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Sealife DIGITAL FLASH Instruction Manual

Sealife digital flash
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DIGITAL FLASH
DIGITAL FLASH
Instruction Manual
Instruction Manual
with Tips from the Pros
with Tips from the Pros

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Summary of Contents for Sealife DIGITAL FLASH

  • Page 1 DIGITAL FLASH DIGITAL FLASH Instruction Manual Instruction Manual with Tips from the Pros with Tips from the Pros...

  • Page 3: Table Of Contents

    Contents: I. SeaLife Digital Flash Features and Benefits ...P III. Picture samples ...P IV. Preparing your Digital camera and Flash...P V. How to use Digital Flash underwater ...P VI. Tips from the Pros ...P VII. Care and maintenance ...P VIII. Glossary ...P IX.

  • Page 4: Sealife Digital Flash Features And Benefits

    Variable power adjustment for correct image exposure. • Flash Link optical cable connection included • Includes universal mount to adapt all SeaLife cameras and other underwater camera housings with tripod mount. • Flexible, rubberized arm for easy aiming and sure grip.
  • Page 5 While this descending drama adds to your excitement as a diver, you will find that it also will chal- lenge you as an Underwater Digital Photographer. Having an external Digital Flash allows you to carry your own supplemental light with you.
  • Page 6 The SeaLife Digital Flash is fully adjustable allowing you to control the brightness of your “sun” as you need. By reading and following the simple instructions in this manual you will be able make your images come to life with colors and details more brilliant than ever.

  • Page 7: Picture Samples

    III. Picture samples – you can do this!
  • Page 8 Photos by John Chandler with SeaLife DC310 digital camera, Wide-Angle Lens and Digital Flash...

  • Page 9: Preparing Your Digital Camera And Flash

    IV. Preparing your camera and SeaLife Digital Flash Prepare your camera for use underwater. Here is a simple checklist that is useful for most popular digital cameras and their housings. • Insert blank memory card. It’s good practice to regularly format the memory card. Make sure card is blank before formatting.
  • Page 10 • Important: Turn off camera’s red-eye reduction. • Select your desired image resolution. • Use camera’s manual exposure mode to control aperture and shutter speed, if possible. • Read your digital camera instruction manual for how to adjust the above mentioned cameras settings. •...
  • Page 11 Prepare your Digital Flash Open latch as shown below to access battery compartment and pre- flash cancellation setting. Important: Make sure the Flash (and you) are perfectly dry before opening compartment...
  • Page 12 Caution: Discharge flash. Before opening flash housing door, make sure to discharge the flash by moving the power switch to the “TEST” position, and then to the “OFF” position. Magnetic switch. The switch has small magnet inside to turn flash power ON/OFF and TEST.
  • Page 13 Insert new or freshly charged AA batteries. Use SeaLife NiMH Note: You can remove the entire battery compartment for easy access to batteries, or for replacement purposes. Push down release tab next to battery compartment and slide the entire compartment towards the release tab.
  • Page 14 Setting the preflash cancellation switch. For all SeaLife digital and film camera’s, set switch to “0” position. For all non-SeaLife digital cameras, set switch to the # 4 position to start. • Turn Digital Flash power ON. Wait for the “ready light” to illuminate.
  • Page 15 • If you do not see the Digital Flash firing in the picture, set the switch to the #3 position and repeat the above test. • Continue moving switch down one position until you see the Digital Flash firing in the picture – This will be your permanent pre-flash can- cellation setting.
  • Page 16 Switch position Description of setting Instant synchronization mode. For cameras with No pre-flash. Use “0” setting for all SeaLife cameras an other brands that allow you to disable the camera’s pre-flash. One pre-flash Two pre-flashes Three pre-flashes...
  • Page 17 Close and seal battery compartment as shown. Make sure O-ring is perfectly clean and undamaged. Note: Inspect O-ring for cuts, tears, dirt or other damage. Clean or replace as necessary. See page 43 for O-Ring care instructions.
  • Page 18 Carefully inspect that the latch is closed and the O-ring is completely seated into the housing.
  • Page 19 Attach camera (housing) to DIGITAL FLASH mounting base. Hand tighten screw – Do not over tighten! Caution: A) Only attach mounting screw to hous- ings with standard 1/4 - 20 tripod mount adapter. B) The tripod mount adapter thread depth MUST be at least 0.250”...
  • Page 20 Attach Flash Link optical cable to Digital Flash head and camera Refer to the Flash Link instruction manual for details. The Flash Link optical cable will transfer the flash from the inner camera to the light sensor of the Digital Flash.
  • Page 21 Test Flash Turn ON/OFF switch on top of flash to “ON”. When green flash-ready light is on, turn switch to TEST. This will test fire the flash. New or freshly charged batteries will yield about 100 flashes. Important: Do not force switch beyond stop point...
  • Page 22 Test Pictures Turn on camera and Digital Flash and take some test pictures to make sure camera’s flash and Digital Flash fires together. Check that both the “ready lights” of the camera and Digital Flash are illuminated. Digital Flash-Ready Light: Light off –...
  • Page 23 6 to 8 feet and depends on the reflec- tion of the subject, angle to the subject, color of the subject and water visibility. The SeaLife Digital Flash is fully adjustable from a maximum output of 20 guide number (100%) down to a minimum output of 1.6 guide number (8%).
  • Page 24 Tip: Use the SeaLife Flash Diffuser (SL968) to reduce flash output by about 60% and “soften” the light intensity. The built-in flash of the camera should be covered by a flash deflector to pre- vent unwanted backscatter of light caused by a reflection from particles floating in front of the camera lens.
  • Page 25 Use of a second Digital Flash. In order to avoid shadows and to further intensify brightness and color, you may mount a second identi- cal flash. Remove the attachment knobs from both flashes. Place a longer mounting screw through both base mounting brackets and into the camera housing.
  • Page 26 A SeaLife diffuser may be used on both flashes to prevent overexposure of close- up subjects.

  • Page 27: How To Use Digital Flash Underwater

    Just follow these few guidelines with your SeaLife camera or other digital cameras (in a suitable housing). Overexposed picture Properly exposure picture You can adjust your camera setting and/or Digital Flash settings to achieve the best image exposure...
  • Page 28 Adjusting camera settings For SeaLife digital cameras, set the camera to External Flash mode. For more details refer to your SeaLife camera instruction manual. For non-SeaLife cameras, set-up the digital exposure settings as rec- ommended here. ISO Choose and set an ISO appropriate to the conditions you expect on your dive.
  • Page 29 You notice the deeper you go, the lower the visibility. The darker the light conditions are, the higher the ISO. This makes your camera more sensitive to light and will serve to compensate for the absorption of light at depth. Exposure Value (EV) also allows you to increase, or decrease, the camera’s light sensitivity.
  • Page 30 White Balance (WB). This setting will match the color temperature (not heat) of the light source to your camera’s sensor. Before using the SeaLife Digital Flash set your WB to AUTO. Set White Balance to FLASH, if available. Manual exposure controls Most digital cameras also offer a manual mode that allows you to adjust the aperture and shutter speed.
  • Page 31 Digital Flash or the flash did not fire. The maximum reach is 6 to 8ft (2.5m) depending on water visibility. Note: If the Digital Flash did not fire, refer to the trouble shooting guide in section IX.
  • Page 32 Important: For SeaLife digital cameras, make sure camera is set to External Flash mode. See camera instructions for more details. Tip: For SeaLife DC300 and DC310 Digital cameras, press the LCD button once to set the camera to “FAR FLASH”. This will increase the sensitivity of the camera and brighten the image.

  • Page 33: Tips From The Pros

    Add powerful accessories like the SeaLife Digital Flash and accessories such as the wide angle lens and macro accessories and...
  • Page 34 Still, there are a few principles that can make even digital photography better: STEPHEN’S TIP 1: MINIMIZE BACKSCATTER Backscatter is the most important variable in point-and-shoot photog- raphy because the strobe is near the lens with most systems. Particles in the water are front-lit by the flash and appear as specks of “back- scatter.”...
  • Page 35 • One important advantage with the SeaLife Digital Flash, is that when particles are illuminated, it is with rim-light rather than front-light, and the backscatter effect is minimized. • Position your strobe high and to the side, pointing down to the subject.
  • Page 36 Because the best results will be obtained when working close, there is a limited universe of subjects possible with these cameras. With the normal lens on a SeaLife digital camera a full-figure shot of divers must be taken from eight to 10 feet away, making the shot inevitably mono- chromatic blue.
  • Page 37 STEPHEN’S POINT-AND-SHOOT WORKSHOP This series of four photos taken with the SeaLife flash shows the tremendous effect water has on color saturation. In the first photo (above right) the subject is approximately five feet away. Note the dull, muted colors. In the second photo (above right), from about three feet away, colors are more authentic.
  • Page 38 CATHY CHURCH Cathy Church has been photographing the beautiful underwater world since 1967. She has a Masters degree in Marine Biology, and is recognized as one of the world’s foremost teachers and authors on underwater photography. She was inducted into the Woman Divers Hall of Fame in 2000.
  • Page 39 • Get closer with your strobe. • Shoot in deeper water or on darker days. • Use manual control to make backgrounds darker and strobe brighter • When shooting close, use a fast shutter speed such as 1/500 th second. •...
  • Page 40 • If you fall forward when kneeling, move your weights toward your back. • If you use integrated weights, put part of them on a belt on your back to prevent falling forward. CATHY’S TIP 3: Get close for better color •...
  • Page 41 • Aim your strobe straight out, rather than tilted down, for subjects beyond a foot from the camera. • Extend your strobe as far away from the lens as possible to reduce backscatter. CATHY’S TIP 5: Experiment with other settings for your conditions. For example, the flourescent setting may give better results in green colored water.
  • Page 42 JOHN CHANDLER John has been a certified PADI Divemaster since 1982 and has remained active in leading dive trips around the world. In 1996, John took some time off to earn his PADI Open Water Instructor certification. He has since added the experience of advancing through Master Scuba Diver Trainer, IDC Staff Instructor and since May of 1998 the distinction of Master Instructor with more that 900 certifications.
  • Page 43 JOHN’S TIP 3: Adjust the speed of your sensor (ISO) to be more sensitive (higher ISO) the deeper you go. If your subject is at 3 feet (1m) or less, never set your camera’s ISO above 200 ISO. JOHN’S TIP 4: Always try to use a horizontal or up angle when capturing images with your camera.

  • Page 44: Care And Maintenance

    VII. Care and Maintenance After each use, Digital Flash and camera housing must be soaked in fresh water immediately to remove salt and dirt. Keep housing and flash sealed. Never use any detergents, cleaners, solvents or chemicals to clean the flash.
  • Page 45 Replace all worn or damaged parts. Contact your local dive shop, or the SeaLife website for available replacement parts. Tip: Also use the larger Moisture Muncher (1oz/28g bag) when storing your camera, flash and accessories. Electronics will last longer in a dry...

  • Page 46: Glossary

    VIII. GLOSSARY ISO. International Standards Organization. This term ISO relates the ability (speed) of the camera’s sensor to accept light. Higher the ISO the more sensitive the camera is to light resulting in a brighter, but more grainy image. Exposure Value (EV). EV setting controls the camera sensitivity to light. A positive EV means a brighter photo, while a negative EV will produce a darker image.
  • Page 47 Shutter speed. The amount of time the camera shutter opens to permit light through the aperture and on the image sensor. Fast shutter speed (125/sec and above) will stop action. Slower than /sec) will be blurry, unless the camera is held very steady or on a tripod.

  • Page 48: Troubleshooting Guide

    IX. Trouble Shooting Guide 1. Digital Flash does not fire when switch is turned from “ON” to “TEST.” a. Wait until the green flash-ready light is on. If ready light does not turn on, check that batteries are inserted correctly.
  • Page 49 Red-Eye reduction is turned off. Refer to your camera instructions for problems related to the camera. d. Make sure the Digital Flash’s pre-flash cancellation switch is properly set. Refer to page 12 for details. e. If using Flash Link optical cable, make sure cable is properly connected.
  • Page 50 Turn clockwise to decrease flash brightness. d. For close-up shots that have dark areas try using the SeaLife Diffuser (item # SL968). This will diffuse and soften the flash intensity. Refer to the accessories located in section X of...
  • Page 51 In order to eliminate unwanted shadows you may consider these two suggestions: i. Remove the flash deflector (clear water only) ii. Add a second Digital Flash. 5. Flash arm is loose and does not maintain correct aiming position. a. Soak the arm in warm fresh water and flex the arm until all links are clean and free of detergents or lubricants.
  • Page 52 Clean off rust and metal debris with a brush. 7. For more trouble shooting information, refer to the SeaLife website at www.sealife-cameras.com or contact your local SeaLife service center for help.
  • Page 53 New! SeaLife ® Flash Link Item #SL962: Optical Cable connection for all SeaLife flashes. Ensure firing of SeaLife flashes in all light conditions and flash aiming positions allowing you more free- dom to control your lighting. Contains 1 O-Ring and 1 gasket...
  • Page 54 Standard Flashes. SeaLife ® Wide Angle lens: Widen your underwater Item SL970: photos with the SeaLife wide-angle lens. Just snap it onto the front of your SeaLife camera and increase your shooting angle by about 50%. Fits all SeaLife cameras.
  • Page 55 Ni-MH batteries, wall charger and three international adapters that cover you around the world! Perfect for the world traveler who needs affordable power instantly! Purchase two kits and power your external flash and SeaLife camera. Always have a fresh set of batteries ready to go.
  • Page 56 For greater underwater photos at a comfortable range of 2 to 4 ft, snap on the SeaLife Macro 3X Close-up Lens. This color-corrected lens is designed to enhance the quality photos of your diving and snorkeling adventures.
  • Page 57 Two neoprene protective lens covers included. Fits all SeaLife cameras. SeaLife ® Sunshade: Prevents sun glare so you can Item SL194: see the LCD monitor on your SeaLife digital camera. Works in the absolute brightest light conditions, above and below water. Quickly attaches to the SeaLife housing LCD monitor frame.
  • Page 58 Item SL911: Moisture Muncher Capsules: Absorbs moisture to prevent fogging and corrosion of your SeaLife camera. Each capsule contains 1 gram of color indi- cating crystals. When crystals turn from blue to pink color, it’s time to replace the capsule. Fits inside all SeaLife cameras.

  • Page 59: Warranty Statement And Service

    XI. Warranty statement and service This product will be repaired or replaced free of charge within 1 year from the purchase date in the case of a manufacturing defect, if the complete defective product is sent freight prepaid at the sender’s risk to: Pioneer Research, 97 Foster Road, Suite 5, Moorestown, NJ 08057 or to the importer, in a different country.

  • Page 60: Www.sealife-Cameras.com/Onlineguide/Manuals.html

    IMPORTANT DO NOT send any non-SeaLife cameras housings or other equipment. Shipments other than manufacturers equipment will be promptly returned in their entirety at the owners expense. The USA Service Center is open M - F, 8:30 am to 5:00 pm (EST). You may contact the service center at (856) 866-9192 or email us at service@sealife-cameras.com...

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