Sealife Reefmaster
Sealife Reefmaster Any tips for clear photographs with my particular camera? I have an underwater camera (the sealife reefmaster mini). It has 6 megapixels and the front says f2.8-3.5 mm (not sur...
Sealife Reefmaster
Any tips for clear photographs with my particular camera?
I have an underwater camera (the sealife reefmaster mini). It has 6 megapixels and the front says f2.8-3.5 mm (not sure what that means).
My problem is when I'm out of the water and want to take pictures of small objects it is never in focus. I tried macro mode but it doesn't help. Also it doesn't have optical zoom, just digital zoom.
Any advice?
I never use the zoom since it isn't optical
http://www.flickr.com/photos/38524983@N06/?saved=1
This is a good example. some basil seeds I got from my plant are fuzzy and unclear
Your camera isn't made to be in focus if you're 2 feet away -- or less -- from your subject. There is a wide angle attachment available but I'd suggest that you get a 2nd camera for doing your close-up shots.
 SeaLife Reefmaster DC500 DC600 DC800 DC1000 O Ring  US $15.95
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Choosing A Waterproof Digital Camera
The underwater world is full of wonderful serene scenes making us wonder at nature and why species bothered evolving out of the sea. Seeing its beauty is one thing, but capturing it on camera can be tough. Well, not really. There are two routs really to shooting underwater - getting yourself a waterproof digital camera or waterproof casing for your current model. Pros and the unevitable cons of both are underlined below.
Waterproof Cameras
These are specifically built cameras for underwater photography. There are no fiddly casings to mess with, the camera is ready for the dive, but on the flip side it is not that great on land. The Sealife Reefmaster pictured below is a great little waterproof digital camera with a depth rating of 40m and is perfect for all those expeditions to the beach or sea.
Waterproof Camera Casings
Alternatively, if you have a digital camera that you prefer and love, you can buy a waterproof casing for it to take it diving with you. This housing provides rubbery waterproofness typically down to 40 metres and easy to use big bright buttons. On the downside, you can always forget to pack your casing when going away, plus they’re not suited to more serious depths, but apart from that they should help you have all the fun a dedicated waterproof camera would. Jessops sell a large choice of casings, including many for the Canon Ixus and Nikon Coolpix range.
Loss of Picture Quality Underwater And The Use Of Flash
A big problem that underwater photographers face, apart from unfriendly marine life and wild hairdos, is the extreme loss of colour and contrast at depth. This is due to colours such as red and orange being easily absorbed by water, which is why the sea appears so blue and green.
One way to solve this is to cut the distance to your subject, ideally to under one metre, as this will minimise the colour loss. You can even use wide angle lenses to get really close. Another way is to use flash, either your built-in one or a dedicated off-camera unit, which will fill-in the scene with a full spectrum of colour.
About the Author
Julian is a photographer and writer for online blog What Camera.