Bring camera along without taking a UW photo course

[PEDiamond]

FWIW I started diving specifically to pursue underwater photography as my topside hobby is wildlife photography…after getting my OW cert I waited almost a year of weekly dives before trying to dive with a camera, but then I am a slow learner….the photography part was second nature to me, didn't have to think about f stop/shutter speed relationships, etc, but buoyancy and breathing control kept me from using the camera effectively till about 70-80 dives…kinda like trying to play hockey if you don't skate intuitively….

 

[kr2y5]

I had my camera on almost all dives after OW, including the entire AOW training, with the only exception being the Rescue course. However, before jumping into the water with the camera, I did spent quite a bit of time thinking carefully how I am going to attach it and where, how I am going to handle it during the dive, and visualizing the various situations I may run into, just as I did with some other equipment. I actually found it to be a bit of a headache even out of the water. As I understand it, visualization is not uncommon among tech divers, and it apparently did work for me, because once in the water, I did not find the camera I carry to be a significant source of task loading (anyhow, not anywhere as much as when I first carried a pony bottle). Furthermore, I would argue that it helped me get more comfortable, e.g., with buoyancy or propulsion. While shooting video, one has to hover over a spot and remain motionless to avoid a jerky footage, and usually there is a mild surge, current, or some other water movement that makes it more challenging. One may have to, e.g., remain head down, and better control breathing. One gets more opportunity to practice these skills while using a camera. If the dive becomes so challenging that a camera would cause task loading, it is easy to clip it off, and it becomes a non-issue. It does not have to take 50 dives to learn it...

 

[al248005]

I had my camera on almost all dives after OW, including the entire AOW training, with the only exception being the Rescue course.

I didn't think you were allowed to take cameras on certification dives?

 

[T.C.]

Furthermore, I would argue that it helped me get more comfortable, e.g., with buoyancy or propulsion. While shooting video, one has to hover over a spot and remain motionless to avoid a jerky footage, and usually there is a mild surge, current, or some other water movement that makes it more challenging. One may have to, e.g., remain head down, and better control breathing. One gets more opportunity to practice these skills while using a camera. If the dive becomes so challenging that a camera would cause task loading, it is easy to clip it off, and it becomes a non-issue. It does not have to take 50 dives to learn it...

I agree completely, a camera can make divers much better. Because it can require both hands to use, it stops sculling. Bouyancy skills must develop, and one has strong incentive to do so. Most new divers aren't challenged to improve their bouyancy. Finning techniques and control improve, as one learns quickly to avoid silting out their picture.

I once stated the same facts that I've bolded here. The anti camera-for-new-diver crowd went ballistic. One would have thought I suggested clubbing baby seals and using them for shark chum.

 

[PsyWulf]

For every person that does better with a camera there are bound to be dosens who either tunnelvision or yoyo around while fumbling it

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[Storker]

One would have thought I suggested clubbing baby seals and using them for shark chum.

Whaddayamean, is clubbing baby seals wrong, too, now???


Wait a sec, I got it. It's chumming sharks that's wrong. Well, yeah, I can go along with that

 

[T.C.]

For every person that does better with a camera there are bound to be dosens who either tunnelvision or yoyo around while fumbling it

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You know, honestly, the worst divers with cameras I see are the "experienced" ones. The ones who think their $5,000 rig entitles them to hog the scenery, tough the coral, harrass the fish, and use the coral, sponges, and bottom as their personal camera rest.

The new camera operators tend to be better than these. Not every expensive camera operator is bad, but I see more bad "experienced" operators than new operators. I think you're just prejudiced against the new camera holders, without a reasonable basis.

---------- Post added March 29th, 2014 at 02:16 PM ----------

Whaddayamean, is clubbing baby seals wrong, too, now???

It's generally frowned upon.

Wait a sec, I got it. It's chumming sharks that's wrong. Well, yeah, I can go along with that

I'm not touching that topic. But I'm sure you can start another thread in the Florida forum about it.

 

[CamG]

Ok guys the OP asked for opinions not roasting each other!
This is the New Divers forum after all.
I do enjoy the banter and humor but newer divers should be spared the drama.
JUST MY OPINION THOUGH!

To the OP I will say simply keep the dives simple at first and judge for yourself for personal dives.
Training dives ask your instructor and heed his direction while training.
Now that being said a camera can do a lot of things first it takes a lot of focus aways from the dive.
For newer divers while still mastering skills and maintaining good buddy skills it can be a tall order or at least one taken on very simple well planned dives.

For example I have a friend who donated his camera in Lake Huron do to a mask flood at around 75'.
He was a newer diver and had only a handful of deeper / colder dives under his belt.
Lake Huron is a bit cold when the water smacked his face he immediately responded and his camera slipped off his arm.
Good Bye $350. first time it was ever used in water!
You can make up your own mind but on training dives it is your Instructors call every time!

Good luck and train well.
Mastery of skills isn't over at being certified it only begins.

CamG

 

[Tigerman]

...
For example I have a friend who donated his camera in Lake Huron do to a mask flood at around 75'.
He was a newer diver and had only a handful of deeper / colder dives under his belt.
Lake Huron is a bit cold when the water smacked his face he immediately responded and his camera slipped off his arm.
Good Bye $350. first time it was ever used in water!
You can make up your own mind but on training dives it is your Instructors call every time!
...

Now this is the major upside with starting with a simple point and shoot setup - loosing it/wrecking it/finding out you don't like uw photography is quite cheap with them
This is also why the camera should ALWAYS be attached to your (or your buddys) body and if its an expensive setup - be insured.

Ive seen someone THINK they clipped off a ~$3-4000 video setup (he didn't want to tell the exact price, but this is a fairly educated guess based on the camera and housing in question) at the end of a 1 hour, 30 meter dive just to see it float off towards the 700 meter deep bottom of the red sea. Lucky for him we had a VERY fast diver with low air consumption in the group shoot after it and catch up at 25 meters...
(Yes, deco obligations was incurred and observed by her. Shes also a tec diver)

 

[danvolker]

I think I will add that the advice is for "MOST" new divers....there will always be the 1% that go through the class like they already had all the skills before, and they have perfect peripheral awareness for what is going on around them....Back in the 60's and 70's, this would have been someone that just took up spearfishing, and was nailing big fish on their first OW dive, like a pro. We still have this small percentage of divers that do this effortlessly---the Adventurer Gene divers, and for them, the camera would be a non-issue.
How would you know if this is you? If it is, you probably do many other adventure sports, and you do several where you have to use awesome peripheral awareness or you would perish....for instance....a bike Racer in a cycling road race that lives in 30 mph pacelines 3 people wide and 80 riders long.....all inches apart...or...a Nascar driver....or... velodrome racer.....sports that you exist within a 3 dimensional goldfish bowl, and where you need awareness of everything going on at all times.... I would bet that anyone like this...that likes the water and idea of scuba diving, would be better than an average instructor at the task loading and awareness issue of diving within a few weeks of starting..

So.... What background sports do you have that have pre-wired your brain to make diving simple?