Taking pictures while diving

[scottb27]

I finished up my certification yesterday, and have a cruise where I plan to dive on 3 different islands coming up in October. Obviously I would love to take some pictures while underwater as a keepsake of my first dives.

First off, being that it will be my first dive in anything but the local quarry should I be trying to take pictures during these dives? I was comfortable doing the dives in the quarry with almost no visibility, so I think I should be comfortable during the cruise; but is taking pictures something a noob should be doing?

Secondly and could be a bigger issue, is that I do not have an underwater camera. If I wanted to take pictures what is the best way to do this? I dont have the money to buy a new camera at the moment, so can you rent them at each location?

Thanks
-Scott

 

[Peter_C]

Since you are a brand new diver I would say go out and enjoy the dives. Instead of focusing on taking pictures focus on spotting critters. You will see so much more life not spending half the dive looking at a view finder. Take the memories home. You also might be able to get someone else in your group to snap a few photos of you underwater with their camera and email them to you in exchange for a drink.

Use the dives are training dives. Staying close to your buddy. Communicating intentions, checking your air, improving your buoyancy, and all the stuff that will eventually come naturally to you.

Once you have 10 dives or so under your weight belt then contemplate whether you are ready to handle a camera yet. After all you have many years of diving ahead of you.

 

[tstormdiver]

I agree completely with Peter. I understand the want, to share your experiences with others, but remember, being new, you are task loaded enough right now as it is. Get a solid base on your skills before adding to the task loading.

 

[Crush]

I waited until about dive #10 to take photos. Be sure that you have a clip of some sort so that you can clip the camera to your BC when you find that the conditions are challenging and you want the use of two free hands.

When choosing a camera, consider this review: Underwater Camera Articles: Best Underwater Point & Shoot Cameras for 2010

 

[Bubbletrubble]

I'd recommend having about 50 dives under your belt before getting an UW camera setup.
Most novices don't appreciate how difficult it is to handle the operational aspects of diving while futzing with a camera.
New divers who take a camera underwater with them are asking for trouble. They crash into delicate coral, lose track of their gas consumption, have no awareness of what's going on around them, and don't have a clue about the status of their buddy.

One of the best budget setups is a simple Canon point-and-shoot digital camera with the Canon UW housing. Be prepared to spend $100-$400 for the camera and about $200 for the UW housing. I really like my Canon A570IS (now discontinued). In lieu of flood insurance, I purchased a used A570 on Ebay for about $50.

 

[scottb27]

Thanks guys, I really wasnt considering it b/c of what you all said. Then someone mentioned to me I should take a camera to one of the places I am going, and thats what made me ask. Thats for the answers I appreciate it.

 

[melanie.]

One option is to get a cheap waterproof disposable camera. They won't work at any sort of depth, but they would provide you with some photos without worry on the boat. That way could get a pic of you in your gear, at safety stop with your buddies, maybe falling trying to get up the ladder etc..

Bottom line - you don't need pics from the actual dive itself to create memories. Have fun!

 

[Sortsol]

If this will be your first set of dives after your Open Water class, I'd say go for the dive and enjoy the view and leave your camera at home. If, and only if, you are going to be using a point and shoot and just taking happy snaps to show the folks back home then it might not be too bad but I'd be careful...it's easy to start paying attention to the little screen on the camera and not notice that you're floating towards the surface only to realize what you've done when you feel your BC break the surface...

If you're going to be trying to compose the best shot and take cool pictures of Nudibranch or other sea creatures and your camera is above a turn on, take picture, turn off...then you risk killing your air consumption and getting task saturated.

Consider that you're new to diving, likely new to the underwater camera and new to Salt Water diving...you'll be doing a lot of learning and adapting all at once and that can be a recipe for problems. It can be done, but you should focus on perfecting the basic skills before moving on to underwater photography in any serious way.

Enjoy your trip!

 

[divingpyrate]

Look into the go pro, great value easy to use requires little attention while diving
I just shot 1080p video during the dive then took stills from the video
299 for the entire set up, I just added a flat lens corrector and a small telescoping monopod


Sent from my A500 using Tapatalk

 

[c0r3yz]

Look into the go pro, great value easy to use requires little attention while diving
I just shot 1080p video during the dive then took stills from the video
299 for the entire set up, I just added a flat lens corrector and a small telescoping monopod


Sent from my A500 using Tapatalk

I second the recommendation on the GoPro. I was allowed to use my during our OW class and used the head and wrist mount they have. Aside from changing batteries between dives (We were in springs, so the cold water drained them pretty quickly), I didn't have to think twice about having and could focus on learning my diving skills. If you are looking for capturing the experience and still being able to work on your skills and concentrate on the experience, that's the way to go!