newbie help - Please!

[nocalparrothead]

I certified last weekend in Monterey, and LOVED IT! I can't stop thinking about diving and how to improve my skills. I just wish I had pictures to show my kids!

That being said, I know that I am not a good enough diver to start seriously shooting photos. I have picked up a great deal of information on these boards, and am excited to learn more, but this will take time and practice. Unfortunately I don't see any practice time on the calendar before I leave for Kauai in early October - and boy do I need to work on bouyancy control!

So, my question is this - What is the best route for getting pics of our first "real" dive in Kauai? I know they won't be killer shots like those I see posted here, but I do want photo memories. Are there good disposable cameras? I saw a few on joediveramerica that were disposable cameras in reusable housings. They have a flash which seems that it would help, but I'm not sure. Also, I don't want to spend a ton of money on it at this time because I'd rather invest in a housing for my Olympus c-740uz a little further down the road. Am I thinking in the right direction? Is it a waste of time/money for me to buy the disposable for this trip? Is the c740uz going to produce good enough photos in this media to be worth investing a few hundred bucks on the housing?

I have always been a photo enthusiast (and have made a photo-related living for myself), but now I've caught a bug with diving, and I would love to eventually head into a new career - maybe in underwater photography or something related. Gotta start somewhere, though and I would appreciate help from those of you with the knowledge!

Thanks!

:scuba:

 

[Dee]

I commend you for recognizing your limitations as a beginner, not many will do that. But it's not the quality of camera you're using that makes you a 'serious' photographer. The task load is the same whether you're using a throw away disposable or a 5K pro system. Bouyancy control required is the same, either way! But if you're determined to do it anyway, I'd go with an entry level point and shoot. One with no controls to set, nothing for you to do but pull the trigger. That way you can take the picture quickly and hopefully avoid trashing any reef structure in your efforts. As a photo enthusiast, I doubt you're going to be happy with the results, but you'll have some memories recorded of the trip.

That said...
A disposable camera will give you snapshot pictures. The ones with the flash you speak of will most likely produce alot of backscatter. You can help avoid that by getting close, within a couple feet of your subject, to eliminate as much water as possible between the subject and your lens. If you can turn your flash off, which I doubt, do so if you'll be more than that 2 ft away. The pics will be blue but you won't have the backscatter.

I understand about housing you C-740 at a later date and I think that's a great idea. Although I'm not familiar with that specific model, I do know it's one of the new ones and I think the housing (PT-18) is not available at the dealers just yet. They will be available bu the time you're ready.

As for practice before the trip, do you have access to a pool? You can practice both your bouyancy and photo techniques at the same time! And it's not just bouyancy control you need to perfect. You need to know EXACTLY where your fin tips are at all times. I've seem photographers control their bouyancy on a dime from the hips/knee up, not touching a thing. At the same time their fins are knocking sponges off the wall and ripping fans to pieces.

 

[TheAvatar]

If you don't mind the blue... someone in a previous post... I think it was Dee maybe... listed a disposable that was good to 70ft or so

 

[XJae]

If you do many dives in Kauai chances are good that an independant photographer or videographer will be for hire on the boat. You can actually call ahead and ask.
Many times they shoot a video of all on the trip and then try to sell it to as many people they can.
Last time I got a video, we cut a deal on the boat trip out and my buddies and I are the only divers on the tape.
Very nice memento.

 

[Ruu]

XJae once bubbled...
If you do many dives in Kauai chances are good that an independant photographer or videographer will be for hire on the boat. You can actually call ahead and ask.
Many times they shoot a video of all on the trip and then try to sell it to as many people they can.
Last time I got a video, we cut a deal on the boat trip out and my buddies and I are the only divers on the tape.
Very nice memento.

Personally, I know I would rather have my own photographs (however poor) than a really great set of professional shots - hard to explain but they just woudn't be mine otherwise. I do think you should spend a little more time in the water before messing with a camera though - not just for the sake of the ecosystem (which is VERY importantin my book), but for your own. You don't want to sit there framing the perfect shot, only to find that you are accelerating towards the surface like a polaris missile (far easier to do than it sounds in open water). Spare a thought for your poor buddy as well - if they are a new diver then they may not like being ignored / lost while you find pictures.

Dave

 

[James connell]

check the diveshops there, some will have rental cameras - the S&SMX10 being common.
a sea&sea motormarine MX10 ( or the equivelent ) with flash will give you good snapshots of your dives without being to hard to use. just set it on auto and shoot.
be sure the film winds however the MX10 has a finicky film load mech. i'd reccomend opening the back After it tells you it loaded to make sure!! it's better to waste a few frames than not get anyhting.

welcome to the underwater world.

 

[DailyLunatic]

Ruu once bubbled...
You don't want to sit there framing the perfect shot, only to find that you are accelerating towards the surface like a polaris missile (far easier to do than it sounds in open water).

Boy do I know that one well.

I inverted myself head down to get a shot that I could not get head up.

Couldn't figure out why I was suddenly having problems staying down. Was rising uncontrolablly toward the surface. When I finally worked myselft right side up, my wetsuit let out a large <blurp>.

The bubbles had gone right into my suit and I had blown myself up like a balloon. Make sure the collar of your wetsuit is tight. :blush:

DL

 

[XJae]

Ruu once bubbled...

Personally, I know I would rather have my own photographs (however poor) than a really great set of professional shots - hard to explain but they just woudn't be mine otherwise...

I'd rather too. Well, not however poor, on my first real dive.

Just suggesting some guaranteed shots for the family.
Maybe they will be killer shots?

nocalparrothead once bubbled...
I just wish I had pictures to show my kids!
So, my question is this - What is the best route for getting pics of our first "real" dive in Kauai? I know they won't be killer shots like those I see posted here, but I do want photo memories.
:scuba:

 

[nocalparrothead]

Everyone,

Thanks for all your help and suggestions. I agree that I need to make sure I don't damage the reef, or do a canon shot out of the water . I will do my damndest to avoid both! I simply want some shots of my husband and myself down below, and maybe some wide shots of the scenery. I know better than to think that I can take any close-ups or macros. It doesn't sound from the responses like anyone has used a disposable p&s - I do think that those will be my best, safest best (task-loading wise). If someone has and does/does not like the outcome, please let me know. I found out that Bubbles Below has disposables, so Iwill talk to Linda about that, too.

My memory sucks, and I don't know if I can sufficiently log the sights in my dive log, so I'd like a photo memory of some sort. Guess I'll just have to sort it out.

Thanks again!

 

[Ruu]

I have used quite a few disposable cameras underwater, with anything up to moderate success. The attached picture is about the best that I managed - it was taken with a Fujifilm disposable camera at around 40' in Egypt. In a nutshell, its OK if the light is good, but if it isn't then there is nothing that you can do about it, since there are no settings to play with. As far as I am concerned, the depth rating on the Fujifilm / Kodak cameras can be taken with a pinch of salt - I have taken cameras rated to 10' down below a hundred with no permanent ill-effect to the camera (although your results may vary). It becomes pretty hard to press the shutter button below 50', and the camera is physically unable to take pictures much below that depth (but without any kind of flash the pictures that you would take would be pretty awful anyway). Go to shallower water and the camera recovers (or at least in has every time I have done it).

You may be able to take better pictures than me with a disposable camera - I know of many people on this board (you know who I'm talking about Dee) who could take a pinhole camera down to 150 feet and come up with better than I ever hope to take. Personally, buying a decent camera was a no-brainer after spending a little time with disposables - a better camera does not a better photograph make, but there is a limit to the quality of a disposable. Take the disposable, hope for a few good shots and then if you enjoy it then consider investing in something a little better - when you get to that stage then there are more than enough people here to help you make an informed choice.

Dave