getting into uw photography

[ivansie]

Hi, my wife likes taking pictures and one of the reasons she wants to dive is to do just that. Now I had promised her a good camera ( she had used only disposables so far to start practicing). My questions will be:

1. Do you start with a 35mm camera or get into a digital one right away. How much of a price difference there is and what are the pros and cons of each with regards to uw photography. Flahs options? zoom lenses options?

2. What is a fair price for some entry level cameras and where to get them. I am an online fanatic so that will work for me but also do you go to a regular camera store, LDS, etc???????

3. What is the best way to carry this type of camera into the water and to attach it to yourself????

thanks in advance
ivan

 

[raxafarian]

1. I would start with digital.
Pros: no film cost
no developing cost
instant feedback on framing/exposure/focus
easy to email/post (no scanning)
good quality (depending on camera)
most cameras have some type of movie mode
easy to view fullsize pics "same day" on laptop, etc.


To me, the first 2 reasons save me a ton of money.... allows me to shoot many photos... I think the card I have in there will hold around 250 pics... usually enough for a day of diving ... sometimes I'll have to throw a spare mem card in for a 5th dive, etc. I don't even want to think how much developing would cost.

Cons: Some cameras utilize a "preflash"... this locks you into only being able to use certain strobes. Don't get me wrong... there are some decent strobes that are compatible with the pre-flash. There are also some digitals that don't use this method, therefore able to use any strobe.

Not "the best" quality. Digitals are getting closer to film in terms of resolution... and if you spend enough, you get pretty close in my opinion. My 3.34 mp camera prints good to 8x10, and you'd be hard pressed to tell the difference between an inkjet print, and a true photo at 5x7 or less.... perfect for my uses. If you are looking to submit photos for publication... I believe most places still prefer transparencies.


2. Fair price? Haven't shopped recently... Dell.com sometimes has good coupons/deals. Ritz cameras, if there's one near you. You can always find the best deal online (which sometimes tends to be from retailers that don't have a very good rep.) and find a more "safer" retailer to pricematch to.... www.techbargains.com sometimes lists deals on cameras... plus they have a price search.

3. If you're boat diving... jump in and have somebody hand it to you. I have a coiled lanyard attatched to my housing with a bolt-snap to hook it to one of my d-rings... it stretches about 2 /12 ft or so. It also has a clip on each end of the coiled section... clip them together and it prevents it from extending the coils... I can let it hang while putting on my fins... otherwise it would come close to hitting the bottom.

Ken

 

[Dee]

2. What is a fair price for some entry level cameras and where to get them. I am an online fanatic so that will work for me but also do you go to a regular camera store, LDS, etc???????

Depends on where you buy. My local camera store got close to online prices at the time I bought my Oly C-4040. In Dec. I paid $725 but preferrred buying local in case of problems. They are much cheaper now. Oly PT-10 housings are $250.

Read through the rest of the posts here in the Photography section and you'll find all kinds of info about starting in digital and buying your first camera set-up.

 

[clive francis]

check out the poll on which camera people use and this will give you an idea of which is rated the best.

there are hundreds of posts on here with people all asking the same question...........just look back

 

[TJO]

Ivansie,

What camera is your wife using on land? Perhaps she would like to use the same gear underwater if a house is available? Then you don't need to buy a new camera and lenses.

I am almost 100% converted to digital. But you need a quite expensive setup if you want high quality pictures. For me one of the cheaper consumer digital cameras wouldn't work. For example the shutter lag time would be toooo frustrating. 35mm is still a good choice unless you just want to take some pics and show after the dive.

The Nikonos is still available and a cheap high-quality alternative. USD 750 for the camera and a lense. Another USD 500-750 for a strobe and you have quite a good set-up. Nikon stopped manufacturing the Nikonos though....

 

[clive francis]

US 1

check these guys for cheap cameras

 

[ivansie]

I will havo to find out what her "good" regular camera is... I think is Minolta but I could be mistaken. we also have a digital HP that is actually quite good but I dont know if they make housings for those cameras. I have not seen any...

regards
ivanut:

 

[raxafarian]

clive francis once bubbled...
check out the poll on which camera people use and this will give you an idea of which is rated the best.

a poll of most popular doesn't equal "the best".

I think most popular would indicate a decent camera/housing/etc. package at a good price and widely available.