Photography

[funkcanna]

Hi,

I am heavily into photography but as yet do not take my camera underwater. I currently use a Nikon D300 SLR but housing for this is a little on the expensive side until maybe after Christmas.

Thing is im going to Maldives in a couple of weeks and would love to get some underwater shots.

Can anyone advise me on what are good options until I get the D300 housing? I obviously want decent pictures so nothing to crappy but nothing really too expensive as the housing purchase will replace it in a few months.

Thanks for any advice.

 

[pgcosta]

Hi!

I have a sony d200 with a sony housing. I bought it in Panama and found it quiite cheap (no taxes there...). I don't know if you can use a lens adapter with it, but for u/w point and shoot it works quite well, since it gives you some manual control over speed and aperture...

BTW, have you tried the o/w photo forum ???

 

[maged_mmh]

if you want "quality" pictures; you'd be better off getting the hoousing for your nikon, especially if you have a macro or wide angle lens (you choice).
other good P&S cameras like canon G9 + housing will cost you nearly as much as the holusing for your SLR - unless you can get such setup used.

 

[diver 85]

How much money are you wanting to spend for this next trip & what quality are wanting to come back with?.....There are some P&S's out there that give some quality to UW pics for not alot of money(in the US for under $300---your location may help or hurt this amount though).......

 

[don Francisco]

Probably your best option at this stage is a compact digital with an inexpensive housing. Olympus, Canon, Nikon and others make housings in the $150-$200 range to fit many of their offerings in this category. Look for cameras that have the features you'll want, such as a large viewing screen, the ability to record in raw format, and maximum manual control options. You should be able to find something decent for $300 - $500 including the housing.

Don't forget that the built-in flash on these is pretty limited for use underwater, but you'll be able to get good results from macro out to about 5-6 feet.

If you get serious, you can add strobes, or consider options for your SLR. Like diving, underwater photography is a growth process except for your wallet, where it's a shrink process.

 

[rstofer]

I've been to the Maldives with a Nikonos V and strobe back in '89. Were I to go again, I would mortgage the house, sell the boats, do anything it took to get the best camera I could find. The diving is spectacular.

Richard

 

[funkcanna]

Thanks guys - so maybe it might be worth biting the bullet and getting the housing before I go? Cant wait to break that to the mrs

 

[String]

Cheap Canon powershot or Ixus with Canon housing. Make sure its one of the Canons that can be hacked to do RAW. Underwater without RAW is worthless.

My plan was a housing for my SLR for christmas but it seems Ikelite housing prices have gone up by $600 in a month

 

[bdshort]

I have a D300 I'd like to house but an ikelite housing + port + just one stroble would set me back around 2 grand, so I'm sticking with my Canon A620 + Canon housing for now.

 

[rstofer]

Thanks guys - so maybe it might be worth biting the bullet and getting the housing before I go? Cant wait to break that to the mrs

No matter what it takes...

Richard