F.A.Q. What Are The Tips For U/W Compact Camera Users?

Tips:

• Cover the front of the housing directly in front of the internal flash with duct tape when adding an external strobe that is optically fired, otherwise you will still get backscatter from the internal flash
• Make sure you understand the focusing distance of your camera in and out of macro mode. Use macro mode when you are within the macro focusing distance
• If you use an external flash, make sure you place it as far away from your housing as possible, and your internal flash is blocked/difused, to reduce backscatter
• Bring a dive light with you to help your camera auto-focus
• If you turn your flash off, either manual white balance your camera, or set it to underwater mode
• Don't use digital zoom

For people using only a compact camera and internal flash:

• The lower the visibility, the closer to the subject you must be to avoid backscatter
• Avoid using the flash when shooting more than 3-4ft away for better colours in your underwater photos
• When not using the flash, make sure you use manual white balance mode
• When using the flash, make sure white balance is set to auto
• Consider using wet lenses for a wider range of focal lengths