didi440
Contributor
Hi Radioactive.
First, I am not familiar with your camera, but $300 for a housing is a bit on the low end as far as housings go. If you are sure it's a sturdy housing, I would purchase it.
Second, I would agree with what others have said here about your dive skills. The way I read your post you have 10 dives post OW certification. Photography requires incredible buoyancy control, gas awareness, environmental awareness and skills that might not have been taught in your OW class, such as the different kicks (frog, helicopter, etc). It also requires putting yourself into some positions that would make a contortionist proud while underwater with a tank on your back -- ie, can you hover comfortably on your back while getting a shot of the subject without planting yourself into the reef or having your fins break off delicate sea structures.
I would suggest that you first get some pool time in working on skills like the different kicks, hovering, and being able to change depth with just your lungs. I personally found that putting all my weight into the pockets of my BCD tended to "faceplant" me into the reef. I worked with my instructors and in the end we decided to go back to using a combination of a good old weight belt, weights on the tank and about 4 lbs in the BCD pockets. (I dive in NY and wear either a full 7mm or now a dry suit -- lots of neoprene). But this was done in the pool at the dive shop, not in the open ocean. I did not take a camera down until I had my AOW and then only on easy dives with little to no current, good viz and I limited myself to 40 feet. When I first started shooting, I also made sure my body was over a sandy bottom so if I needed to, I could touch down without causing damage to the environment.
For this upcoming vacation, I would recommend that you focus on your obtaining your AOW and enhancing your dive skills. If the dives are shallow and not certification dives, then consider taking the camera. Cameras add a whole new level of task loading and I would rather see you become a good diver with good skills and then a photographer.
Best wishes and happy shooting.
First, I am not familiar with your camera, but $300 for a housing is a bit on the low end as far as housings go. If you are sure it's a sturdy housing, I would purchase it.
Second, I would agree with what others have said here about your dive skills. The way I read your post you have 10 dives post OW certification. Photography requires incredible buoyancy control, gas awareness, environmental awareness and skills that might not have been taught in your OW class, such as the different kicks (frog, helicopter, etc). It also requires putting yourself into some positions that would make a contortionist proud while underwater with a tank on your back -- ie, can you hover comfortably on your back while getting a shot of the subject without planting yourself into the reef or having your fins break off delicate sea structures.
I would suggest that you first get some pool time in working on skills like the different kicks, hovering, and being able to change depth with just your lungs. I personally found that putting all my weight into the pockets of my BCD tended to "faceplant" me into the reef. I worked with my instructors and in the end we decided to go back to using a combination of a good old weight belt, weights on the tank and about 4 lbs in the BCD pockets. (I dive in NY and wear either a full 7mm or now a dry suit -- lots of neoprene). But this was done in the pool at the dive shop, not in the open ocean. I did not take a camera down until I had my AOW and then only on easy dives with little to no current, good viz and I limited myself to 40 feet. When I first started shooting, I also made sure my body was over a sandy bottom so if I needed to, I could touch down without causing damage to the environment.
For this upcoming vacation, I would recommend that you focus on your obtaining your AOW and enhancing your dive skills. If the dives are shallow and not certification dives, then consider taking the camera. Cameras add a whole new level of task loading and I would rather see you become a good diver with good skills and then a photographer.
Best wishes and happy shooting.
