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Note: this camera was first sold in Nov 2005. There may be newer versions available.

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Sea Life DC500

HQ Grade: D+

A	is outstanding and exceptional, rated in the top 10% of digital cameras.
B	means they are good, with some standout features.
C	means they are mediocre, and probably more trouble than they are worth.
D & F	mean they are absolutely awful or old. Avoid at all costs.

3 out of 5

"Good Bad & the Ugly"

3 out of 5

"Not too bad, needs assistance"

See rating based on 39 user reviews
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This camera is ranked

20th of 32 in 5 Megapixel (#1 is Canon A460)
11th of 11 in All-Weather (#1 is Canon D10)
80th of 88 in $350 - $600 (#1 is Canon S90 IS)

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Answered!

Ryan Thomas (Ryan61285) 1 pts

December 18, 2006 1:55 PM

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Why aren't both of my flashes firing simultaneously?

My camera is a Sealife DC500 with external flash. I had trouble with the flash going off continuously under water last year so I painted the inside of the optical reciever white. It flashes every time, it just is not in sync with the camera taking pictures. It seesm to be that the flash is going off AFTER I take pictures. This is above water, on dry land, not sure if that makes any difference. If anyone has any reccomendations for me, I'd be all ears.

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Joe (topfeeg) 14259 pts

December 19, 2006 10:34 AM

Well I think by painting over the sensor to ensure that the internal flash will pop everytime might be an issue because it is not mechanically in line with the external flash. There is no information being sent to the external flash to tell it to go off. I would assume that this is a function of the camera body where by you align them in camera via a menu selection, I can not be sure without handling it myself. There is a chance that underwater it is supposed to work in this manner, the first flash is used for the camera to set the iris and the second flash is for the image. But that still doesnt seem right, but I guess it is possible that it works like a red eye reduction flash because of the way light reacts in water.

Interesting question, does anyone else have any experience with this?

The Sealife DC500 is sadly not an expertise of mine.

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Ryan Thomas (Ryan61285) 1 pts

December 19, 2006 10:42 AM

Joe,
Thanks for the reply. As it turns out, fairly shortly after I posted this question I figured out my rpoblem, which was the fact that the camera was not set to external flash mode. I answered my own question. The reason for painting the inside of the optical cable clip was to ensure better reflection inside. I had read in other reviews to do this to ensure the flash fired all the time. I appreciate your two cents.

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Jim 0 pts

February 25, 2007 1:00 PM

I have had a few issues with my external strobe not firing. After playing with the clip underwater it seems to eventually correct. I am reading several suggestions to piont the inside of the clip white. For those who have done this, does it work?
Another question for those underwater photographers, does anyone have dual ext strobes and can you tell the difference?

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Why aren't both of my flashes firing simultaneously?

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