Photo or Video...or both?

[Reel Steel]

When I first got certified I picked up a cheap UW camera that I used for a while and got some...ok shots with. Since then I've sold all my cameras and now have a digital SLR. I've wanted to get a housing for it for a while, but now I'm thinking I may want to shoot video instead.

I love photography, and I've been shooting on an off for years but I can get a decent DV cam and housing for probably even a little cheaper than the housing for my SLR plus the new wide angle lens I'll need. I've also always been into video, though, too. When I was a kid we had the cheap black and white toy camera. I think it was made by Fisher Price. We would spend entire weekends making movies.

Also I've been doing animation for a few years and really like working with motion probably more than still images. I've been editing audio for even longer than that. Started out cutting 1/4" tape for a company that produces syndicated content for radio. Recently I've been doing more video editing at work, mostly boring pharma stuff, though, but really getting into it. I think overall I really like editing, weather it be audio or video, I just really like the whole process of slicing the hell out of something and morphing it into something new. I also really like taking things from all these different sources to create a final piece (animation from Flash or 3D, video, photography, audio).

Regardless of whether I get a housing or not I already have video editing software at home, and I'm really thinking about getting a DV cam and picking up Mbox with ProTools LE for editing audio. So even if I don't do UW work I do plan on starting to make videos. Plus a few of my buddies have cameras already (not great ones, but they have UW cameras), but none of them really shoot video.

What would you do if you were me?
Is there anyone out there who does UW photography and video?
Do you prefer one over the other?

Hello-I've been doing this for over forty years,now and in my not so humble opinion, all I can say is IKELITE, and SONY. Been using their products for years----with nary a complaint. At present I'am using a couple of Sony 900's With the Pro light-pak, when needed, in an Ikelite box. Everything is manual, I don't like the idea of electricity and saltwater together. If you need something, let me know, I'll try to help.Peace.

 

[grouchyturtle]

Yeah I think I can safely say I'll probably wind up doing both...even if I really try to avoid that. That seems to be how most things in this sport go!

I wasn't looking to choose one over the other necessarily, just looking for "If you were me factoring in what I said in the original post, which would you start with?"

As far as boring non-moving subjects in videos shouldn't have too many of those around here. Hey I'm in NJ, so most of the subjects will be old metal, a few hundred feet long...ok so maybe they won't be moving, but we will, and that bug hiding in a hole sure as hell will when you get near him with the camera!