First camera set-up

[nordiques]

I am currently looking for a simple camera to take pictures under water that is under 1500$!

I am diving in the north east so water is greenish and offers low viz conditions. However, i will be traveling a couple of times a year in the Caribbean where viz is much better.

I have to warn you that i know nothing about photography. I tried to do a search on this forum but i just got lost with all the terms...

 

[bvanant]

Visit
Underwater Photography Guide
and go through the tutorial. At your budget you could easily go down the Canon S95, Canon Housing and a good strobe. The system can be set up as a PHD camera (push here dummy) and be totally automatic.
Before you take the camera diving take lots of pictures on land so you know what all the buttons do.

Bill

 

[domeport]

You could also pick up an older SLR(3 or 4 years old) with a housing specific to that camera for a reasonable price online. Technology is moving so fast, 3 years old is outdated but they still take fantastic photos. You can buy a Nikon D200 with a housing for around $1500 used. Even today, the D200 is still a killer camera.

 

[tripntx]

You had a recommendation for a simple p&s and for a dslr. Why not something in between, say an Olympus Pen E-PL1 camera and an Olympus PT-EP01 housing.

 

[sink-er-swim]

I went with a the SeaLife 1000 a year or two ago. Not sure I would do it again, I bet you could find a good name brand digital camera and a housing cheaper. I'd like to get a housing for my Nikon DSLR but they get pricey!

 

[Gilligan]

I am currently looking for a simple camera to take pictures under water that is under 1500$!

I am diving in the north east so water is greenish and offers low viz conditions. However, i will be traveling a couple of times a year in the Caribbean where viz is much better.

I have to warn you that i know nothing about photography. I tried to do a search on this forum but i just got lost with all the terms...

"Simple camera" = simple pictures.
$1500. buys a lot more than a simple camera.
There is nothing "simple" about taking good underwater photos. If you just point and shoot a camera in the "Auto" or "P" mode you will IMO get crappy results.

First you need to decide on which of 3 basic types of cameras you want. In the order of lowest cost first:
1. Point and Shoot - Many many models. Basically you need one that has manual setting capability like Tv, Av and M modes as well as RAW capability. Housings are available from different manufacturers at different price ranges.
2. Micro Four Thirds System - Changeable lenses, larger sensors than point and shoot cameras, mirrorless system as with DSLR cameras. Full system with strobe(s) way over $1500.
3. DSLR - top of the line. Full system with strobes and lenses etc. Way way over $1500. Also very bulky to travel with and hence the advent of the Micro Four Thirds alternative.

Since you stated you know nothing about photography IMO you should start out with something like a Canon S95 in a Canon housing for about $600.00. Learn the camera and its capabilities which you can do without an external strobe on that camera/housing. There is a lot to learn. Also learn about post-processing which can be done in the Canon software that comes with the camera.

If your happy with underwater photography then spend the big bucks on the Micro Four Thirds or full on DSLR gear.

If your content with the results of the point and shoot then just add a strobe with a tray/arm and your good to go

 

[draganflame]

my first set up was random activity(
i try to make photo like in manual but i was angry(
also i try by Nikon d90 package

 

[PatW]

The top end of the point and shoot is the Canon G12 which is about $500. The Canon housing is about $200 and the Ikelite housing is $600 or an aluminum housing for $1200. A strobe would be about $300-$1000. So you can get the whole thing for about $1000-$2700. The advantage of a point and shoot is that you are not wedded to one lens like you are for a DSLR.

By the way, Gilligan takes superb photos and is a minor expert on this subject. You might want to go to his web site and look at his photos. As I said, he is good. He is worth listening to. I prefer the G12 to the S95. The G12 is better at macro (closeups). Closeups work well underwater because many of the small critters will just sit there for you. Also in underwater photography, you want to keep the amount of water between you and your subject at an absolute minimum. Macro fits the bill well.

You will want to shoot RAW. JPEG is a file system that many cameras use. The camera looks at the object and processes the information and stores it as a compact JPEG file. RAW files store all of the information that hits the cameras sensor. It allows you far more ability to correct the white balance (which is critical underwater) and to get detail from shadows and highlights.

You will want a strobe. At even 15', virtually all the reds are gone. Red light is absorbed fast in water. A red fish at 30' does not look red. A strobe will replace the colors again. At greater depths like 80', everything is either blue or green. There are no reds, yellows, oranges and so on. Strobes are essential.

 

[under water]

You are going to get a lot of "Here is what I have and I like it", kind of answers and that is fine. Here is another.
I have gone through the process of starting out with a low end P&S and found myself continuing to upgrade. I have reached the point where I have a 4/3rds camera and gear that I think takes great photos underwater. Here is a system that in my view is a great starting point.

http://www.opticaloceansales.com/ol...complete-olympus-pt-ep01-system/prod_801.html

$1699 for this - which includes the Olympus E-PL1 camera and zoom lens.

If you call him, he may be willing to bargain.
Reef Photo and others also can configure a system with variations.

You can pull together your own system as well. If I had about $1500 or a bit more to spend, I would skip the P&S path. The 4/3rds configurations are not much more expensive or bigger. In fact when I went from a Canon P&S system to my current 4/3rds system, my overall bulk went down. Mostly because of the smaller strobes.
An alternate to the strobe in the package above is to get the INON s2000 strobes.
small and powerful.
I would get some of what I have

Shop around for some deals on component prices.

Oly E-PL1 camera with lens = ~$430 (maybe $399 at Best Buy)
Oly case - ~$470 - replaceable ports, nice design, made by Sea & Sea.
Tray and arm - ~$150
INON s2000 strobe - ~$470
cable for strobe - ~$80 (possibly don't really need it, but good to have)

You can use these in a point and shoot mode, not worrying too much about setting aperture, shutter speed, strobe levels, etc, but this system has all the flexibility to let you go really far with manual and other less automatic modes when you are ready. The image quality can be amazing.

If you go with a decent P&S like the Canon G series or the S90 / S95 you will be in the same range unless you buy the Canon housing and then you will save a few hundred dollars, but you may be out shopping for a better housing pretty soon.
What Gilligan says is important. You need to find out how much you really like U/W photography, but a good setup will help with that.

The Oly housing has an adaptor where you can add external lenses for super close-ups if you want.

BTW, The canon camera in a canon housing is really good. I use one for my backup and have gotten some great pictures with them, but for that higher level, and still within your budget (or close) there are better options.
With any system, good pictures are the result of the photographer, not the camera. You can however, just as in other pursuits, improve your results with the right tools.

 

[StuartT]

I am currently looking for a simple camera to take pictures under water that is under 1500$!

I am diving in the north east so water is greenish and offers low viz conditions. However, i will be traveling a couple of times a year in the Caribbean where viz is much better.

I have to warn you that i know nothing about photography. I tried to do a search on this forum but i just got lost with all the terms...

I recently got the sealife dc1200 with 1 strobe. Very happy with the ease of use and picture quality for an inexperienced photographer. They can be had for around 799 USD on most of the online sites or 1399 with dual stobes. You can see some of my recent shots from Port Hardy, B.C. and Maui from this past September (first time using it) if you click on my photos below my profile.