Get a used set for starters, like the Sealife kit for sale @ 700$,
that I'm hoping to buy.
See
http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/cl...sealife-dc1000-elite-kit-700-shipped-obo.html
Not knowing your level of comfort with cameras in general - why not simply use a GoPro, use the video mode only, and capture frames off the 720p video for pictures?
On land I'm a pro photographer, UW quite the beginner.
I've started small, with smaller kits, less expensive. Learning to dive & learning to take UW pics
do NOT go hand-in-hand.
Consider video only! 720p or 1080p.
A single frame would be 1280x720 pixels, that is like a 2 mega-pixel picture. With today's great printers, a 4x6 print won't look bad at all.
- 1080p = you get more pixels, but less FPS (frames per second) the current standard is 24. That is *very* slow.
- 720p = less pixels, but still 4x better than a "standard" video from 1995, and FPS you'll get 30 (good) or 60 (best).
Expect that below 15 feet everything will go blue on you, that's why strobes are so big and cost more than the camera itself. Many places in Asia have outstanding shallow reefs with plenty of things to take pictures of.
Used kit @700$, a fully-equiped GoPro that can go *everywhere* you go 700$
- or -
a fully equipped point-and-shoot like the Canon G12, is about 700$ with housing. Strobes can cost 500$ - 1200$ each, plus accessories.
Without strobes, don't expect below 15 feet on a sunny day to look good, unless you're up-close, like within 1 foot, with the built-in flash.
Below 15 feet your basic point-and-shoot + housing is great only for macro shoots. Unless, you take a "profile" pic, say of a shark swimming above you, between you & the sun, that will look nice.
If money is no object - find a dive shop that sells UW cameras, lights, strobes, accessories. Be prepared to spend over 2k$ for entry-level gear that will take awesome pictures in the 2 feet - 15 feet range.
Above 15 feet, say in the first 5-10 feet, on a sunny day, pictures without a strobe will look great, don't use the built-in flash, as that will only reflect off of bubbles and sediment.
