Need advice on wide angle photography

[Juv]

Dear all,
I just bought Epoque wide converter lens for my South Andaman trip tomorrow. Problem is... I have no idea about wide angle photography

Any advices, suggestions, tips or useful links about it?

Thanks in advance,

 

[Dee]

A wide angle lens lets you get really close to the subject yet still get a wide view. This is called closeup wide angle and is very useful for fish portraits. This one for instance....

If I had actually been as close as it looks like I am, I couldn't have gotten half the fish in the picture.

With a regular lens, if you want shots of the side of a shipwreck, or looking up at the sun, or to take diver silhouettes on a wall you'll have to back up so that you can get it all in the picture...to get a good wide view of it all. You also increase the water between you and the subject which gives you less light and more particles in the water. But with a wida angle lens, you stay closer to the subject yet still get the whole scene in the picture.

 

[reefwreck]

Sawadee, Khun Juv. As always, Dee gives good advice, with a photo included!
As I'm new to UW photography, I'm always on the lookout for good info on any aspect of the hobby. Here'a link to Dave Read's site which seems to be work in progress. This link is specifically about WA Reefscape techniques. There may be other info. there that is of interest.

http://www.daveread.com/uw-photo/techniques/reefscapes.html

I hope this helps.
BTW, I also saw your photos at DigitalDiver.net a while back. Fantastic ! Post more soon !
Cheers.

 

[Dee]

I'm sorry I didn't post it first! Dave is one of the good guys. We haven't converted him to digital yet but the basics are still the same. His whole site is very educational and I love his ability to explain the most confusing technical stuff in a plain English way the rest of us can understand. He's the only one I've ever seen teach how to critique your own photos!

I can highly recommend everyone read his instructional section....I sure have learned from him over the years and he's become a good friend.

 

[Aggie Diver]

Dee,

Which lens did you end up buying for the PT-010?

The Olympus one, some other one?

Thx,

AD

 

[Dee]

Aggie Diver once bubbled...
Dee,

Which lens did you end up buying for the PT-010?

The Olympus one, some other one?

Thx,

AD

I bought the Sea & Sea WAL L for my PT-10. The Olympus lens wasn't available yet. From my previous experience with S&S products I was confident in the quality of the lens and that it would do what was claimed...and I haven't regretted it. There is no blurring at ther edges like with some of the other add-on lenses. If I had to choose right now, it would be a toss-up between the Olympus and the S&S. I like the reports so far on the Olympus lens but previous satisfaction with S&S would still weigh heavily.

 

[ReyeR]

Did ya all know that the Olympus PWC-01 wide angle lens is actually the UN PWC-01? It's the same company that makes the PT-0xx housing for Olympus.

That's my next aquisition....

 

[vicky]

lens you also need a strobe that can cover the same angle. Otherwise you get a horrible vignetting- it will look like you have a small spot only on part of the picture.

The opposite case- a strobe that covers an angle wider than the lens- it doesn't matter so much if you take photos from close distances. But it's a waste of power- the light that travels at angles wider than the lens is just wasted.

Dave Read's website is one of the best sites I've seen on UW photography- better than many printed books..

 

[Juv]

Thanks for all suggestions. I'll post some of my wide angle shots soon to get your constructive comments