Taking pictures while diving

[scottb27]

So on the note of purchasing a setup. I have an older (like 7 year old) Nikon D70 DSLR, can I get a housing for something like this?

 

[laurin]

So on the note of purchasing a setup. I have an older (like 7 year old) Nikon D70 DSLR, can I get a housing for something like this?

Yeah, but DSLR housing are systems just like the cameras - you'll need lens ports for different lenses, and most likely new lenses sooner or later. Strobes, strobe arms etc as well. The housing itself could actually be quite cheap second-hand for an older body.

I'd like to point out like the others that it's a lot better to just dive first, and if you want memories take some photos topside. Getting some camera-free water time is smart for many reasons: 1) you'll see a lot more stuff than you'd see with a camera 2) you'll learn to spot and find even more as time passes 3) you might actually discover what you want to shoot in the first place - a newbie with a camera is usually shooting just about everything from the first minute of a dive because everything is new and exciting (not a bad thing necessarily, but usually so...) 4) most likely your diving skills aren't yet there to allow you take the photos you'd like to, and the other side of the coin is obviously the safety aspect - the camera takes a lot of attention easily, so a lot of the "diving stuff" has to happen automatically.

If you're already comfortable with cameras and photography, you could make yourself sort of a program to get you shooting. Pick something you'd like to photograph, learn to spot it underwater, learn to approach it safely and without harming the environment, think about composition etc. After you've mastered that, bring the camera.

For example, nudibranches are an excellent starter subject, because they're pretty much immobile, take some skill to spot, don't really require more than a point and shoot camera, but require you to be able to hover motionless to take a picture. The last point is one that many divers struggle with, and needs to be actively practised to learn - just diving might not cut it.

//LN

 

[m00dawg]

I see what you guys are saying about not bringing a camera on the first few dives, although I think strapping something like the GoPRO to one's head is a good compromise since it basically is out of my way and just records, more or less, what I'm already looking at. Given the prohibitive costs of an underwater case for my SLR anyway, I think it's a fun little thing to use for what it is.

 

[ul412al]

Just a suggestion, but find somebody on the boat with a camera that is willing to take a picture of you (or for you). I just stepped off a boat where we almost had a big problem with a new diver and a camera. OOA at 60', too many tasks to watch that little pressure gauge. It wasn't his first dive either.

 

[Searcaigh]

Master buoyancy first, find a decent affordable point and shoot that has a compatible housing, and use it on land first to know how your camera works before taking under water, practice in a pool helps.

Once you manage to take photos and are severely disappointed that the colours don't look good, you can then buy Adobe PhotoShop and tweak them a bit, and once you have mastered this you might want to buy a strobe, and this is the start of a long slide into the financial black hole of underwater photography :shocked2:

The point of no return is when you move to a housed SLR.

 

[Barnacle Bob]

I don't know about the cruises, but pretty much every dive trip I've been on they take video and sometimes pictures and then hit you up wanting you to buy it. We've bought several videos this way. They are typically anywhere from $25-$50. We are on vacation; so, the money isn't that big of an issue and we like the videos.

BB

 

[Pseudocyber]

I'm a still fairly new diver (what I consider as <100 dives) - but I did just get back from our last Caribbean vacation (Caymans) and I shot video for the first time. A couple observations and recommendations:

1. GoPro - I agree and was going to recommend this camera - for a digital camera, and a housing, it's about the most inexpensive, smallest, convenient you will find. I cannot attest to the quality of videos, quality of camera, ease of use, etc.
   
   Something I noticed from using my Kodak Playsport Zx3 - it was difficult to tell what I was taking a video of because the viewscreen was so small - and with glare from sunlight, almost impossible - since with a housing, it was difficult to shade the screen. I found that many times, I wasn't pointing the camera at the subject, but off axis from it.
2. Strap on video - I say get the camera, dive with it, but strap it on - to your head, chest, or something. Wrist might be best - and then just let it film without you worrying about you running it. That way you can get some of the experience of your first dives - because it's fun to show to friends and family and torture them with family vacations. On the other hand, you'll see the really cool stuff ... when you DON'T have the camera, or it's not working.
3. Extra Memory - video takes a lot of memory. Spend an extra $100 and get 2 32GB cards from AMAZON - DO NOT BUY IN A STORE, YOU WILL PAY MORE.
4. Extra battery - before the memory gives out, your battery will. Get the big battery pack, or extra batteries. Swap between dives.
5. Shaky video - your video will be SHAKY. Especially if you're new, and not good with bouyancy control. No one likes or appreciates shakey videos. The GoPro has a time lapse still camera function - this might be a better than a shaky cam - remember David letterman's "Monkey Cam". You get the idea. Whatever you film at - more frames per second is better (and uses more memory).
6. Light - as has been said, best videos will be shallow - aka top of reef. If you go over the wall and down, it's cool - you might see cool stuff - but everything will be bluish and darker. You can try to carry a big light, and run light with one hand and video with one hand - but it's difficult and can be distracting and therefore dangerous.
7. Task loading - You have to be aware of what you're doing if you're going to actively running your camera. And you'll be fumbling with buttons, turning on, off, looking for the fish, fumbling with floating camera, etc. You have to be aware of what you're doing.
8. Mindful diving - Having dove with my friends who are "serious" photographers (nice cameras, they always film, etc.) - they can be annoying. They're focused (pun) on getting their camera shot - and don't seem to be real mindful of watching out for buddies who are "tag alongs". Also, they "hog" the cool stuff - they can be camped out in front of a cool fish, eel, etc. for several minutes, fiddling with camera trying to get a good shot and don't let others in to see. If you have multiple photographers (especially newB's) multiply that - the newb's tend to travel in "Camera Schools" (another pun) - from one cool thing to the next. If you have a camera - don't be them.
   
   If you have a camera you HAVE TO COMMUNICATE BETTER. You need to let your buddy know - "Hey! I'm going to swim off into the blue away from the wall to chase that turtle!" before you do it. Also, you basically have to get your buddy to agree, "Yes, I'm going to watch you more than you watch me, I'm going to spot for you, and I'm going to follow you around and wait for you".
   
   You have to DIVE FIRST, photograph second. Meaning - good bouyancy control, especially very close to the reef. Remember, it's hard to back up. If you get to close to the reef, too fast, you can be one of THOSE PEOPLE who can't control themselves and damage the reef. If you're in a tight swim through and filming, it's easy to hit the top of the swim through because you're watching the camera, not the reef. Sometimes you'll have to drop the camera and sign something to your buddy, adjust your bc, use your hands.

All that being said, after 3 live aboard trips ... I was glad to have the camera to be able to bring it back and show the kids ... "Look at this turtle! Look at this shark! Look at this spotted eagle ray! ... My battery ran out and I didn't get to film the whale shark, humpback, and pack of dolphins swimming in formation though"

Ps. You can get housings for SLR's ... very expensive (for my wallet at least). Quick google search for the Nikon - $1500 and up (new). But it's what the "Pro's" use for very nice, beautiful pictures. Oh, add another couple grand for batteries, strobes, etc.

http://www.backscatter.com/hostedstore/products/NikonD70UnderwaterHousing.html

 

[c0r3yz]

Ps. You can get housings for SLR's ... very expensive (for my wallet at least). Quick google search for the Nikon - $1500 and up (new). But it's what the "Pro's" use for very nice, beautiful pictures. Oh, add another couple grand for batteries, strobes, etc.

A few others have mentioned this as well. If you think about it, the cost of a housing for your SLR/DSLR is more than worth the cost considering how much money you have invested before you even decided to dive with your camera. The body of my camera costs $2500 alone, not counting memory, lenses, etc... If the housing floods, that's a big problem, especially considering it's a major part of how I make a living. $3500+ for a housing that I know I can trust and that has safeguards is nothing when you consider what you could lose.

 

[cocoajoe]

A couple of thoughts.
The general 'rule of thumb' is 50 dives. But divers progress at different rates. I myself got my camera way too soon but I had the good sense to realize it and left it home until I got to be a better diver.

It's already been noted about getting really close....less than 6' and try for 2-3'. But here's another thing: Most of the time, you're (especially drift dives) moving, the critters are moving add a lag time for point and shoot digital cameras and you have composing problems. The general advice is to let the critters come to you. I find you have to 'lead' your target. Same as a hunter trying to shoot birds.

If you do decide to dive with a camera, skip the strobe for now. It's one less thing to devide your attention

 

[Pseudocyber]

The nice things about my Kodak Playsport Zx3 are that:

1. Waterproof to 10' - so don't have to have housing for underwater shallow dives - like a pool, or shallow snorkeling.
2. If it floods, it's water proof.
3. Relatively cheap - ~$150
4. Housing was relatively cheap ~ $200.
5. Swappable memory and batteries.

Cons like:

1. Hard to see view finder
2. Hard to hold steady while swimming.
3. Video tended to be jerky - have to pan very slowly.

Website: http://store.kodak.com/store/ekconsus/en_US/pd/PLAYSPORT_Video_Camera__Zx3/productID.169976100

HTH