beginner still camera with some video

[trapper1981]

OK Im relatively new to diving about 20 dives but I'm getting that bug for taking photos and video on some of my dives. My budget is 1000 I was planning on a GoPro but Ive heard stills are not great. I think stills would be more important for me as I would love to decorate my house in prints from photos i take. I am not into macro I would mainly be photographing sharks. My wife has a nikon d3200 i looked at the housing for it is 1500 and I would be a little nervous sharing a camera with her but I'm not totally against it. Sealife DC1400 was one Ive been looking at as well. any advice would be appreciated as it can get a little overwhelming.

---------- Post added August 10th, 2014 at 08:12 AM ----------

sorry should of added my wife is not a diver at all and loves taking pictures topside

 

[diver 85]

As far as decorating your home 'in prints from photos' you will be taking(right now), IMO you might be a ways away from that(in time)..........IMO, get to know someone you'll be diving with & let them share their pics with you-------via email etc etc.......You might get lucky on a shot or 2, but IMO(again) you'll be able to decorate only a very small house, @ this time.........

 

[Ran Mozaik]

I would recommend going for the G16 bundle with the Fantasea housing, or an S120 with Ikelite housing.
Both are capable of excellent photos and videos and are well inside your budget.
If you master shooting RAW you can achieve very good results: How to fix underwater photos - understanding Camera RAW
A major upgrade to a bundle like that would be getting a strobe.
If you can stretch your budget slightly you can also get a YS-01 or Inon S2000 for under $500 and significantly improve your shots. You can also save that as a future birthday present

 

[Interceptor121]

I would not consider the G series beginners cameras would go for a powershot S120. Sensor performance for some reason is better and the lens is sharper than the G16 plus you have more wet lenses choices when the time comes
If you shop for a second hand strobe you can get camera housing and strobe arm for less than $1,000. I recommend you get an Inon D2000 if you can on the used market

 

[KeithG]

one option is to purchase a used "prior generation" compact camera and housing and use that as a learning reference point to determine if you like / are capable of taking scuba photos. should cost less than $200 (there was some oly units in the classifieds just a few weeks ago). at that price point you can consider it disposable. or if you intend to stay shallow, start with one of the "waterproof" cameras.

as you start to learn more, then you can purchase additional gear "thats suits your photo style".

i often see "like new, used on 1 dive trip" 5 year old compact rigs on ebay. original cost often around $2500, going price now under $500. these are rigs bought new by some one who then found out they either could not work it or were not as interested as they thought so they sat on the shelf for years until it came time to do spring house cleaning.

 

[doctormike]

Seriously, before you spend a lot of money on camera equipment, make sure that your diving skills are well honed. I'm not sure that a camera is a great idea for someone with 20 dives. Leaving aside the photographic issues, there are task loading issues that may interfere with safe diving.

FWIW, photographing sharks is much more challenging than macro photography, given that you are dealing with a large, skittish, fast moving animal that most likely will have a significant water column between the subject and the lens, and that you will not find in abundance in most underwater environments. Photographing sharks well requires some pretty powerful strobes, clear water and excellent diving skills.

As the graphic implies, sensor size and RAW capabilities are relatively minor considerations that should mainly be of interest to photographers who are already fairly good at composition and lighting.

 

[Interceptor121]

View attachment 191050


Seriously, before you spend a lot of money on camera equipment, make sure that your diving skills are well honed. I'm not sure that a camera is a great idea for someone with 20 dives. Leaving aside the photographic issues, there are task loading issues that may interfere with safe diving.

FWIW, photographing sharks is much more challenging than macro photography, given that you are dealing with a large, skittish, fast moving animal that most likely will have a significant water column between the subject and the lens, and that you will not find in abundance in most underwater environments. Photographing sharks well requires some pretty powerful strobes, clear water and excellent diving skills.

As the graphic implies, sensor size and RAW capabilities are relatively minor considerations that should mainly be of interest to photographers who are already fairly good at composition and lighting.

I get what you say however I have met plenty of people that thought their buoyancy was great until they started taking pictures or even better video

Video takes your buoyancy to the next stage like no amount of diving without a camera would ever do, stills is somewhat forgiving if you have strobes

 

[KeithG]

Video takes your buoyancy to the next stage like no amount of diving without a camera would ever do, stills is somewhat forgiving if you have strobes

I agree that trying to use a camera "should" help to make people aware that their buoyancy is not as good as they thought it was.

i disagree that a camera would be a good tool choice to quickly improve buoyancy. the extra task loading required to operate a camera would better be spent on dealing with just buoyancy issues.

i have seen way too many buoyancy incapable divers crashing about the reefs trying to capture photos. they tend to focus only on the photography and ignore other skills like buoyancy, navigation, air management, buddy awareness,....

please make sure you have a good handle on scuba basics before you jam your eye to a camera.

 

[Interceptor121]

i disagree that a camera would be a good tool choice to quickly improve buoyancy. the extra task loading required to operate a camera would better be spent on dealing with just buoyancy issues.

I didn't say that so I guess there is no disagreement

 

[doctormike]

Video takes your buoyancy to the next stage like no amount of diving without a camera would ever do

Yeah, I also thought that's what you meant by this...