Opinions on what camera to buy?

[photoluvr22]

I am very new to diving but have been photographing for years! I am looking to get an underwater DSLR but don't know where to start. I have a Canon Rebel XS that I love so I would like to stick with the Canon brand because I know how to use it. Any suggestions on which cameras work amazing, or just so so, or just plain suck would be greatly appreciated!

 

[SKOOTERDVR]

SeaLife are great entry cameras DC1400
If not, roll with getting an UW housing for the camera you currently have?

 

[Steve_C]

Shooting underwater is really different. I decided early on that I wanted to focus on the diving and framing the shot but not all kinds of manual adjustments. Plus rememberging settings when narced at 100ft is amusing. So I went with the Sealife. Originally a DC500 but now DC1200. Been happy with it. After a number of dives and photos (100s of both) I still do not feel I am better than the camera. But if you like to manually play with settings (while maintaining trim and buoyancy) it may not be the one for you.

 

[doctormike]

I am very new to diving [and] I am looking to get an underwater DSLR

Welcome to diving and scubaboard...! This is a good question...

A couple of points.

1) Adding a camera to your dive gear - especially a large and complex one like a housed DSLR - is big time task loading. It may well be a long time before your underwater photography gets to the point where you will appreciate the advantage of a DSLR, not to mention that such a setup (with aluminum housing and dual strobes) can end up costing close to $10,000. It's much better to get some diving experience first, and then add the camera later.

2) A big housed SLR is somewhat negatively buoyant (unlike video housings), with a large cross sectional area, which really affects your trim and buoyancy, especially in any sort of current. Again, not a great idea for a new diver in any but the most benign conditions (and even then...).

3) Given the fact that the camera is a small percentage of the cost of an underwater photography setup (especially for DSLRs), I wouldn't pick a particular housing system just because you have that camera body. If and when you get to the point of wanting to go to a DSLR, think of the camera as an accessory for a housing. This is important because when you spend close to $4k for a housing, it locks you into one particular camera body - if you upgrade that, you need a new housing. You might consider starting with a good point and shoot (once you are comfortable underwater in general), as the modern versions of these are much better than they have been in the past. When you do that, get at least one external strobe - unless you are shooting very shallow (snorkeling) images or video, or maybe b/w wreck shots, ambient light photography tends to be disappointing.

4)

 

[Golo]

Even though I'm neither expert diver nor expert photographer, but doing both as a hobby I'd say focus on your diving first. Taking pictures underwater is indeed different.

I own two DSLR, but for taking pictures while diving I use a compact Powershot S95 with housing and intend to continue doing so for a little while longer. For the price of the underwater housing for a DSLR I got both the compact camera plus housing, and even adding the strobe the whole package was cheaper. I said to myself that once I feel satisfied with my underwater skills, diving and handling the camera, there is probably a new body out that I'd want anyways, and then it'd be a shame being "stuck" with the old setup

I recently added a strobe to continue with improving my skills, at first I wanted to get comfortable enough with just the camera so it doesn't distract me from my diving and see how far I could take it. And I could actually feel the impact of adding the strobe to my rather small setup while diving, it's sticks out further and playing around with the strobe certainly means one more task you are dealing with underwater.

I have a colleague at work who is rather new to diving, he saw my pictures and decided he would get the same setup, thinking he'd get the same pictures. I adviced against it and told him he should get better buoyancy control first, but he thought he knew better. He is all over the place under water and sadly with all his moving and flailing he is scaring away stuff and silting up the water.

That doesn't mean you'd be the same, but more often than I like I see divers with cameras who should rather focus on their diving than taking pictures. And I don't even dive that often!

By the way, I decided for the Powershot S95, because I have full manual control over things like Exposure time and Aperture, and everything is easily accessible, but it's still a very compact format for a reasonable price, plus it does have a slightly larger sensor than most compact cameras that size. It can take pictures in RAW, and I can do manual white balance if I want with a single push thanks to a customizable button.

4)

View attachment 166521

Aren't camera body and sensor size somewhat connected? Or what exactly do you mean by camera body? I mean, the body defines which sensor you use, and in case of DSLR and ILC which lenses you can use. Or do you mean the in-camera processing if you don't use raw and stuff like ISO increments or strobe sync times?

 

[doctormike]

Aren't camera body and sensor size somewhat connected? Or what exactly do you mean by camera body? I mean, the body defines which sensor you use, and in case of DSLR and ILC which lenses you can use. Or do you mean the in-camera processing if you don't use raw and stuff like ISO increments or strobe sync times?

Good point... I just put that together because there are a LOT of threads here where people who are posting blurry, washed out green photos of half of a snapper's tail will go on and on about sensor size and RAW capabilities!

You are correct that sensor size is one aspect of the camera body, I guess I just meant sensor size as an isolated feature, and camera body would be things like shutter speed range, etc... But I'm too lazy to redo that graphic.

You are right, the s95 is an awesome camera. I normally shoot UW with a Canon 7D in a Nauticam housing with dual Inon Z240 strobes, and dual Sola 1200s for video. But I'm going to be doing some tech training soon, and I don't want to have the big camera at first so I might get an s95 (or s110, or a Sony rx100) to use for a while. I have been very impressed with those top end modern compact cameras. The Nauticam housing is now available for the rx100 as well...

M

 

[James R]

Something else you may want to consider is the size/weight of a DSLR when you travel. I have decided to use my DSLR as my underwater camera recently, so I bought a housing for it. On the left is the Nauticam housing for my DSLR and on the right for the Sony RX100, also Nauticam. The weight difference for the housings alone is around 5lbs! Once the body, lens (eg 105mm micro af-s), port, arms, clamps, strobe, focus light, etc are attached the DSLR rig is around 16.5lbs.

doctormike if you want a deal on a like-new Rx100 w/Nauticam housing setup...pm me


My Nauticam housings by JamesR_307, on Flickr

 

[Golo]

Something else you may want to consider is the size/weight of a DSLR when you travel.

I agree, seeing other people using DSLRs with strobes, all I can think of is, I would have to carry that stuff around on my travels, and if I go out in the evening I'd be nervous to leave the camera in my hotel room... much easier to carry the Powershot around. And when I'm on vacation I don't want to worry about stuff like that

I would love the RX100 though! It's basically as compact as the Powershot (just a tiny bit thicker), but with a significantly larger sensor! If I wouldn't already have the S95 I'd be seriously tempted by the RX100, even though it's also quite a bit more expensive.

My colleague actually bought the S110, and I found out that you can use manual white balance with video mode. That is something I am really missing on the S95. Not sure if there's some sort of 3rd party firmware to enable that, or if it's a hardware limitation. Have to look into that some time.

I think if I were in the US right now, I'd also be very tempted by the PM-1 Pen plus Housing package deal, 500$ for a ILC plus Housing... seems like a steal to me.

Good point... I just put that together because there are a LOT of threads here where people who are posting blurry, washed out green photos of half of a snapper's tail will go on and on about sensor size and RAW capabilities!

Yeah, I know some people who buy according to tests and reviews and only want the best...and when we go diving they look at my pictures and ask me how I do it with such a small camera, because they spend a lot of money on their significantly bigger (and more expensive) cameras. I mean, I don't even think that my pictures are THAT good

But good enough for me that I am happy and don't feel I need to upgrade yet. After all, I don't earn money with my pictures, they have to please no one but me

For example these ones, no flash, no raw, just manual white balance and auto levels/contrast in post processing. Visibility was maybe 3 to 4 meters, and everybody acted suprised and asked me how I was able to take pictures kinda clear and in focus, because everybody elses pictures were just blurred or had a lot of crap in front of the subject. And on the frogfish picture you can actually see silt coming in from the right, caused by another diver who also wanted to take a picture of the frogfish. He used his hands in an attempt to position himself, stirring up the ground.

 

[doctormike]

For example these ones, no flash, no raw, just manual white balance and auto levels/contrast in post processing. Visibility was maybe 3 to 4 meters, and everybody acted suprised and asked me how I was able to take pictures kinda clear and in focus, because everybody elses pictures were just blurred or had a lot of crap in front of the subject. And on the frogfish picture you can actually see silt coming in from the right, caused by another diver who also wanted to take a picture of the frogfish. He used his hands in an attempt to position himself, stirring up the ground.

Great shots! And close, too... that's half the battle!



I love macro photography. There are so many scuba "visibility snobs" who look down on any dive without 100 feet of blue water vis. But diving in the northeast, you learn to really appreciate and work with the conditions you have. Once you get a macro lens, you forget all about that stupid whale shark and start to really SEE what's right in front of you...

All taken in New York City waters:

 

[dhaas]

photluvr22,

SLRs have advantages as do smaller systems. It comes down to your budget and how much you want to haul around. I contend SLR systems can be set up for simpler operation and use versus many shooters I see with every doo-dad strapped on advocate.

Do a search on the forums for my posts if interested. You might be surprised to read how simple you can make UW photography without endless specs debate and more.......

Just one old guy's opinion

David Haas
www.haasimages.com