Help a beginner

[swampguinnie]

Hi all,

Can anybody help an absolute beginner to both land or u/w photography. I am only interested in u/w stuff:-

I dont know if i should have digital or film.

Have the chance of a Sony Cyber-shot DSC-P5 and Marine Pack MPK-P5 but no strobe.

or a Motor Marine II with YS 50TTL strobe and mounting bracket with lens caddy to hold lenses underwater. Also 20mm wide angle lens and 3X macro lens.

I have searched the net for days now & still have no idea what to do.

Regards
Swampguinnie

 

[XJae]

IMHO you should have both.

I use the Sony P10 underwater, because of its size, digital format, and price of equipment. (My 1st u/w camera)

My dive buddy has the MMII w/ 60 strobe, it takes far better pictures, but is a lot of equipment to tote, and equipment and developing is $$$.

On land I've never taken better pictures than with my Nikon w/ nikkor 50mm lens. To get a housing and strobe for it would be too much $$$ for me.

Eventually I'm sure I'll want some better equipment that provides higher quality pictures..

So you really need to ask yourself what quality, price, and size tolerance you have.

 

[astrl]

I personally love my digital camera (Olympus 5050 and PT-015), but I have never tried a submersible film camera (other than the disposables). What I love about the digital cameras is that I can see the picture immediately and make adjustments.

astrl

 

[Gilligan]

My two cents worth is you should go digital for underwater. As a beginner underwater photographer so very few of your shots are "keepers" making a film camera a very expensive way to go as respects developing costs. Compare the costs of processing a roll of 24 or 36 pics and tossing them all out versus pushing the "delete" button on a digital camera. :shades:

 

[nlbford]

swampguinnie once bubbled...
Hi all,

Can anybody help an absolute beginner to both land or u/w photography. I am only interested in u/w stuff:-

I dont know if i should have digital or film.

Depends on what your needs and dsires are. If you are just starting and don't have a strong traditional photo background, I would go digital. Most decent digital cameras have darn good quality - especially of you are simply looking for good photos to share with freinds and family. Plus, if you plan on working on them in an image editing program like Photoshop, digital is MUCH easier than trying to get GREAt scans of slides. And as I am sure someone has probably already pointed out in this thread, you will shoot a TON of images to get good keepers at first. In fact, that is always the case to a greater or lesser degree as you develop and practice. Film just gets used up, memory cards are "forever" if you delete the bad shots. Plus, with a good size memory card, if you delete the rejects during the dive you rpobably will never run out of space on a dive. I can't tell you the number of times I have taken my last frame on a film camera only to have something cool happen - or passed on shots early because I want to save film for late in the dive.

If you plan on really doing something with the images on a professional level or think you may want fairly large blow-ups, (thoug less of an issue these days) high quality professional slide film yields excellent results, but you will waste a lot of film while trying to master you UW shooting. You can get a high quaality 35mm camera and some lenses cheaper than than you can get stellar pro level digital with all the trimmings. But if you don't have a discerning expert eye, the quality level may not even be a noticable issue to you.

I am kind of a film "snob" and still shoot my UW stuff on film because I just love the look of film - but that also has a lot to do with the fact that I have an investment in quality equipment already and the Digital cameras I plan to eventually switch to are still very pricey items to stick in an underwater housing. Floods are an evil that seem to eventually bite just about everyone.

If I was starting now, I would probably start with a hig quality digital system and jump right in since the qualoty gap has closed considerably.

 

[TheAvatar]

i'm a film fanatic, but i have to agree with gilligan and nlbford. digital is the way for an inexperienced beginner... unless... you plan to become very involved and dont want to upgrade later.... then a housed film camera might be an option... if you are on a very small budget, a motormarine II might be a better idea.

 

[Dee]

Gasp! A digital set-up has it's own set of advantages as does film, both in different areas.

A MMIIEx set-up will cost you about the same as a Oly C-5050/PT015/single strobe will. You can get better results with a cheaper digital than you can with a cheaper film camera. And eventually, if you really get involved with underwater photography, you'll invariably want to upgrade at some point. A housed SLR is the goal for alot of us! But unfortunately budget has to account for something along the way.

 

[swampguinnie]

I have learn't a lot of you guys, I think digital is sounding the better for myself. I think i'll buy seperatly and build up a good set up bit by affordable bit until a good set up arrives in my lap.

I would like to know though, What is a housed SLR?

Regards
Swampguinnie

 

[XJae]

thats why i have that setup as my first.
a slr is a single lens reflex camera; you view your shot through the lens off a mirror rather than through a small hole off to the side. that type land camera in a waterproof housing.
although i think there are a few underwater slr's that need no housing.
they definately help take better pictures and usually have a hugh selection of lenses.

 

[Travisc]

I can't speak for the 35mm but I can for the Sony, I have had a P5, P9 and have friends with the P10, guess who I work for..... I now shoot a Olympus C5050Z and C50 both with housings, they are more adjustable. But the sony is a great starter.