Sealife Reefmaster DC250, Instruction Manual

Page 1: ...Instruction Manual DC250 Digital Underwater Camera Set D I G I T A L ...

Page 2: ...E ...

Page 3: ...nications However there is no guarantee that interference will not occur in a particular installation If this equipment does cause harmful interference to radio or television reception which can be determined by turning the equipment off and on the user is encouraged to try to correct the interference by one or more of the following measures Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna Increase the ...

Page 4: ... Ni MH batteries Do not use standard alka line batteries Replace batteries when battery power status indicator on camera is down one bar Turn camera power or LCD monitor OFF when not using camera to preserve battery power Always use freshly charged batteries Batteries can discharge at room temperature up to 10 per day Store batteries in plastic bag or con tainer in refrigerator or cool dry place 4...

Page 5: ...pment does cause harmful interference to radio or television reception detectable by turning the equipment in question off and on the user is encouraged to try to correct the interference by one or more of the following measures Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna Increase the distance between the equipment and the receiver Connect the equipment to an outlet on a different circuit than that...

Page 6: ...e adapter from the AC power outlet after you have disconnected the camera Then contact your local SeaLife authorized service facility Do not continue to use the camera as this may cause a fire or an electrical shock Be careful when handling wet camera Camera and batteries may become very hot Do not use the camera if any foreign objects have entered the camera Turn the camera off and then disconnec...

Page 7: ...camera in any unstable locations such as on a wobbly table or sloping surface where the camera may fall or tip over and cause injury Do not place camera charger or batteries in damp or dusty locations This may cause a fire or an electrical shock Do not place this camera in a location affected by oil fumes steam seaspray rain boat deck damp clothes cooking stove or humidifier This may cause a fire ...

Page 8: ...dapter for safety If you are using the AC power adapter unplug the adapter from the AC power outlet after you have disconnected the camera Failure to do so could result in a fire Do not use batteries other than those specified for use with your camera The use of unsuitable batteries may result in the batteries splitting or leaking and causing a fire injury or damaging the battery compartment When ...

Page 9: ...Reefmaster Land Sea are registered trademarks of Pioneer Research Other names and products may be trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners NOTICE Please start by reading the important messages below first 1 The bundled driver software design specifications and user s manual that packaged with the camera are subject to change without notice 2 The accessories that come with the...

Page 10: ...o so may damage the cords or cables and cause a fire or an electrical shock When leaving the camera unused for long periods such as during a vacation always unplug the camera from the power source batteries or AC power adapter for safety if you are using the AC power adapter unplug the adapter from the AC power outlet after you have disconnected the camera Failure to do so could result in a fire D...

Page 11: ...onitor 26 Using the normal mode 26 Using the macro mode 27 Using the digital zoom 28 Using the self timer 29 Using the flash 30 Taking pictures manually 31 PLAYBACK MODE 32 Viewing images 32 Zoom Playback 33 Displaying thumbnail images 34 Slideshow display 34 Deleting images 35 MOVIE MODE 36 Recording video clips 36 Viewing video clips 37 TRANSFERRING RECORDED IMAGES TO YOUR COMPUTER 38 Step 1 Ins...

Page 12: ...LETE ALL 48 DPOF 49 EXIT 49 Movie menu 50 LCD BRIGHTNESS 50 EXIT 50 Setup menu 51 DATE TIME 51 LANGUAGE 52 SOUND 52 FORMAT MEDIA 52 VIDEO MODE 52 AUTO POWER OFF 53 RESET TO DEFAULT 53 CONNECTING THE CAMERA TO OTHER DEVICES 54 CAMERA SPECIFICATIONS 55 Underwater Housing Instructions 56 MUST DO for Housing 57 Main O Ring 59 SeasLife ReefMaster Underwater Housing 60 Rear View 61 Set Up 62 Cleaning 64...

Page 13: ... of The primary flash will fire 0 2 seconds after the pre flash hardly noticeable Only the primary flash is used by the camera for properly exposing the final picture The combination of the pre flashes and main flash ensures the optimal exposure setting for the camera In order to avoid underwater backscatter spots that show up in pictures caused by tiny particles in the water and get more vivid co...

Page 14: ...r the picture results will be With a little experimenting you will quickly be on your way towards great digital pictures to share with your friends and family Your computer It s easy to connect the camera to your computer to download pictures edit pictures and print or email pictures Download The USB connection will quickly transfer pictures from your camera to your computer Please refer to the de...

Page 15: ... Quick Guide Camera Carry Case USB cable Underwater Housing Deflector for External Flash Common Optional Accessories SD memory card 4 Pack Rechargeable batteries up to 128MB capacity with charger and foreign plug AC power adapter adapters SL 190 4 rechargeable NI MH Carry Case and more acces sories External Flash are available Wide angle lens See www sealife cameras com Macro lenses ...

Page 16: ...HE CAMERA Front view 1 Status LCD 2 Shutter button 3 Viewfinder window 4 Lens cover 5 Focus switch 6 Flash button 7 Quality Resolution button 8 Flash 9 Lens 10 Strap eyelet 11 DC IN jack 12 USB connector 13 Self timer light ...

Page 17: ... zoom button 4 Menu navigation button right 5 Menu navigation button down Delete button Rear view 1 LED camera ready indicator 2 Viewfinder option 3 LCD monitor 4 LCD On Off Quick Review button 5 Menu button 6 Power button 7 Mode dial 8 Battery SD card cover 9 VIDEO OUT jack 10 Tripod socket Menu Navigation button Camera buttons ...

Page 18: ... Use this mode to record video movie clips LED indicators Indicator Status Description Activity Sound LED Indicator Blinking red Camera system error Yes 3 LED Indicator Solid orange Charging the flash No LED Indicator Blinking green Image is being recorded to the memory card No LED Indicator Solid green The camera is ready to record images or movies Yes 1 Self timer Blinking red The self timer fun...

Page 19: ...ttery power Medium battery power Low battery power replace batteries Virtually No battery power This display varies according to the camera mode setting Displays the estimated shots that you can take in Record mode Displays the estimated seconds that you can record for the video clip in Movie mode Displays the current number of the recorded image in Playback mode Displays PC when connecting the ca...

Page 20: ...ayed indicators when recording still images The displayed indicators when recording video clips The displayed indicators when playing images back The displayed indicators when playing video clips back Sea Mode indicator Ext Flash indicator ...

Page 21: ...sing the batteries for an extended period of time remove them from the camera to prevent leaks or corrosion Never use manganese batteries Never use different types of batteries together or mix old and new batteries Using the AC power adapter optional accessory 1 Make sure the camera is off 2 Open the DC IN jack cover and connect one end of the AC power adapter to the DC IN jack on the camera 3 Con...

Page 22: ... battery SD card cover To remove the SD memory card make sure the camera is off Open the battery SD card cover Press lightly on the edge of the memory card and it will eject To prevent valuable data from being accidentally erased from an SD card you can slide the write protect tab on the side of the SD memory card to LOCK To save edit or erase data on an SD memory card you must unlock the card Att...

Page 23: ...u Turn mode dial to set up Setting the date and time The Date Time screen will be presented if when Camera is turned on for the first time after setting the language Camera is turned on after removing or replacing the batteries When the date and time setting screen appears follow these steps to set the correct date and time You may skip this procedure by pressing the OK button repeatedly 1 Enter t...

Page 24: ...ort or on a web page To change image resolution and quality settings press the button on top of the camera repeatedly to select the settings that you prefer As you press this button watch the Status LCD Resolution Quality The camera provides 2 resolution modes and 3 quality modes which can be changed cyclically by pressing the button The cyclical order is repeat Resolution quality indicators on th...

Page 25: ...tery consumption Always use the image LCD for macro shots to avoid parallax error The LCD image display must be turned on when Digital Zoom is used Using the viewfinder 1 Open the lens cover 2 Turn the mode dial to the mode 3 Turn the camera on by pressing the button 4 Compose your shot in the viewfinder 5 Check camera ready light is green 6 Press and hold the shutter button until camera takes pic...

Page 26: ...ife turn the LCD monitor off and use the optical viewfinder instead Always use the image LCD for macro shots The LCD monitor must be on when Digital Zoom is to be used The normal focus setting is used to take images where the distance to the subject is 3 ft 75 cm or more Select this setting for general shooting including portraits and scenery 1 Open the lens cover turn the mode dial to the mode an...

Page 27: ... appears on the LCD monitor and status LCD 3 Compose the picture 4 Press the shutter button To disable macro photography slide the focus switch back to normal Camera s focus is now set to macro distance When shooting a close up in macro mode use the image LCD monitor to compose your shot Using optical viewfinder may result in parallax error For land pictures taken at 3ft shooting distance take pic...

Page 28: ...de and power on the camera 2 Turn the LCD monitor on by pressing the button 3 Press the OK button to activate 2X digital zoom function The 2X icon appears on the LCD monitor To cancel the digital zoom function press the OK button 4 Press the shutter button to capture a zoomed image 2X You can only set the digital zoom at the resolution of 1600x1200 pixels digital zoom is not available at the resol...

Page 29: ...r button The self timer function is activated 6 After ten seconds the camera takes an image To cancel self timer photography at any time press the shutter button to disrupt the sequence After one shot is taken the self timer mode is turned to off Using the flash The flash is designed to function automatically when lighting conditions warrant the use of flash You can take an image using a flash mod...

Page 30: ... reducing the red eye Select this mode when taking pictures of people and animals in low light conditions Fill Flash on The flash will always fire regardless of the surrounding brightness Select this mode for recording images with high contrast backlighting and deep shadows Also known as forced flash Flash Off The flash will not fire Select this mode when taking images in a place where flash photo...

Page 31: ... to WHITE BALANCE EV COMPENSATION or SHARPNESS in Record menu To take pictures manually 1 Turn the camera on 2 Turn the mode dial to the mode 3 Press the button 4 Move to WHITE BALANCE EV COMPENSATION or SHARPNESS with the button 5 Change the settings by using the button and then press the OK button 6 Compose the picture 7 Press the shutter button Press menu button to manually adjust exposure sett...

Page 32: ...he camera 2 Select the image that you want to view by using the button To view the previous image press the button To view the next image press the button If there is no image stored in the internal memory or on the memory card NO IMAGES message will appear on the LCD monitor You can also view your images on the TV screen Connect one end of the video cable to the video out jack of the camera and c...

Page 33: ...ing the OK button once magnifies the image to 2X Pressing it again magnifies the image to 4X When enlarging the recorded image you will see a red frame with a red box inside The red frame indicates the entire image while the red box shows the enlarged area 4 To view the different portion of the enlarged image press the button 5 To return to the regular display from 4X enlarged status press the OK ...

Page 34: ...ly Image and OSD on screen display Thumbnail image display Slideshow display The slideshow function enables you to playback your images back automatically in sequential order as a slide show This is a very useful and entertain ing feature for reviewing recorded images and for presentations 1 Turn the mode dial to the mode and power on the camera 2 Press the button and move to SLIDE SHOW by using t...

Page 35: ...ete the images or video clips stored in the internal memory remember not to insert the memory card in the camera Otherwise you will delete the images or video clips stored in the memory card How to use the instant delete feature You can instantly delete a picture immediately after taking the picture To instantly delete a picture 1 After taking a picture the LCD will display a DELETE THIS message w...

Page 36: ...a The recordable movie time displays on the status LCD and the LCD monitor 2 You can start recording a video clip by pressing the shutter button The elapsed time displays on the LCD monitor while recording a video clip To stop recording press the shutter button again In movie mode resolution quality macro self timer cannot be set or activated In movie mode the flash mode is automatically set to OF...

Page 37: ...yback press the button Pressing the shutter button or the button while playing back the video clip will change the status as follows The zoom function cannot be activated while playing the video clip back To play the video clip back on the computer we recommend that you use the Quick Time Player This software is free of charge compatible for Mac and Windows based computers and can be downloaded fr...

Page 38: ... 39 Step 2 Connecting the camera to your computer see page 39 Step 3 Downloading images video clips see page 40 System requirements System requirements Windows Macintosh CPU Pentium 166 MHz processor PowerPC G3 G4 or higher OS Windows 98 98SE Me 2000 XP OS 8 6 or later Memory 32MB RAM 32MB RAM 64MB recommended 64MB recommended Free Space on 128 MB hard disk space 128 MB hard disk space Hard Disk R...

Page 39: ...ill automatically recognize the camera and load its own USB drivers 1 Insert the CD ROM packaged with the camera into the CD ROM drive 2 Select and double click Digital Camera Driver Installer 3 Select Install Location and click Install 4 Follow the on screen instructions to complete the installation and restart your computer Step 2 Connecting the camera to your computer 1 Connect one end of the U...

Page 40: ...de the folder s Select the images that you want then choose copy from the Edit menu Open the destination location and choose Paste from the Edit menu You may also drag and drop image files from the camera to a desired location For computers running Mac OS Open the untitled disk window and the hard disk or the destination location Drag and drop from the camera disk to the desired destination It is ...

Page 41: ...is amazing program To install MGI PhotoSuite 1 Insert the CD ROM packaged with the camera into the CD ROM drive The welcome screen appears 2 Click Install MGI PhotoSuite Follow the on screen instructions to complete the installation To use MGI PhotoSuite to edit and retouch your recorded images please refer to the on line help of this software as a guide For Windows 2000 XP users make sure to inst...

Page 42: ... interface will let even a novice get great results in minutes To install MGI PhotoVista 1 Insert the CD ROM packaged with the camera into the CD ROM drive The welcome screen appears 2 Click Install MGI PhotoVista Follow the on screen instructions to complete the installation To use MGI PhotoVista to create spectacular 3600 panoramic images please refer to the on line help of this software as a gu...

Page 43: ...at you have Acrobat Reader installed on your computer For Windows users 1 Insert the CD ROM that came with the camera into your CD ROM drive The welcome screen appears 2 Click Install User s Manual Follow the on screen instructions to complete the installation For Mac users 1 Insert the CD ROM packaged with the ca mera into your CD ROM drive 2 Select and double click Manual 3 Select and double cli...

Page 44: ...nstall Acrobat Reader Follow the on screen instructions to complete the installation For Mac users 1 Insert the CD ROM that came with the ca mera into your CD ROM drive 2 Select and double click Acrobat Reader 3 Select and double click the language you prefer 4 Double click Reader Installer 5 Follow the on screen instructions to complete the installation ...

Page 45: ...ss the button to brighten the LCD monitor while press the button to darken the LCD monitor And then press the OK button QUICK VIEW You can view each captured image on the LCD display immediately after capture by enabling Quick View Each captured image will be displayed briefly after which the camera returns to the mode automatically Set ON or OFF to enable or disable the instant review by press in...

Page 46: ...utomatically However when if the subject is very dark or very bright you may override the camera automat ic exposure determination to make the subject brighter or darker This is called EV compensation The EV compensation of the camera can be adjusted from 1 8EV to 1 8EV Use the button to select the EV compensation that you want and then press the OK button To increase image exposure or bright ness...

Page 47: ... leave the image detail as captured SOFT soften the edge of the image detail for special effect HARD sharpen the edge of the image detail FLASH ON OFF This option allows you to turn the camera s flash on or off This is the only way to turn the flash on or off when inside the underwater housing EXIT This option exits the record menu and then returns to the mode Press the OK button to exit You can a...

Page 48: ...e you desire and then press the OK button 2 sec 4 sec 6 sec 8 sec 10 sec COPY TO CARD This feature allows you to copy your images from the camera s internal memory to an SD memory card Of course you can only do this if you have an SD memory card installed and some images in internal memory Use the button to select YES if necessary and then press the OK button DELETE ALL This option allows you to d...

Page 49: ...d image size standard 3x5 4x6 5x7 8x10 PRINT INDEX allows you to print the images in index format PRINT ENABLE If you select ENABLE the camera will save the DPOF settings If DISABLE is selected all the settings will be erased DPOF shortcut You can use the shutter button to quickly establish DPOF settings as follows 1 Turn the mode dial to the mode 2 Press the shutter button to toggle the DPOF prin...

Page 50: ...u wish to set by using the button LCD BRIGHTNESS This option adjusts the brightness of the LCD monitor Refer to LCD BRIGHTNESS in Record menu for detailed information EXIT This option exits the movie menu and then returns to the mode Press the OK button to exit You can also press the button again to exit ...

Page 51: ...underwater Flash select FLASH mode when using camera inside underwater housing with one or two external flash es Camera is not waterproof and requires the use of the underwater housing when in or around water To confirm Land Sea Exposure program is set correctly switch the mode dial to mode The bottom left of LCD will display one of the above 3 icons DATE TIME Press the OK button to enter the DATE...

Page 52: ...the button and press the OK button the FORMAT MEDIA message appears on the LCD monitor When you select YES and press the OK button again a progress bar displays showing the progress of the format This utility formats the internal memory or memory card and erases all stored images and data VIDEO MODE This option allows you to view your images on a TV Connect the camera to your TV using the video ca...

Page 53: ...rn the camera on again by pressing the button The table above shows the default time settings for idle and power off You can change the power saving interval by using the button and then press the OK button 3 min 5 min 10 min 30 min RESET TO DEFAULT If you wish to restore all camera settings to their original status select YES by using the button and then press the OK button The following table sh...

Page 54: ...54 E CONNECTING THE CAMERA TO OTHER DEVICES ...

Page 55: ...5 6mm Focal range Standard 0 7m infinity Macro 0 3m 0 8m F number 2 8 5 6 Focus Focus range 30cm to infinity Exposure compensation Auto Manual 1 8 1 8EV 0 3EV step Exposure programs Land Sea or External Flash White balance Auto Sun Shade Fluorescent Tungsten Compressed format JPEG Motion JPEG for video clip Standards JPEG EXIF 2 1 DPOF DCF Motion JPEG Interface DC IN jack USB connector VIDEO OUT j...

Page 56: ...bbered armored for water and shock protection Includes Sportsfinder Soft rubber grips Optical glass lens port Stainless steel hardware corrosion proof 3 button controls power shutter and LCD on off Accessory mount for adding one or two external flash es Snap on lens port to quickly attach macro or wide angle lens Leak check window let s you see if housing leaks while underwater Front view of DC250...

Page 57: ...ng Soak or rinse sealed housing with fresh water after use in salt water 4 Carefully close lid to seal housing Make sure O ring do not slip out of the groove when sealing Press lid firmly and tightly down into housing to ensure a waterproof seal 5 Never let any moisture or dirt get inside housing when opening Only open and load the housing in dry cool air such as inside an air conditioned room 6 F...

Page 58: ...lean o ring before every use Replace o ring if damaged If O ring needs to be replaced contact the SeaLife Service Center at 856 866 9192 Open view of housing The housing uses one O ring to form a waterproof seal Contact SeaLife Service Center if O ring is damaged and requires replacement ...

Page 59: ...moved use the other end of the cleaning brush to lift up O ring and remove Carefully inspect O ring for cuts and damage If this O ring is removed make sure it is carefully replaced Do not twist or stretch O ring O ring must be pushed into it s groove Be careful not to pinch O ring when closing housing The underwater housing uses 3 buttons Power Camera LCD Power button and Shutter button Each butto...

Page 60: ...60 E SeaLife ReefMaster Underwater Camera Housing Front View ...

Page 61: ...61 E E SeaLife ReefMaster Underwater Camera Housing Rear View ...

Page 62: ...using lid beyond its stop point or damage may occur to the hinge area 2 Carefully inspect O ring for damage and make sure O ring is firmly seated in its groove If O ring is damaged and requires replacement contact SeaLife Service Center For service details see page 58 3 Clean the housing glass lens port using clean dry cotton cloth It is recommended to apply anti fog solution to the inside surface...

Page 63: ...a power on 2 Press the shutter button on the outside of the housing to take a test picture 3 The power or shutter button should have a smooth action and return to its original resting position after pressing It is normal to feel some resistance when pressing the power and shutter button 4 Press and hold power button to turn camera power off It is recommended to leave camera power off until you re ...

Page 64: ... cause fogging 5 If you must open the housing while on the dive boat make sure you and the housing are perfectly dry before opening the housing Do not allow the inside of the housing or the camera to get wet Cleaning housing after use 1 The sealed housing must be thoroughly cleaned with fresh water before opening Never let salt water dry on housing Salt crystals may damage the O ring lens and attr...

Page 65: ...closer the better Use your stretched out arm as a measuring tool to keep your minimum shooting distance of 2 feet 0 6 meters Remember that light does not travel very far underwater For best pictures use a 3X Macro Lens at distances from 12 to 36 inches 30 to 90 cm 3 Move calmly and control your buoyancy before taking a picture It is very hard to take good pictures when you are moving Look around f...

Page 66: ...22 to 36 56 to 90 cm Macro 8X lens filter SL959 set 16 to 22 40 to 56 cm Macro 16X lens filter SL959 set 8 to 11 20 to 28 cm 24 mm Wide angle lens SL970 1 30 cm to infinity Field of view about 50 larger The above distance only apply to digital camera SeaLife film cameras will have different shooting distances The 8X and 16X Macro lenses are sold in a set that also includes the extendable and colla...

Page 67: ...nt you can get through a dive day and recharge your batteries at night Do not expose Ni MH batteries to water or moisture Properly dispose of any Ni MH battery exposed to water or moisture See specific warning on battery Lithium Lithium AA batteries are suitable for the SeaLife digital camera AA Lithium batteries typically will last the longest cost the most and are not rechargeable Standard and H...

Page 68: ...0 underwater pictures in 40 Minutes 4 Wait for 2 hours then repeat step 2 and step 3 5 Then repeat 3 Extreme conditions designed to test the power consumption in the most extreme operating conditions 1 Turn camera on Set to External FLASH mode Put in housing close housing 2 Take picture intervals as quickly as possible display always ON FLASH always fires Battery Life during Life during Type NORMA...

Page 69: ...ection Camera driver not installed Install camera driver CD page 39 No Video Connection Improper connection to TV Connect video cable to video IN jack of TV or VCR and change TV VCR to video in channel Poor Video connection Video cable not fully inserted into camera or TV Make sure video cable is completely inserted into video jack of camera until it clicks Also check that connection to TV VCR is ...

Page 70: ...e only approved quality SD cards Reformat SD card will delete pictures Defective internal memory Reformat memory this will delete pictures in memory Using camera with low battery power Replace with freshly charged batteries Image number indicator does not count down This may occur depending on actual memory available N A Housing leaks water O ring not clean or is damaged Perfectly clean main O rin...

Page 71: ...71 E E ...