Sealife DIGITAL FLASH, Instruction Manual

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

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Page 3: ... V How to use Digital Flash underwater PAGE 25 VI Tips from the Pros PAGE 31 VII Care and maintenance PAGE 42 VIII Glossary PAGE 44 IX Troubleshooting Guide PAGE 46 X Accessories and Related Products PAGE 51 XI Warranty Statement and service INSIDE BACK COVER www sealife cameras com onlineguide manuals html Español Deutsch Français Italiano ...

Page 4: ...able 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 Effective underwater distance range up to 8 feet 2 5m Two Digital Flashes can be mounted to the camera Depth rated to 200 feet 60m Approximately 100 flashes with 4 AA batteries not included Deluxe carry case incl...

Page 5: ...eeper you dive the less light penetrates the water column 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: ...ant blue and yellows of an Angelfish gliding by you Plus the SeaLife Digital Flash allows you also to choose a pre flash setting that will synchronize your cameras flash system with that of the SeaLife Digital Flash making your underwater images sharper than ever By reading and following the simple instructions in this manual you will be able make your images come to life with colors and details m...

Page 7: ...5 III Picture samples you can do this ...

Page 8: ...6 Photos by John Chandler with SeaLife DC310 digital camera Wide Angle Lens and Digital Flash ...

Page 9: ...ly format the memory card Make sure card is blank before formatting Insert freshly charged batteries High mAh batteries are suggested Such as the SeaLife NiMH AA rechargeable batteries Turn camera power on Set SeaLife digital cameras to External Flash exposure mode see camera instruction manual for details For non SeaLife camera s Set ISO start with 200 ISO Set White Balance to AUTO Set camera s F...

Page 10: ... aperture and shutter speed if possible Read your digital camera instruction manual for how to adjust the above mentioned cameras settings Inspect and clean camera housing and main O ring Make sure O ring is not damaged and perfectly clean Insert camera into housing and seal Test fire the camera to make sure camera s flash fires ...

Page 11: ...9 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: ...n flash power ON OFF and TEST Keep away from compasses and electronics to avoid magnetic interference Do not force switch beyond its stop point to avoid damaging the switch Sealing Latch Grab the sides of the latch in order to open the battery compart ment Make sure the latch is properly closed before each use DO NOT apply external force to latch or hinge area to avoid damage Check O Ring to ensur...

Page 13: ...operly observed NiMH recy cle time and life depends on mAh rating of the battery A 2300 mAh NiMH battery will last longer and recycle faster than a regular alka line battery There is also newer high energy Alkaline batteries available that will have longer battery life than regular alkalines Note You can remove the entire battery compartment for easy access to batteries or for replacement purposes...

Page 14: ...igital Flash power ON Wait for the ready light to illuminate Turn on your digital camera and take a test picture of the Digital Flash Aim camera at the Digital Flash light sensor Review image on the camera and see if the Digital Flash firing is visible in the picture If you see the Digital Flash firing in the picture keep the switch set a 4 this indicates that your camera uses 4 pre flashes ...

Page 15: ...bout 5 feet 1 5 m Do this test in low light conditions away from bright or direct light Make sure that one of the light sensors is exposed not obstructed for above test Important If you are using a digital camera other than SeaLife disable the camera s Red Eye reduction Set your camera flash to FLASH ON Check the camera s instruction manual for details Tip If you are using a digital camera other t...

Page 16: ...re flashes of your camera Switch position Description of setting 0 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 1 One pre flash 2 Two pre flashes 3 Three pre flashes 4 Four pre flashes ...

Page 17: ...d 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: ...16 Carefully inspect that the latch is closed and the O ring is completely seated into the housing ...

Page 19: ...w 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 6 4mm Never force or over tighten screw or this may permanently damage the housing seal or threads ...

Page 20: ...nk 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: ...F 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: ...ing or flash is turned off Light Steady on Indicates flash is charged and ready Light fast blinking 4 seconds Indicates flash has just fired Light slow blinking Indicates flash battery power is low Aim Digital Flash head towards the subject If using the SeaLife macro lens make sure to aim the flash downward and toward the sub ject For 8X and 16X lenses aim flash down and toward the end of the macr...

Page 23: ... easily be reconnect ed by pushing them together until they snap in The maximum reach of your flash output is about 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 Refer to Section V for mo...

Page 24: ... come with custom made deflectors that attach to the bot tom of the flash base and align over the camera s flash For non SeaLife cam eras remove the deflector Use the black sticker provided with the Flash Link to cover the camera s flash and secure the optical cable See Flash Link instructions for details Tip Use the SeaLife Flash Diffuser SL968 to reduce flash output by about 60 and soften the li...

Page 25: ...s 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 Rotate both flash heads to point in the direction of the subject and parallel to the lens of the camera ...

Page 26: ...und with one flash at full power setting while illuminating the foreground and subject with the other flash with a lesser power setting A SeaLife diffuser may be used on both flashes to prevent overexposure of close up subjects Note A longer mounting screw is required when mounting two Digital Flash flash units Contact your local dealer to order Item SL96022 for two flashes Item SL06026 for two Di...

Page 27: ...e is easy with a little practice and knowledge 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: ...xposure settings as rec ommended here ISO Choose and set an ISO appropriate to the conditions you expect on your dive The deeper you go means less light You can adjust for this by adjusting the sensitivity of your camera s sensor ISO Depth Visibility Light ISO 15 30 feet 5 10m 20 ft 6m bright sunny 100 30 60 feet 10 20m 10 20 ft 3 6m medium cloudy 200 60 90 feet 20 30m 0 10 ft 0 3m dark night 200 ...

Page 29: ...vity Increase EV to brighten images and decrease EV to darken pictures You may choose to increase the EV setting depending on depth visibility or ambient light NOTE The color of your object will effect the brightness of your subject and the selection of your ISO or EV may be effected Check you camera instructions for more information about ISO and EV Depth Visibility Light EV 15 30 feet 5 10m 20 f...

Page 30: ... experi mentation and a little knowledge of basic photography principles Refer to your camera instruction manual for details Once you have your camera exposure settings adjusted take some test pictures to become comfortable with the use and handling of the Digital Flash Remember that the flash reaches about 8X farther on land than underwater Consider this fact when taking test pictures on land and...

Page 31: ... image is under exposed dark make sure the power adjustment is on full power com pletely counter clock wise If the power adjustment is turned to full power and the image is under exposed it normally indi cates the subject is too far away beyond the reach of the 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...

Page 32: ... press the LCD button once to set the camera to FAR FLASH This will increase the sensitivity of the camera and brighten the image This is helpful for longer shooting distances Press the LCD button again to set the camera to MACRO FLASH This will reduce the sensitivity of the camera and darken the image This is helpful for proper image exposure for short distances Macro shots ...

Page 33: ...f promotional campaigns For more information about Stephen Frink Photography please visit www stephenfrink com Digital Photography underwater is a very powerful medium With obvi ous advantages like greater capacity per dive and immediate review of photos taken the learning curve is tremendously accelerated for most shooters Add powerful accessories like the SeaLife Digital Flash and accessories su...

Page 34: ...in the water are front lit by the flash and appear as specks of back scatter These are some of the best ways to eliminate backscatter Work in the clearest possible water If the water is dirty find a busy visually confusing background that may hide particles Avoid shooting into the open water column which will accentuate particles Don t make backscatter worse with poor buoyancy skills Avoid stirrin...

Page 35: ...ide pointing down to the subject STEPHEN S TIP 2 SHRINK THE WATER COLUMN Water 800 times denser than air quickly absorbs light and is a massive cyan blue green filter So to achieve rich vibrant colors in underwater photography you must Use artificial light a strobe Work close Choose a point and shoot that focuses to at least two feet with a primary lens or has an easy system of adding supple menta...

Page 36: ...of divers must be taken from eight to 10 feet away making the shot inevitably mono chromatic blue Applying the get close axiom a head and shoulders shot taken from three feet away will be better Or add the Wide Angle lens to photograph large subjects from a near distance The normal lens is usually good for fish portraits whereas the wide angle lens helps for large marine life such as dolphins reef...

Page 37: ...irst 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 As the photographer moves progressively closer the colors are richer The blue filtra tion of seawater is reduced and resolution and contrast is enhanced Get close for optimal results ...

Page 38: ... appeared in dozens of books and magazines including five of her own popular books co authored with Jim Church on photo technique and an instructional video For more information about Cathy Church and available underwater photography programs please visit www cathychurch com CATHY S TIP 1 If your pictures are pale blue even when you are using a strobe try these tips to reduce the over exposed sunl...

Page 39: ...e on your camera usually around an f8 Take a picture adjust the strobe power setting up or down as needed If your camera indicates overexposure use a faster shutter speed or aim away from the bright sunlight Use your camera owner s manual to find the exposure information CATHY S TIP 2 Don t stir up sand where you are shooting Adjust your weights so that you can float without moving On sandy bottom...

Page 40: ...es or close focusing cameras to fill the frame with small subjects Know the minimum focus distance of the camera and get as close as possible to any subject that does not move away Use the telephoto zoom as little as possible and only for those sub jects that will not allow you to get close CATHY S TIP 4 Aim the strobe correctly Things look closer underwater than they really are Subjects four feet...

Page 41: ...onditions For example the flourescent setting may give better results in green colored water CATHY S TIP 6 Don t scare the fish When you see a turtle don t swim directly at it If it is eating approach slowly and let him get used to you If it is moving swim quickly at an angle to a position in front of it Sometimes they will swim right into you When working with fish near coral heads have a buddy s...

Page 42: ... 1998 the distinction of Master Instructor with more that 900 certifications John reserves most of his time now for teaching Underwater Photography as he realizes the new joy of helping others capture their memories on film JOHN S TIP 1 Ensure your batteries are either new or freshly re charged before each dive Do not save money only to lose great underwater images JOHN S TIP 2 Align your flash he...

Page 43: ...s with your camera These angles should allow you to capture a beautiful blue background in your images JOHN S TIP 5 Position your subject with a contrasting background A dark fish on a light bright background or a light fish on a dark background JOHN S TIP 6 It s better to slightly under expose your image than over exposing Under exposed pictures can be adjusted on your computer Over exposed pictu...

Page 44: ...sh The mask bucket on a boat is full of detergent do not use this 3 Let the water drain out of the flash arm which has small drainage holes thoroughly before storage Flash arm links can be separated to remove excess water 4 Remove all batteries Make sure flash and you are dry before open ing compartment door Insert fresh Moisture Muncher desiccant capsules item SL911 and hang it up to dry in a wel...

Page 45: ...ring with damp cloth and allow to dry Replace O ring if damaged 7 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 storage environment in a closed container See Item M101 page 23 ...

Page 46: ... a negative EV will produce a darker image Pre flash Most digital cameras have a preflash to assist in auto focus autoexposure setting of the camera These brief flashes can errantly trigger an external flash before the camera captures the image Aperture Like the pupil of your eye this is the opening behind the lens that permits light to pass through the lens and on to the camera s sensor An apertu...

Page 47: ...d very steady or on a tripod As a general rule use shutter speed values between 1 90 to 1 500 for underwater Backscatter Fine particles of sand or plankton suspended in the water that appear as small dots in your picture It looks like it s snow ing in the water Move flash head as far away from camera lens as pos sible Direct outer rim of flash beam at your subject so you do not illu minate the wat...

Page 48: ...sary c Test in dark area Direct sunlight on light sensors may prevent flash from firing d If above does not correct the problem contact SeaLife Service Center in your country or email to service sealife cameras com 2 Digital Flash fires as tested above but does not fire when triggered by camera a Make sure Digital Flash power is turned on and green flash ready light is on b Test that your camera s...

Page 49: ... details e If using Flash Link optical cable make sure cable is properly connected Refer to trouble shooting guide in Flash Link manual Remove Flash Link sensor adapter and see if Digital Flash fires when Flash Link is not connected Test in a dark room 3 Flash does not fire all the time a Make sure Flash Link is correctly installed The ends of the optical cable must be in the correct position The ...

Page 50: ...ay from the camera will appear darker than closer objects Maximum shooting distance is 6 to 8 depending on water visibility and the reflectivity of your subject c Check the Digital Flash variable power adjustment Turn counter clockwise to increase flash brightness Turn clockwise to decrease flash brightness d For close up shots that have dark areas try using the SeaLife Diffuser item SL968 This wi...

Page 51: ...tter you may see in your image caused by small particles in the water If you have absolutely clear water without plankton or sand you may move the flash head closer to the camera lens g 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 po...

Page 52: ...g around power on and test swtich The switch is magnetic and will attract metal debris like rust from a shipwreck 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: ...ing Replacement Kit authorized service only Contains 1 O Ring and 1 gasket Item SL9604 Battery Magazine and Cover batteries not included Item SL962 New SeaLife Flash Link 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 ...

Page 54: ...ults in richer color balance of pictures and softer shadows Fits on both SeaLife Digital and Standard Flashes Item SL970 SeaLife Wide Angle lens Widen your underwater 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: ...rgeable batteries charger and international adapter kit Avoid paying island prices for AA batteries that don t hold up The kit comes with four rechargeable 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 f...

Page 56: ... your diving and snorkeling adventures Fits all SeaLife cameras Item SL959 SeaLife Close Up Set Take underwater pictures like a Pro with the new SeaLife Close Up Set Capture the vibrant color and close up details of your underwater world Close Up Set includes the 8X and 16 X color corrected macro lenses for shoot ing distances of 8 to 16 Set includes the MACRO Wand distance measuring device that e...

Page 57: ...e and below water Quickly attaches to the SeaLife housing LCD monitor frame Made of soft rubber material Fits on SeaLife ReefMaster Digital camera models DC100 DC200 DC250 DC300 DC310 Item SL966 SeaLife Buoyancy Weight Reduces the positive buoyancy of SeaLife cameras and External Flashes Allows for easy more balanced handling underwater Attaches to accessory mount under all SeaLife cam eras and fl...

Page 58: ...ife cameras Contains Ten 1 gram capsules Item M101 Moisture Muncher Bags Absorbs moisture to prevent fogging and corrosion of your valuable elec tronics and cameras Use inside an airtight storage case or container to create a perfect dry environ ment for your valuable items Each bag contains 1 ounce of powerful moisture absorbing granules and color indicating crystals When crystals turn from blue ...

Page 59: ...ore shipping product Include a letter describing the damage or defect your return address no PO Box daytime phone and a copy of the original purchase receipt or proof of purchase with the purchase date Excluded are any consequential damages cosmetic damages damages to products which show abuse non conformance with the instructions particularly water damage due to a damaged O ring or any particles ...

Page 60: ... 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 Pioneer Research 97 Foster Road Moorestown NJ 08057 www sealife cameras com Phone 856 866 9191 Fax 856 866 8615 www sealife cameras com onlineguide manuals html Español Deutsch Français Italiano ...