Hatchorder
Registered
Hi everyone,
I have researched and read many articles about dive cameras, including the one posted by Jim Spears, who has given me some personal pointers but has admitted he is not current enough to answer my main questions other than to say to use a red filter with video as you are unable to shoot in RAW mode,which makes sense. I think I know what I want but I would like anyone with an expert eye to look over it to give me some pointers if I may be so bold as to ask?
I have searched the forum, because I am aware of "same same" questions but I cannot find an answer to a similar question that fits my scenario......
First of all a bit of background information about me. I am 53 and started photography at school when I purchased a Zenit EM and fitted it with a Pentax lens because I knew the original lenses supplied by Zenit were poor quality compared. That 42 mm thread lens then migrated onto my first decent camera, a Pentax ME Super, with an adaptor ring because it was such a great 50mm lens. I used to develop and print my own B&W films and eventually moved onto a Nikon F-801 when my Pentax was stolen, and that 801 was used to death and I still have it sitting in a cupboard with a whole bag of lenses, which is a tragedy.
In my late 20's I started diving and have been a PADI advanced diver for many years. All of my diving has been vacation diving in the main, as I am not into dry suits, zero vis, high current and freezing conditions as most of the diving here in the UK is! No offence to those who love it - it is just not for me!
Many years ago I had a Sony DSC-P1 with a marine housing that was good for 30 metres and it was nothing better than OK........ better than nothing, but nothing spectacular. The camera died a few years ago and I never replaced it because I just could not justify well over £1,000 for a decent rig to produce "good" results.
Last year, whilst diving in Antigua, I dived with a guy who had a rig that was very good. Practicing with it for photos and video made me realise that prices had come down and I did not need to break the bank to have some decent photos and video. My wife and I have a Nikon D3100 camera and lenses but she was so impressed by the pictures on the camera in Antigua that she asked me to buy her a Canon Powershot G16 as a handbag camera. This now placed a decent camera within range of my itchy fingers for diving............
So, this is where I need the advice. In Antigua I used the Powershot G16 in a Fantasea FG16 housing, with a Big eye lens on the front, with a redeye filter (with a housing on one of the arms for it) and it had a Blue Ray double Tray with two Video lights attached. It worked, produced great photos and video and I was happy with it. BUT I do not know if it is the right lighting setup to go for.
I already have the camera, that is the done deal, so I can only go for the Fantasea FG16 marine housing - which is £299 here ($425). The Big eye lens is £185 ($265) and the redeye filter and eyegrabber are £55 ($78). Now I am stuck.... Do I go for something like the twin action 700 lighting set which has a double tray, 2 flexarms, 2 x 700 lumen video lights with rechargeable batteries and a charger for £350 ($500) or should I go for something which has a strobe flash gun on like the Nano Flash 700 lighting kit which replaces one of the torches with a Nano flash for £50 extra? Or do I blow the budget and spend an extra £400 and get the Inon S-2000 and 1600 lumen torch kit which seems completely over the top for me - but you may say differently?
I know it depends on what I want to shoot but to be honest I do love the video I captured, and whilst 1000 pictures of fish and wrecks will please me, they will no doubt bore others! When I shared videos from Antigua I got a better reaction. I also know that there is a small strobe built into the camera if I need it, but in general I was happy with all the photos that were lit with the 2 dive lights..........
But am I wrong?
I do not want to spend over £1,000 - that is a must. I do not dive often enough to justify it. My son dives with me a lot and he will no doubt use it when he goes off with friends (He has been an advanced diver for a few years and is doing his divemaster this summer), and my daughter has just started diving this year - so no doubt once her buoyancy control and safety awareness are high enough she will want to borrow it as well!
I dive and photograph for pleasure. I do not want the camera to take over my diving to the point I do not love my dives because I spent too much time shooting pictures and video, but what I do shoot I want to be decent quality so that I enjoy it. Not competition winners, or waiting 10 minutes for the perfect shot - just memories to keep and share. My background of years of photography mean I know a reasonable amount about F stops, depth of field and aperture or shutter priority to be able to find my way around the camera.
I am quite happy being a warm water vacation diver, occasionally push the 42 metre mark, but have never gone into deco on my computer, and never let testosterone get in the way of safety! If you ever need a reminder of that go and find (If you have not seen it) "Monty Halls and the divers graveyard" - one of the best films about testosterone and diving and should be required watching for every new diver's watch list before they do their advanced diver in my opinion!
So thanks for taking the time to read this and I look forwards to reading any help or advice that forum members could offer me.
Thanks and regards
Ian
I have researched and read many articles about dive cameras, including the one posted by Jim Spears, who has given me some personal pointers but has admitted he is not current enough to answer my main questions other than to say to use a red filter with video as you are unable to shoot in RAW mode,which makes sense. I think I know what I want but I would like anyone with an expert eye to look over it to give me some pointers if I may be so bold as to ask?
I have searched the forum, because I am aware of "same same" questions but I cannot find an answer to a similar question that fits my scenario......
First of all a bit of background information about me. I am 53 and started photography at school when I purchased a Zenit EM and fitted it with a Pentax lens because I knew the original lenses supplied by Zenit were poor quality compared. That 42 mm thread lens then migrated onto my first decent camera, a Pentax ME Super, with an adaptor ring because it was such a great 50mm lens. I used to develop and print my own B&W films and eventually moved onto a Nikon F-801 when my Pentax was stolen, and that 801 was used to death and I still have it sitting in a cupboard with a whole bag of lenses, which is a tragedy.
In my late 20's I started diving and have been a PADI advanced diver for many years. All of my diving has been vacation diving in the main, as I am not into dry suits, zero vis, high current and freezing conditions as most of the diving here in the UK is! No offence to those who love it - it is just not for me!
Many years ago I had a Sony DSC-P1 with a marine housing that was good for 30 metres and it was nothing better than OK........ better than nothing, but nothing spectacular. The camera died a few years ago and I never replaced it because I just could not justify well over £1,000 for a decent rig to produce "good" results.
Last year, whilst diving in Antigua, I dived with a guy who had a rig that was very good. Practicing with it for photos and video made me realise that prices had come down and I did not need to break the bank to have some decent photos and video. My wife and I have a Nikon D3100 camera and lenses but she was so impressed by the pictures on the camera in Antigua that she asked me to buy her a Canon Powershot G16 as a handbag camera. This now placed a decent camera within range of my itchy fingers for diving............
So, this is where I need the advice. In Antigua I used the Powershot G16 in a Fantasea FG16 housing, with a Big eye lens on the front, with a redeye filter (with a housing on one of the arms for it) and it had a Blue Ray double Tray with two Video lights attached. It worked, produced great photos and video and I was happy with it. BUT I do not know if it is the right lighting setup to go for.
I already have the camera, that is the done deal, so I can only go for the Fantasea FG16 marine housing - which is £299 here ($425). The Big eye lens is £185 ($265) and the redeye filter and eyegrabber are £55 ($78). Now I am stuck.... Do I go for something like the twin action 700 lighting set which has a double tray, 2 flexarms, 2 x 700 lumen video lights with rechargeable batteries and a charger for £350 ($500) or should I go for something which has a strobe flash gun on like the Nano Flash 700 lighting kit which replaces one of the torches with a Nano flash for £50 extra? Or do I blow the budget and spend an extra £400 and get the Inon S-2000 and 1600 lumen torch kit which seems completely over the top for me - but you may say differently?
I know it depends on what I want to shoot but to be honest I do love the video I captured, and whilst 1000 pictures of fish and wrecks will please me, they will no doubt bore others! When I shared videos from Antigua I got a better reaction. I also know that there is a small strobe built into the camera if I need it, but in general I was happy with all the photos that were lit with the 2 dive lights..........
But am I wrong?
I do not want to spend over £1,000 - that is a must. I do not dive often enough to justify it. My son dives with me a lot and he will no doubt use it when he goes off with friends (He has been an advanced diver for a few years and is doing his divemaster this summer), and my daughter has just started diving this year - so no doubt once her buoyancy control and safety awareness are high enough she will want to borrow it as well!
I dive and photograph for pleasure. I do not want the camera to take over my diving to the point I do not love my dives because I spent too much time shooting pictures and video, but what I do shoot I want to be decent quality so that I enjoy it. Not competition winners, or waiting 10 minutes for the perfect shot - just memories to keep and share. My background of years of photography mean I know a reasonable amount about F stops, depth of field and aperture or shutter priority to be able to find my way around the camera.
I am quite happy being a warm water vacation diver, occasionally push the 42 metre mark, but have never gone into deco on my computer, and never let testosterone get in the way of safety! If you ever need a reminder of that go and find (If you have not seen it) "Monty Halls and the divers graveyard" - one of the best films about testosterone and diving and should be required watching for every new diver's watch list before they do their advanced diver in my opinion!
So thanks for taking the time to read this and I look forwards to reading any help or advice that forum members could offer me.
Thanks and regards
Ian
