ReefMaster Mini and ECOshot

Tips and Technical Updates

1. Q - 1. Camera takes a long time (about 10 seconds) to power on when using SD memory card.
2. Q - 2. What brands of SD memory cards are compatible?
3. Q - 3. I have problems connecting my camera to my computer.
4. Q - My battery doesn't last long. What can I do to maximize the battery life?
5. Q - The flash doesn't fire when focus is set to macro.
6. Q - I'm getting poor image quality with my camera.
7. Q - What size memory card is compatible with the Mini cameras?
8. Q - How can I prevent fogging inside of the camera lens?
9. Q - Will the stainless steel parts of the camera rust when wet?
10. Q - My pictures are blurry and out of focus.
11. Q - The SeaLife flash accessories sometimes misfires.
12. Q - The Digital flash accessory does not fire AT ALL when connected to my camera.
13. Q - What does the "card error" message on the LCD mean?
14. Q - I´m only getting a few pictures with the SD memory card.
15. Q - Why do I see black corners in my underwater photos taken with the mini wide angle lens?

1. Camera takes a long time (about 10 seconds) to power on when using SD memory card.

SeaLife has discovered a compatibility issue with recent releases of SanDisk SD memory cards. The two symptoms are:

1. Camera takes about 10 seconds to power on (should be 2 seconds)
2. The number of pictures remaining displayed is overstated. For example, the display shows 1232 remaining for a 1GB memory card when the actual number of pictures should be 300.

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2. What brands of SD memory cards are compatible?

SeaLife no longer recommends using ONLY SanDisk, Panasonic, or Toshiba brand memory cards. Our testing over the last several years indicates that these brands are reliable cards, but many other brands have also proven to be just as reliable. We have not found any compatibility problems with brands like Delkin, Lexar, Kingston, PNY, Kodak, Polaroid, Kingmax, and Eye-Fi (wifi card). SeaLife cameras are designed to work with any brand of SD memory card.

If you experience performance problems with your SD memory card, first make sure the contacts on the card are clean and the card is not damaged. Test the card in another SD card device to see if the card is possibly damaged. If you experience a card problem with your SeaLife camera, please email us at service@sealife-cameras.com.

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3. I have problems connecting my camera to my computer.

The ReefMaster Mini and ECOshot cameras are compatible with Windows operating system versions 98, 2000, ME, XP, and later, and MAC operating systems version 9.0 and higher. The DC600 camera will automatically connect to your computer when following the connection instructions outlined on page 67 of the Reefmaset Mini and ECOshot instruction manual. Here are some tips if you are still having problems connecting the camera to your computer.

1. Make sure the camera battery is fully charged.
2. Reboot your computer and try again. Most connectivity problems are fixed when you restart your computer.
3. For Microsoft Vista users, the computer may take 4 to 5 minutes to recognize the card. Consider using a card reader which plugs into your computer's USB. These card readers only cost about $20 and offer a convenient, reliable way to transfer images from the camera to your computer.
4. For other Windows operating system users, visit the Microsoft support site at http://support.microsoft.com/. Search on "Digital Camera" for a list of helpful tips from Microsoft.
5. For Mac operating system users, visit the Apple support site at http://www.apple.com/support/. Search on "Digital Camera" for a list of helpful tips from Apple.
6. Again, consider purchasing a SD memory card reader which connects to the USB port of your computer. You can quickly transfer pictures from your camera to your computer by removing the SC card from the camera and inserting it into your card reader.

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4. My battery doesn't last long. What can I do to maximize the battery life?

You should get at least 1 hour of use or approximately 100 pictures depending on the type of AA batteries used and how you conserve battery power. It is always recommended to have spare batteries with you as back-up. The AA batteries included with the camera are for DEMO purposes only and are not recommended for normal use. Here are some tips to maximize battery life:

1. Use only the following type of batteries:

1. Use SeaLife or other quality brand of Nickel Metal Hydride (NiMH) rechargeable batteries. Carefully follow charging instructions provided with the batteries and charger. The NiMH battery power rating should be at least 2500 mAh hours.
2. Lithium non-rechargeable batteries, like the Energizer E2 battery. We tested the Energizer E2 and found it took over 700 pictures before the battery died (wow!)
3. High-Energy alkaline batteries intended for high power consumer electronics.

2. Keep the Auto Off setting set to 3 minutes. This setting is located under the set-up mode menu. The camera will power off in 3 minute to preserve battery power.

3. Turn the camera power off when not in use.

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5. The flash doesn't fire when focus is set to macro.

When you set the focus to macro, the cameras flash is disabled and will NOT fire UNLESS the camera is set to Sea mode or Ext Flash mode. If you want to take a land picture in macro focus with the flash on, select the Ext Flash scene mode

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6. I'm getting poor image quality with my camera.

In general, the brighter the light condition is, the better the image quality will be. Even in low light, we offer solutions for sharp colorful pictures. If you experience graining pictures in low light conditions (i.e. Indoor, night time or underwater), please do one of the following:

1. Make sure the camera's flash is set to FORCE ON or AUTO and limit your shooting distance to 6 feet (2 feet underwater)
2. Use the SeaLife External Flash (SL960) or Digital Flash (SL960D) accessory. This powerful flash results in bright colorful pictures up to 20ft (6 feet underwater). Visit www.sealife-cameras.com or Contact your local SeaLife dealer for more information about SeaLife flash accessory.

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7. What size memory card is compatible with the Mini cameras?

SeaLife recommends using a 1 GB SD memory card which will take about 300 hi-res images or ½ hour of video. Our tests with larger memory cards, like a 2GB (SD) indicate no compatibility problem, however we have experienced problems using 4 GB (SDHC).

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8. How can I prevent fogging inside of the camera lens?

Humid air or small water drops trapped inside the waterproof camera may condense on the cooler glass lens port and cause fogging. Here is the best way to prevent fogging:

1. Keep the inside of the camera perfectly dry. Make sure you and the camera are dry before opening the waterproof door. Even one small water drop that drips into the camera can evaporate and condense (fog) on the lens port.
2. Avoid opening the waterproof door in high humid areas. Load the batteries and SD memory card in a dry environment, like an air-conditioned room. This will help to avoid trapping humid air inside the camera.
3. If you do experience fogging or if a water drop gets inside the camera, insert two fresh Moisture Muncher desiccant capsules (item # SL911) inside the battery compartment for at least 24 hours. It is highly recommended to store the camera with fresh Moisture Munchers in the battery compartment, to keep the camera optics and electronics clean and dry. See your local SeaLife dealer to purchase Moisture Muncher.

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9. Will the stainless steel parts of the camera rust when wet?

SeaLife cameras use only marine grade stainless steel hardware, which is ideal for use in saltwater and marine environment. If not cared for properly, rust stains may appear on surfaces. Make sure to rinse off the camera with fresh water after each use. Dry before storage. Keep all metal surfaces clean. Avoid contacting metal camera parts with other metals. This may contaminate the stainless steel. Rust stains should wipe off with soft plastic bristle brush or clean moist cloth. A great source for more information on stainless steel is http://www.ssina.com/knowledgebase/..

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10. My pictures are blurry and out of focus.

If the picture is not in focus, your shooting distance is probably too close. Here is a quick reference chart of shooting distances for land and underwater pictures. You will see that the Mini Wide Angle lens accessory (item SL973) allows you to take underwater close-up pictures down to 12" (30cm):

Underwater (WithOUT Mini Wide Angle lens (SL973)
Macro: 45cm (1.5ft) to 75cm (2.5 ft)
Normal: 75cm (2.5ft) to infinity)

Underwater (WITH Mini Wide Angle lens (SL973)
Macro: 30cm (12") to 75cm (30")
Normal: 45cm (18") to infinity

Land (Mini wide angle lens not recommended for land use)
Macro: 60cm (2ft) to 1m (3ft)
Normal: 1m (3ft) to infinity

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11. The SeaLife flash accessories sometimes misfires.

SeaLife flash accessories will automatically fire when the light sensor located on the bottom of the flash detects the camera's flash. However, the light sensor may not fire the External Flash if it does not "see" the camera's flash firing.

Here are some common causes for the External Flash not firing:

1. The ambient light (surrounding light) is so bright that the light sensor is not able to "see" or sense the light from the camera's flash. For example, a white sandy bottom may "blind" the flash light sensor, so it does not "see" the camera's flash.
2. The flash head sensor is blocked or obstructed in some way.
3. The flash head sensor is not directed at the camera's flash. It should be located close to the camera's flash so it "sees" the camera flash firing

Solutions:

Make sure that the flash sensor farthest from the camera is covered with the small black rubber Flash Sensor Cover. See instruction manual for more details. Visit www.sealife-cameras.com or Contact your local SeaLife dealer for more information about SeaLife flash accessory.

Special Note: All SeaLife camera sets include the Flash Link optical cable accessory. SeaLife did not include the Flash Link accessory for the first one hundred ReefMaster Pro Sets (item SL325). As of July 1, 2007, SeaLife started including the Flash Link. If you or your customer did not receive the Flash Link cable with the ReefMaster Mini Pro Set, please send us a copy of the original purchase receipt and your shipping address to service@sealife-cameras.com, and SeaLife will ship you or your customer a free Flash Link optical cable.

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12. The Digital flash accessory does not fire AT ALL when connected to my camera.

There are a few important steps that will ensure the External Flash fires:

1. 1. Set camera´s scene mode to Ext Flash mode.

2. Set Digital Flash Pre-Flash switch to "0". Make sure Camera and External Flash batteries are fully charged. Turn Flash to ON and wait for green ready-light to turn on.

3. Here's an easy test to make sure the External Flash is firing and synchronized with the camera. Take a picture of the External Flash, pointing the camera at the flash sensor. Do this with the camera removed from the flash base and without the Flash Link optical cable connected. The picture should show the flash firing. If you do not see the flash firing in the picture make sure you followed the set-up step #1 defined above.

4. If the external flash still does not fire, contact the SeaLife service center.

5. If the flash fires SOMETIMES but not ALL THE TIME, see check the other tips and technical advice below.

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13. What does the "card error" message on the LCD mean?

The SD memory card may be damaged, has dirty contacts or it is not completely inserted into the memory card slot.

1. Make sure the memory card is completely seated and "clicks" into position when inserted into camera.
2. The other possibility is that the memory card is damaged or dirty. Check to make sure contacts on the card are clean. Also check that there is no debris lodged in the memory card slot. Blow or shake-out any dirt or debris in the memory card slot. Do not stick any object into the memory card slot - this can damage the camera.
3. If you are still experiencing a card error message, test the camera with another memory card. If this does not correct the problem, contact the SeaLife service center.

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14. I´m only getting a few pictures with the SD memory card.

Most likely is that the SD memory card is not completely inserted into the memory card slot. Make sure memory card is completely seated and "clicks" into position when inserted into camera. The camera may also lock up if the card is not fully seated into position.

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15. Why do I see black corners in my underwater photos taken with the mini wide angle lens?

Make sure there no air is trapped between the camera lens port and Mini Wide Angle lens accessory (SL973). Air trapped between the wide angle lens and the camera will cause vignetting (the black corners).

Air trapped between the lens and camera causes vignetting (black corners)	"Burp" out the air trapped under the wide lens to eliminate vignetting

Sealife Service Center
c/o Pioneer Research
97 Foster Road, Suite 5
Moorestown, NJ 08057
ph. 856-866-9191