Lens Recommendation for Shark Dive

[Blackcrusader]

19mm if cage diving. The sharks should be getting pretty close to you.

Better to be outside the cage to get closer. Such creatures have beautiful smiles close up.

 

[David Haas]

Use your wide lens and wait until the sharks get within almost touching distance or barely 5' away. Farther away even in clear water will degrade your image.

For your rig I'd shoot M mode setting your shutter speed somewhat high, at least 1/200 or more.

Use f-stop of 5.6 and AUTO ISO. Put you camera in Multi-Shot mode even if a slow 3 FPS (Frames Per Second) to maximize getting some keepers.

I believe your camera also has some form of focus tracking and I'd use that too........

Modern cameras handle higher ISOs than back in the day and software can De-Noise many shots easily.

Just one old guy's opinion

David Haas

 

[BoltSnap]

Just one old guy's opinion

You aren't just an "old guy," you are the MAN!

 

[grantmac]

Auto ISO but set a reasonable limit like perhaps 1600
Shutter release priority
Manual or Shutter mode (1/200~)
AF-C

 

[MB NZ]

View attachment 919484

You took that shot outside of a cage?!

 

[umbert]

All shot with 10-18mm Sony, Roatan

 

[freshenzo]

Hope you had a great shark dive! I'm looking to do the same thing in the future. What did you end up using and how did it work out for you?

 

[Nemrod]

Probably too late but for future peeps. Owning the Sony Nauticam NA-6400 and the Sigma 19mm lens I am going to say that through the flat port the lens is too narrow for sharks. The good news is that the Sigma 19mm is THE lens for use with the WWL-1 as it is wider, sharper and cleaner than the kit zoom lens with the WWL-1. And faster at f2.8, the WWL-1 can almost look good at open apertures, at least for us complete amateurs who are not pixel peepers.

If you do not have the WWL-1 the pancake 16mm in the 4.33 inch dome works very well giving about a 90 degree view and it works decent with the wide angle adapter and so-so with the fisheye adapter in the dome port as well.

Yes, the Sony has focus tracking and eye detection and will pick up a sharks eyes if so configured.

 

[Blackcrusader]

You took that shot outside of a cage?!

I've never been in a cage when diving. Cages are too restrictive.

 

[MB NZ]

I've never been in a cage when diving. Cages are too restrictive.

Playing with tigers and bulls is one thing, a fired-up feeding great white is something else entirely.