OP
FMB
Registered
So actually, I have both an iPhone 11 I think and a Canon G7X Mark II in addition to my DSLR. I forgot about the little Canon because I don’t like it for land photos.
New to Underwater Photography
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OP
FMB
Registered
I’ll have to do some more land practice with it and look into some housing and see what I can do. It’d be a lot smaller to carry around too.
I don’t plan on going in open water anytime soon since I’ve been so out of practice. I want to get a lot of practice in at scuba parks right now so I can practice shooting there too.
WS007
Contributor
First I would recommend to read this excellent book on UW-photography: https://www.amazon.de/Underwater-Ph...ard/dp/1781452229?currency=EUR&language=en_GB
Then it depends on your personal preferences whether you will become happy with a TG-5/6 (probably a good way to start anyhow) or you will house your camera. But it is important to say that the cost is not just the housing, but with all required accessoires, we are talking about a 10k $ investment...
Wolfgang
@FMB
Welcome to the black hole that will suck all your available money
UW photography is fun but like all scuba diving activities has a high initial outlay.
I shoot with a D7100 also as well as with a D300 for serious shooting and have a TG6 for fun stuff using a screw on WA lens which works fairly well, but that system has its limitations compared to the Nikons.
You should be able to pick up a used housing for your D7100, in fact pick up another D7100 or even a D7200, both fit in the same housing and shoot manual. I use Sea&Sea housings and committed to that brand now as the ports are interchangeable.
Best lens to start with is the Nikkor 60mm Micro, oh and you'll need at least one strobe.
Welcome to the black hole that will suck all your available money
UW photography is fun but like all scuba diving activities has a high initial outlay.
I shoot with a D7100 also as well as with a D300 for serious shooting and have a TG6 for fun stuff using a screw on WA lens which works fairly well, but that system has its limitations compared to the Nikons.
You should be able to pick up a used housing for your D7100, in fact pick up another D7100 or even a D7200, both fit in the same housing and shoot manual. I use Sea&Sea housings and committed to that brand now as the ports are interchangeable.
Best lens to start with is the Nikkor 60mm Micro, oh and you'll need at least one strobe.
I suggest to start with this book, The Underwater Photographer, by Martin Edge.
https://www.amazon.com/Underwater-Photographer-Martin-Edge/dp/1138123587
Then, look for a housing, first. As has been mentioned, they are often more expensive than the camera you put in it. If you can find a used housing for a camera you already have, for cheap, then great. But, in my opinion, it does not make sense to pay full price for a new housing for an old or outdated camera.
A cheap (Meikon/SeaFrogs) housing for an older or used camera is a good place to start. My first u/w rig was a Meikon housing for a used Olympus OM-D E-M10. I shot that for about 4 years and got a lot of photos that I am really happy with. That housing and camera set me back about $750, total.
Last, good strobes are more important than a top shelf camera. I'd take an Olympus TG-5 or 6 with good strobes over my Sony a7rIV and cheap or no strobes. Remember that strobes are an enduring investment. You can start with a cheap camera and good strobes and then continue to use the same strobes for years as you replace your camera, even multiple times. I bought my Inon Z240s used, for about half the cost of new, and I'm still shooting them now, with my a7rIV. I think I've been using them for 5 or 6 years now.
https://www.amazon.com/Underwater-Photographer-Martin-Edge/dp/1138123587
Then, look for a housing, first. As has been mentioned, they are often more expensive than the camera you put in it. If you can find a used housing for a camera you already have, for cheap, then great. But, in my opinion, it does not make sense to pay full price for a new housing for an old or outdated camera.
A cheap (Meikon/SeaFrogs) housing for an older or used camera is a good place to start. My first u/w rig was a Meikon housing for a used Olympus OM-D E-M10. I shot that for about 4 years and got a lot of photos that I am really happy with. That housing and camera set me back about $750, total.
Last, good strobes are more important than a top shelf camera. I'd take an Olympus TG-5 or 6 with good strobes over my Sony a7rIV and cheap or no strobes. Remember that strobes are an enduring investment. You can start with a cheap camera and good strobes and then continue to use the same strobes for years as you replace your camera, even multiple times. I bought my Inon Z240s used, for about half the cost of new, and I'm still shooting them now, with my a7rIV. I think I've been using them for 5 or 6 years now.
OP
FMB
Registered
Sounds exactly like land photography then. I did newborns a lot so the safety courses plus beanbag and accessories plus strobes all cost a lot to start with. Rewarding but took a lot.
Also, I still find diving to be expensive. I don’t know what a cheap hobby is at this point.
If you want to shoot stills you really need two good, strong strobes. The base would the the Inon S2000 which is a lovely little bit of kit and rock solid operation. I would stick with Inon or YS. But you can spend a ton of money on strobes alone if you go off the deep end, that being out beyond the also rock solid Inon Z330. You can also look for the excellent Inon Z240 used, but they are snapped up fast. Yes, I am an Inon guy.
You think you will just get little camera, but that little camera needs a tray or base and arms for the (two) strobes and then you set your GoPro atop and it is not little anymore and quite negative. Little cameras tend to be heavier underwater than do large cameras with domes. So you add float arms. You have to deal with it on the boat, between dives, going and coming and in the water. It is a full time job. The camera becomes the central focus of the entire trip.
And you have to deal with it in the water. You MUST have spot on buoyancy and trim skills and you MUST be able to maneuver without the usual hand paddling and bicycle walking through the water I see so much of. I am not picking on you but to do good photography, you need to first be a good diver. A very good diver. Uh, with cash to burn.
I would suggest the Sony RX series in a Nauticam housing with the WAL Compact lens and CMC-2 macro. With strobes, float arms, cables, camera, lenses, housing and accessories, talking new, you can squeak in under $5,000. Used an RX system based on a Nauticam housing, half that if a good rig. Biannual service, $200 to $500. A vacuum system is an absolute must.
James
You think you will just get little camera, but that little camera needs a tray or base and arms for the (two) strobes and then you set your GoPro atop and it is not little anymore and quite negative. Little cameras tend to be heavier underwater than do large cameras with domes. So you add float arms. You have to deal with it on the boat, between dives, going and coming and in the water. It is a full time job. The camera becomes the central focus of the entire trip.
And you have to deal with it in the water. You MUST have spot on buoyancy and trim skills and you MUST be able to maneuver without the usual hand paddling and bicycle walking through the water I see so much of. I am not picking on you but to do good photography, you need to first be a good diver. A very good diver. Uh, with cash to burn.
I would suggest the Sony RX series in a Nauticam housing with the WAL Compact lens and CMC-2 macro. With strobes, float arms, cables, camera, lenses, housing and accessories, talking new, you can squeak in under $5,000. Used an RX system based on a Nauticam housing, half that if a good rig. Biannual service, $200 to $500. A vacuum system is an absolute must.
James
ATJ
Contributor
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