Underwater camera - Help needed!
Discussion
Fellow PH'ers,
I am off to sunny climes later this year where an underwater camera would be nice/useful. I have trawled the interweb and found a myriad of possibilities but have been confused by the extent of choice. Does anyone out there have any actual experience in using a camera underwater? Is it best for a non-photographer to buy a digital camera and put it in an housing or is it best to buy a purpose built camera which doesn't need an housing? It must be a digital camera tho'.
I found the fuji finepix f10, for which one can buy an housing, but I already have a digital camera and would rather upgrade the one I have to an SLR. Ergo, I would end up buying two. I guess my budget is not really set at the moment but I can deal with that when I have some advice from you guys! Perhaps I should buy an SLR and a housing to suit it? Another issue is that wifey is off to New York at the end of the month so she can get me a camera in USA, which will probably be cheaper, no?
Do I need to have strobe lighting to offset the effect of reflection against particles in the sea water?
What should I do?
I am off to sunny climes later this year where an underwater camera would be nice/useful. I have trawled the interweb and found a myriad of possibilities but have been confused by the extent of choice. Does anyone out there have any actual experience in using a camera underwater? Is it best for a non-photographer to buy a digital camera and put it in an housing or is it best to buy a purpose built camera which doesn't need an housing? It must be a digital camera tho'.
I found the fuji finepix f10, for which one can buy an housing, but I already have a digital camera and would rather upgrade the one I have to an SLR. Ergo, I would end up buying two. I guess my budget is not really set at the moment but I can deal with that when I have some advice from you guys! Perhaps I should buy an SLR and a housing to suit it? Another issue is that wifey is off to New York at the end of the month so she can get me a camera in USA, which will probably be cheaper, no?
Do I need to have strobe lighting to offset the effect of reflection against particles in the sea water?
What should I do?
I've quite a bit of experience with underwater photography & video.
A few suggestions, you absolutley need remote lighting/flash. Inbuilt systems just don't work giving flashback & grainy pants pictures. A remote light unit will also enable you see & frame dark shots where often the best pics can be taken. Even a simple torch rigged onto the flash light will do.
Get one with a flash thats at least a foot away & moveable to give you back lit or top lit type options.
It'd also be handy to have access to the view & delete functions underwater as you'll have a huge number of duff's (about 80% for me with film based cameras)
Have fun out there, my best shots have been when I've just calmly sat waiting (ok hovered not touched) & the little critters then come out. Some stonking shots of eels poking they're heads out, a tiger shark sleeping on the bottom in the current, I did'nt know it was a tiger shark at the time! so the close ups bring a tingle to my spine every time I look at them.
A few suggestions, you absolutley need remote lighting/flash. Inbuilt systems just don't work giving flashback & grainy pants pictures. A remote light unit will also enable you see & frame dark shots where often the best pics can be taken. Even a simple torch rigged onto the flash light will do.
Get one with a flash thats at least a foot away & moveable to give you back lit or top lit type options.
It'd also be handy to have access to the view & delete functions underwater as you'll have a huge number of duff's (about 80% for me with film based cameras)
Have fun out there, my best shots have been when I've just calmly sat waiting (ok hovered not touched) & the little critters then come out. Some stonking shots of eels poking they're heads out, a tiger shark sleeping on the bottom in the current, I did'nt know it was a tiger shark at the time! so the close ups bring a tingle to my spine every time I look at them.
Depends how deep you're planning on going...
I was just snorkelling and a case for my Canon Ixus did a great job. There is more info on this thread www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&f=109&t=266140
I was just snorkelling and a case for my Canon Ixus did a great job. There is more info on this thread www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&f=109&t=266140
This is a good underwater camera.http://cgi.ebay.com/BARGAIN-NIKONOS-V
Easy to use, but you do need the remote flash.
I hired one of these in Sharm, and by luck more than anything got a few good shots with it.
Easy to use, but you do need the remote flash.
I hired one of these in Sharm, and by luck more than anything got a few good shots with it.
www.camerasunderwater.co.uk/
For all your UW photo needs.
The best option by far is an slr in a housing, but you are looking at a £2k minimum for all the kit. (slr, housing, ports and 2 x strobes)
I did a weeks live aboard before xmas and buddied up with a semi pro. He had D100's and the sea & sea housing, 2 x YS250 duo strobes and about 4 ports.
He let me use it and it was a joy to do. I would seriously think about getting the housing for my D70 the next time I go, but it is a costly choice for something I will use once a year.
HTH
Greg
ps. There is a chap on here called Diddyman who is well into it and who has all the kit.
For all your UW photo needs.
The best option by far is an slr in a housing, but you are looking at a £2k minimum for all the kit. (slr, housing, ports and 2 x strobes)
I did a weeks live aboard before xmas and buddied up with a semi pro. He had D100's and the sea & sea housing, 2 x YS250 duo strobes and about 4 ports.
He let me use it and it was a joy to do. I would seriously think about getting the housing for my D70 the next time I go, but it is a costly choice for something I will use once a year.
HTH
Greg
ps. There is a chap on here called Diddyman who is well into it and who has all the kit.
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