Bill Grey wrote:

> As you say - follow the instructions.

But the G9 instructions don't instruct me either way. Being a compact, maybe
they assume that most people will never use a tripod with it anyway?

Paul

In message <MrqdncALZqElkzranZ2dnUVZ8tChnZ2d>, Paul Saunders
<pvs1> writes
>Bill Grey wrote:
>
>> As you say - follow the instructions.
>
>But the G9 instructions don't instruct me either way. Being a compact, maybe
>they assume that most people will never use a tripod with it anyway?
>
>Paul

Could be, seeing as a compact means travelling light, and carrying a
tripod defeats the object.

It might be just as well to switch off IS if you do use a tripod anyway.
No harm will come the photograph.

Paul Saunders <pvs1> wrote:
> Bill Grey wrote:

>> As you say - follow the instructions.

> But the G9 instructions don't instruct me either way. Being a compact, maybe
> they assume that most people will never use a tripod with it anyway?

The handbooks for complicated devices often miss out what geeks would
think is very important technical detail on the grounds that it would
scare off the kind of purchasers who find handbooks pretty scary.

Chris Townsend wrote:

>>> I've used waterproof housings with GPS units and found it very
>>> difficult to use the buttons.
>>
>> Even with a moulded case specifically designed to fit the model in
>> question?
>
> Yes. I was supplied one with a test Lowrance GPS and found it almost
> useless.

Well I've just received the underwater case and it's excellent! It's very
well made, in fact, I'd even describe it as a thing of beauty! I've often
complained about the prices of underwater cases, but when you see it in the
flesh as it were, it's easy to see why they cost so much.

The controls are very solid, responsive and easy to use, just as easy as the
without the case. They seem to have a "rubbery" feel, but they actually work
with springs. Sure enough, the jog dial isn't accessible, which is a bad
design oversight, but even so, with some suitably chosen presets and
creative use of the auto modes and exposure lock, it's pretty versatile.

One slight problem is that you can't see what the buttons do clearly because
the symbols on the camera are hidden. They are imprinted on the case, but
very hard to see. Still, once you're used to the camera it won't be
difficult to remember what they each do.

The lock is very solid and can't be opened by accident. Silicon grease is
supplied to apply to the rubber seal, but I assume that's only necessary for
actual underwater use due to the pressure. I doubt it would be needed for
simply taking photos in the rain (unless anyone knows any different?).

It makes the G9 a lot heavier and bulkier, in fact it's similar in weight
and bulk to a DSLR, so it's no longer a pocket camera! There is a strap
provided so you can wear it around your neck. It's definitely overkill for
taking snaps in showery weather, but for serious rain, it's the business!
The biggest problem for rain shots is the lack of a lens hood, so I'll have
to improvise something there.

The glass in front of the lens looks good quality. When you look at it from
certain angles, so that there are no reflections, it looks like there's
nothing there!

I haven't tested it in the rain yet. I may test the case alone first,
perhaps putting it under the shower for a while to see if anything gets
through. Then I'll try some test shots in the garden next time it rains.

But of course, it's going to be sunny tomorrow now that the case has
arrived, so you can thank me for that! ;-)

Paul

Chris Malcolm wrote:

> The handbooks for complicated devices often miss out what geeks would
> think is very important technical detail on the grounds that it would
> scare off the kind of purchasers who find handbooks pretty scary.

It does provide a few tips, such as recommending use of a tripod for very
slow shutter speeds, but doesn't mention whether you should switch it off in
such a case. It would only have taken a few extra words.

Two points:

1. The manual is quite long and involved as it is. Adding a few more details
wouldn't make much difference to the size.

2. Those who find such a long manual scary probably won't read it anyway.
Maybe that's why they only provided it as a pdf file? Those who don't like
technical details will probably just use it on auto. IMO the information
should be in there for those that bother to read it.

Paul

In message <f46dnR8WvOUvWDXanZ2dnUVZ8qSnnZ2d>, Paul Saunders
<pvs1> writes
>The lock is very solid and can't be opened by accident. Silicon grease is
>supplied to apply to the rubber seal, but I assume that's only necessary for
>actual underwater use due to the pressure. I doubt it would be needed for
>simply taking photos in the rain (unless anyone knows any different?).

Possibly to reseal the rubber ring in the event of maintenance.

Bill Grey wrote:

>In message <f46dnR8WvOUvWDXanZ2dnUVZ8qSnnZ2d>, Paul Saunders
><pvs1> writes
>>The lock is very solid and can't be opened by accident. Silicon grease is
>>supplied to apply to the rubber seal, but I assume that's only necessary for
>>actual underwater use due to the pressure. I doubt it would be needed for
>>simply taking photos in the rain (unless anyone knows any different?).
>
>Possibly to reseal the rubber ring in the event of maintenance.

Or possibly to lubricate the seal so it "flows" into the space it's
sealing better or to prevent damage to the seal. Think about it the
seal has to be bigger than the gap otherwise it wouldn't seal it!

In message <3dohq3pvat3gq3fncss5ptq9m79g5mp9au>, Phil Cook
<phil> writes
>Bill Grey wrote:
>
>>In message <f46dnR8WvOUvWDXanZ2dnUVZ8qSnnZ2d>, Paul Saunders
>><pvs1> writes
>>>The lock is very solid and can't be opened by accident. Silicon grease is
>>>supplied to apply to the rubber seal, but I assume that's only necessary for
>>>actual underwater use due to the pressure. I doubt it would be needed for
>>>simply taking photos in the rain (unless anyone knows any different?).
>>
>>Possibly to reseal the rubber ring in the event of maintenance.
>
>Or possibly to lubricate the seal so it "flows" into the space it's
>sealing better or to prevent damage to the seal. Think about it the
>seal has to be bigger than the gap otherwise it wouldn't seal it!

More or less what I said. Whenever the seal is "broken" to clean the
underwater case, or to take out the camera, the silicone is used to
lubricate the "O" ring prior to reasonably.

Phil Cook wrote:
> Bill Grey wrote:

>> Possibly to reseal the rubber ring in the event of maintenance.
>
> Or possibly to lubricate the seal so it "flows" into the space it's
> sealing better or to prevent damage to the seal. Think about it the
> seal has to be bigger than the gap otherwise it wouldn't seal it!

I've just finished reading the manual. Apparently it's to protect the seal
from damage, so I suppose I should use it. But isn't that going to create a
lot of extra hassle if I use the case a lot, having to keep cleaning it and
re-applying it?

On the plus side, I've got some very good news concerning the control dial
which can't be controlled through the case. There's an alternative control
method. If the Shortcut button is not assigned to anything else, you can
emulate the Control Dial by holding the Shortcut button and pressing the
left (macro) or right (flash) arrow keys. So you do have complete control
after all.

I've checked the manual again, and there's no mention of this alternative
control method. They really should point this out somewhere, especially in
the info about the underwater case. I did consider not buying it because it
apparently lacked that feature.

Paul

Boo wrote:
>> Thanks for that, handy. Unfortunately that model doesn't support
>> SD-HC cards, only the normal SD type.
>
> Good point, try this ebay item : 270208569096

I see, thanks.

Paul

Chris Malcolm wrote:

>> And if it isn't, say a flimsy
>> tripod wobbling in the breeze, wouldn't IS actually help in that
>> situation?
>
> Very likely. I'm just suggesting it might be like autoexposure or
> autofocus -- usually pretty good. And some reviewers have commented on
> the dithering of some implementations of IS on a tripod. On the other
> hand, Canon are known to be capable of making very good IS systems.

Were those reviews of lenses or cameras?

>> Or a bean bag! Seriously, a bean bag is the nearest thing you can
>> get to rock solid, if you can find a rock or a fence post or
>> something to put it on. I've taken 300mm shots at 1 second in a gale
>> force wind on a bean bag on a rock and had perfectly sharp results.
>
> How heavy is an SLR+zoom-sized bean bag?

The one I made weighs 414g, which is too heavy when I want to travel light.
I made a much lighter one with bits of polystyrene which seems to work just
as well, but I can't find that at the moment.

> My Gorillapod Zoom (the
> biggest toughest one) weighs .42kg with its ball head.

My Jessops bendy leg tripod, which is similar, weighs just 117g, but then I
don't use that for my SLR, just a compact.

Thing is, almost every tripod (except those really big heavy suckas) is
going to be prone to some camera shake in the wind, especially with a
telephoto lens attached (unless the lens is attached to the tripod, not the
camera). The problem is usually caused by play in the tripod head rather
than the tripod itself, and of course cameras with long lenses are
inherently unbalanced.

Paul

In message <k0H9LrFPeOqHFwRI>, Bill Grey
<wdg> writes
>In message <3dohq3pvat3gq3fncss5ptq9m79g5mp9au>, Phil Cook
><phil> writes
>
>More or less what I said. Whenever the seal is "broken" to clean the
>underwater case, or to take out the camera, the silicone is used to
>lubricate the "O" ring prior to reasonably.

oops! Re-assembling

Paul Saunders wrote:

> Well I've just received the underwater case...

> But of course, it's going to be sunny tomorrow now that the case has
> arrived, so you can thank me for that! ;-)

And it's been dry virtually ever since, with no indication of rain for the
forseeable future! (next 8 days according to the forecast I'm currently
looking at).

Amazing things these underwater cases! People should buy them more often!
;-)

Paul