Getting started: drysuit or camera first?

[chris kippax]

12C sounds mighty cold, I don't think I could do a 60 minute dive wet in 12C, but cold tolerance is a very personal thing. You may be part polar bear.

I say camera first, you miss %100 of the shots you don't take. but caveat I enjoy photography
I did around 500 dives before buying a drysuit and the course was an absolute waste of money/time to me. Bought a camera after 50 dives. When you dial it in a drysuit is a very stable platform for photography.
If you already say you feel you are comfortable on %95 of your dives, that translates to me that you would enjoy taking photos on %95 of your dives.
12 C is absolutely drysuit territory for me but also if I didn't take a camera I probably would not dive. Monterey appears to have some WA opportunities so that may work in your favour.
Head on over to Wetpixel for camera related info, there is some excellent knowledge there regarding all things underwater photography related.

A few shots below from Qld Australia

 

[Rose Robinson]

Wow, this is really making me question Scubaboard's reputation for a place that can argue about anything!

@Rose Robinson , I have kind of a funny body shape, I always joke that I am built like a tiny, overweight T-Rex. So I was going made-to-measure, and have been avidly reading the various drysuit threads.
@Zef , the more I shoot, the more I am convinced of the old saw that poor photographers talk about cameras, mediocre ones about lenses, and good ones about light. The closest I've come to nature photography is my kid's soccer team, took about 10K exposures in a season and I think I've developed enough of an eye that I could take adequate pictures with any reasonable setup. I will get training in both drysuit and "underwater imaging", but it probably wouldn't hurt to take a general photography class as well.
@MaxBottomtime , I am definitely interested in macro first, I really love all the nudibranchs, soft coral, etc. So I assume most of the time I will be hovering nearby a nearly stationary object. Someday I hope to be able to capture a kelp cathedral that looks like I remember them, but for the moment macro is going to be plenty.
@Esprise Me , I do dive here year round already, but there certainly are days when the breeze is blowing that I really wish I had a warm coat. Your idea that I won't be putting myself behind makes a lot of sense.

Contact DUI, I'm sure they can fit you perfectly, the T-Rex tail option may be a slight additional cost.

Rose.

 

[Landau]

Which one will make you more enthusiastic and want to dive more? Do that one first!

 

[wnissen]

Contact DUI, I'm sure they can fit you perfectly, the T-Rex tail option may be a slight additional cost.

Rose.

Yes, good point, you should see the hole they had to cut my backplate!


In all seriousness, I do feel a bit bad that one of the premier drysuit manufacturers in the world is located in my state, and yet I'm probably going with Seaskin. It's hard to see what the value is, though, when it's apparently twice the price.

 

[TravisD]

Drysuit - it will get you in the water, while a camera won't.
You can always pick up a $50 go-pro knockoff too at some point to get a taste of underwater photo/video.

 

[Storker]

you can't take photos with a dry-suit, and a camera won't keep you warm, and you need to be warm consistently to do what you want to do.

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[davehicks]

Get both! I'd give the dry suit a good ten dives where you focus on skills and bouyancy with out a camera. In the mean time start research on your camera / housing / strobe setup and learn some skills. There is a good set of Wetpixel Youtube education vids I recommend.