter. There should be a round button on the front of the camera that has a C-AF on it. its most likely a dark gray.

this is the botton that makes the camera focus ever sec. if you hold the botton tahts used for taking pics 1/2 way down it focuses but if you have a moving object it will come out blurry.

If your camera has the round menu on the top like a fuji film camera should I will go throw the meanings----I took Photo for 4 years while in school but that was 7 years ago so deal with me. its hard to explan


AUTO-- self adjusting in light, depth and contrast of objuect, shuter speed. camera does the work. you point and click.

SP--- special options--

-Portrate- makes the camer focuse on close up

-Mountain looking-- far away shots. makes camer focus far way and not to tay ataention to close up. used to take pics of big objects far awaay.

-sports setting-- fast shots. makes shuter speed faster.

-night-- makes shuter speed slower and alows more light in.
THESE SETTINGS MAKE THE CAMERA DO THE SETTING WORK FOR U>

Now the others.

-P--- you wont need it

-S--- you can change the shutter speed by your self with out the camer doing it. This will make fast moving shots focus better but will keep light out the faster the shutter is

the higher the number the faster the shutter speed will be. A good shutter speed for every day is 60 or 80. but dont go lower if you want a focused pic.
above 100+ should help with the U/W shots

A--- is the apiture, that is the adjustment of the lens and the adjustmemts of the light.

is goes in F scales.

F2.9 to F8.

F2.9 to F3.6 lets lots of light in and F4 to F5.5 is for narmal pic taking. and F5.5 to F8 is for high light.

M- you wont need it. other adjustments. read the insturctions for them.


SO let say you had fast moving subject.

you could do. is

1) AUTO or SP on Sports
2) AUTO and push the C-AF button. this is what I do.
3) set camera to S-- change shutter speed to faster. above 80.
and then go to A and set apiture to F4 and lower. but if will take you awhile to get a good pic.


but rember your under water. everything looks difrent and the small screen will nt look right.

sorry for the miss spellings.