Photographing underwater items, from above water?

[Davi]

was playing around yesterday, trying to get a couple of shots from my parents pond which has had a population explosion! Got literally dozens of newts appeared, brown, crested and a couple of great crested, but despite trying to use boards to shield reflections etc couldn't get even a half decent pic of any of em. My digi cam is very basic so I'd like to try and get some with the 35mm but going on what I was achieving with the digicam I think I'll be wasting a large amount of film and effort.

Would also like to try and get a shot of an underwater bug in there that I have no idea what it is, just to get it identified! It looks like a dragonfly larvae, but is easily 4, maybe 5 inches long and fatter than my thumb!

[J1mmyD]

Hi there.

What you're wanting to do is reduce the relections from the water. You can do this by using a linear polariser - this is a filter which fits over the lens of your camera (I'm now trying to remember if you said what camera you were using and whether it was an SLR or compact).

Anyway ... try these:

www.geocities.com/cokinfiltersystem/polarizer.htm

www.jr-worldwi.de/photo/index.html?polarizer.html

I'm sure someone will be able to post photos to show the difference between using a filter and not - there's a few in the cokin catalogue and many on photography sites, but this was the only one google came up with after a quick search:

[Davi]

Thanks JimmyD, filter purchase to follow! This is the only problem with having a digi that's not slr and an slr thats 35mm film, some shots I just cant practice and play without going to film.

Someone ought to come up with a way of using filters on small non slr digi's!

[beano500]

On non-SLR you just need a bit of lateral thinking.

Some polarisers come with a mark, if not just mark the holder (bit of tape if you don't want it permanent) work out the orientation you need for the filter off the camera - stick it on in the right orientation - hey presto, Bob's your Aunty's back door man...

[craggers]

What camera have you got? wonder if it is possible to put screw-in extension so you can put filter in.

[Davi]

nice thoughts, but the digi camera is only a minolta S414 - bought as a stop gap at the time when digital were only just becoming a realistic alternative at a reasonable price - I keep meaning to get a decent SLR digi so I can ditch the 35mm but it's one of those things a few down the list at the mo!

[craggers]

See - http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/MINOLTA-S314-S3

This is only for example - see the thread on top? you can put filter in so it will make your life lots easier to change various filter. I am sure there is adapter for it somewhere.

[Davi]

craggers said:

See - http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/MINOLTA-S314-S3

This is only for example - see the thread on top? you can put filter in so it will make your life lots easier to change various filter. I am sure there is adapter for it somewhere.

well I'll be...! I asked in the local camera shop a few months ago about adapting it, they said it wasn't possible Cheers for that craggers, I'll be giving that a go I think.

[craggers]

No worries - good luck !!

See 1st paragraph of this link www.steves-digicams.com/2003_reviews/S414_pg2.html

"It has 35.5mm threads for filters or addon lenses."

[Davi]

LOL - how to depress yourself.... look up the new cost now of a few year old digi camera that was a leader in it's range when you bought it just after release.... cost me similar to the cheapest SLR digi's you can get today, but today it costs little more than a tank of fuel