ScubaMarine
Guest
Im new to diving and as is my budget is not exactly flowing over. Is it even worth it to buy a $40 cheapo submersible? It supposed to be good to 100ft. Otherwise I wait...
Cheapo camera?
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BIGSAGE136
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You will be surprised at what they can do. $$$ does not always = great photos. I think some of the best practice that you can get will be to take that inexspensive camera, and start composing. Then you will see that there are a number of other skills that you need to hone such as bouyancy, trim, task loading, and buddy communication. All while composing a shot.
Get the camera and just start shooting. You will have a ball and get good practice in the meantime.
Get the camera and just start shooting. You will have a ball and get good practice in the meantime.
Marek K
Contributor
It'll give you acceptable "happy snaps" of you and your buddies underwater, and of some large fish. Won't focus closer than -- what -- four feet, nor will it have a flash that's much good; so don't expect those amazing shots of colorful micro life.ScubaMarine:
What camera do you have in mind? A single-use one, or one that you can reload?
If reload, I think it'll also give you good experience in opening and re-closing the housing properly. If (when) you flood it, you won't be out that much money.
Ask me how I know.
Yes, it was a cheap reloadable underwater camera.
--Marek
SteveFass
Contributor
Nooooooooooooooooo!!
I bought from my LDS a $100 film fixed focus camera - and I hate it. And I'm a half-way decent amateur art photographer. On a trip I'll snap off several rolls of film, spend a fortune getting teh film it developed, spend hours and hours in photoshop, and even then only get a small handful worth keeping.
Please don't make my mistake. Spend more now on a digital autofocus, and spend nothing ater on post processing (developing). Plus, you'll get so many more acceptable shots.
Here's another mistake I made. After I bought the camera, I went on a long diving trip, came back, and then read a book on underwater photography. The better order would have been to read the book before the trip.
I bought from my LDS a $100 film fixed focus camera - and I hate it. And I'm a half-way decent amateur art photographer. On a trip I'll snap off several rolls of film, spend a fortune getting teh film it developed, spend hours and hours in photoshop, and even then only get a small handful worth keeping.
Please don't make my mistake. Spend more now on a digital autofocus, and spend nothing ater on post processing (developing). Plus, you'll get so many more acceptable shots.
Here's another mistake I made. After I bought the camera, I went on a long diving trip, came back, and then read a book on underwater photography. The better order would have been to read the book before the trip.
A different option is a glorified zipplock bag for a land camera. For example, www.aquapac.net. I picked one up for $20 at a local camera shop. While I wouldn't trust it with a good camera, I have used it several times with acheap camera to acceptable results. I'm not saying it's a great option, but my other options were the type of caera you are considering or $900 for a housing on my good camera. The bag is only good to about 30ft, but in all but the clearest water you won't get very good pictures below 30-40ft without an external flash anyway.
Welcome to the board.
Save your money and spend some time diving. As a new diver you have enough to handle with buoyancy, trim and your other dive skills. UW photography takes a huge amount of diving skill and control. Frankly, a lot divers don't come close to having the necessary skills. It's best if you spend some time just diving and enjoying all the life around you and at the same time honing your diving skills.
Try this, pick a spot on the wall of a pool or dive platform and try to hover there while staying only a foot or so away pretending to be taking a photo. Hold that position for at least 30 seconds. You can only use breath and your fins for control, no hands- remember they will be operating the camera. If you can do that then you are close to having enough control. In the real world you will also have to deal with current, surge and those skills have to be almost automatic as your attention will be focused on the camera, not your hovering. In addition, it is sooo easy to get caught in the camera and forget those pesky details like keeping up with your air pressure. Do yourself and your buddy a big favor, before you take on a camera, get your basic skills dead on. When your ready, consider a good digital camera of some sort. In the mean time, read all you can on UW photography. There are a bunch of great photographers here on this board that are always willing to help and there has been a lot posted on cameras, strobes and techniques to keep you reading for quite a while.
Save your money and spend some time diving. As a new diver you have enough to handle with buoyancy, trim and your other dive skills. UW photography takes a huge amount of diving skill and control. Frankly, a lot divers don't come close to having the necessary skills. It's best if you spend some time just diving and enjoying all the life around you and at the same time honing your diving skills.
Try this, pick a spot on the wall of a pool or dive platform and try to hover there while staying only a foot or so away pretending to be taking a photo. Hold that position for at least 30 seconds. You can only use breath and your fins for control, no hands- remember they will be operating the camera. If you can do that then you are close to having enough control. In the real world you will also have to deal with current, surge and those skills have to be almost automatic as your attention will be focused on the camera, not your hovering. In addition, it is sooo easy to get caught in the camera and forget those pesky details like keeping up with your air pressure. Do yourself and your buddy a big favor, before you take on a camera, get your basic skills dead on. When your ready, consider a good digital camera of some sort. In the mean time, read all you can on UW photography. There are a bunch of great photographers here on this board that are always willing to help and there has been a lot posted on cameras, strobes and techniques to keep you reading for quite a while.
scubapro50
Contributor
my wife purchased several disaposable underwater cameras at Wal Mart last year before we left on vacation. They took decent pictures for the price ( about $14 a camera ... in Grand Cayman the dive shop was selling the same camera for $25). For shallow diving in clear water they not too bad.
wolves64t
Contributor
I have to agree with Herman, Get your skills down and just enjoy diving for a while. It is so damm frustrating getting photos that even start to resemble what you see underwater that it isnt worth the effort until you can afford a digital camera w/ housing or UW photo lessons or better yet both.
E.B.
E.B.
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