Which camara

[Dee]

Murdock, you're right.

There are different types of photographers. I was thinking of those who are intent on getting that dive magazine cover shot come hell or high water. Or those that have big $$ tied up in all that photo gear and they are determined to use every piece of it on every dive to justify the cost of it all.

Then there are the point and shooters. Beast is one. He carries my MX-10 and he'll pop off a shot when he sees something cool but if it doesn't come out perfect it's fine with him! He wants a reminder of his dives, something to look at between clear water trips and couldn't care less if anyone else sees or likes them.

Bottom line is don't do any damage, not matter what type photographer you are.

 

[Rick Murchison]

Originally posted by AllenG
As I read the various posts of newly certified divers anxious to get into UW photography, may I offer the suggestion that new divers consider deferring the camera action until they have really mastered buoyancy control.

From my perspective this is sort of a "chicken & egg" problem. Both good buoyancy control and practice taking pictures are required to get good results, and they have a synergistic relationship. The diver with a little point-n-shoot who really wants to learn how to take good shots will bust hump to gain excellent buoyancy control... so I say "get a camera and start shooting!"
In an ideal world I'd also say "take a photo course" and "get in the pool and master buoyancy while carrying your camera" These two will save you more in wasted dives and film [or, in the case of the digital, wasted dives taking bad pictures] than the cost of the photo course.
Another reason I say "buy the little point-n-shoot now" ... I have to share my observations on the down side of waiting on the camera. The absolute worst [from a courtesy/ecololy viewpoint] divers I see are guys with very expensive first cameras. Somehow, they feel that the large sum invested in camera equipment gives them precedence over other divers, and immunity from damaging "a little" benthic life in their pursuit of turning all that money into something they can show off for having spent it. If they ever had good buoyancy control in the past, they forget it entirely as they use whatever's handy to brace themselves for that "award-winning" shot.
[The appropriate hand signal to give when you see this, by the way, is to cup your left hand, palm down, over your right fist, then pull your right fist rapidly down away from your left.]
Rick

 

[vicky]

My advice: If you are a novice diver, better go and have some dives until you master buoyancy before starting taking photos.
Why?
For safety reasons: Yours, your buddy's and the environment's.
For practical reasons: you need to learn some "reef lore" to get good photos.

As simple as that. Taking photos underwater may get too much of your attention. If you are a novice diver I can only guess that you'll either bump and destroy some beautiful pieces of live coral, raise lots of coral-killer sands, or find yourself all of a sudden at 40meters or poping-up the surface while trying to take a photo. A photographer-diver must have the ability to stay perfectly buoyant, regulating his position only with his breath. It will also guarantee that he'll have clean shots (without sand and other backscattering scum) and that others will enjoy the reef in the future, including you. I hate novice divers who bumped into huge Gorgon corals in Ras Um Sid (Sinai) and killed them, and for what? For a lousy "point and shoot" picture that they were trying to take with a stupid discardable camera that was flooded anyway :upset: !
Taking photos is a completely different type of diving which demands lots more of your buddy too! He'll have to be your "diversitter" (like "babysitter") and take care that you don't forget of your air, depth and bottom-time. He'll need the patience to wait for you until you take your shot.
You will have to be able to support him too, if the need rises, with something attached to you (a camera?) that may disturb you. Under the water, these five seconds may cost someone's life. A simple problem may develope in a matter of seconds to panic and to a diving accident. You must be able to tackle any problems with your (or your buddy's) equipment instinctively.

What about "reef lore"? In order to get good photos you must know where the fish are, to be able to predict their behaviour and their next step. You have to know what they eat, where they live, how they hide themselves, etc. Think like the fish! It's harder than hunting, and it need some practice. Too many divers have not developed the ability to track fish even after scores of dives. Train your eye, your attention, and you'll be a good "fish spotter" and a good photographer.


I don't think that UW photography is for novice divers! Go get some experience as a diver, enjoy your dives and "photo" them in your memory. When you feel experienced enough, like a fish in the water, you may start thinking diving into photography. You will see the difference AND YOU WILL ENJOY MUCH MORE ALL OF YOUR DIVES.

 

[Tavi]

I have a Reefmaster. I've been taking pics since my 10th dive. The first trip I took the camera on, I didn't dive with it for the first 3 days. I was diving in conditions that were different than what I was trained in (was diving with an instructor). Once I was comfortable with the new conditions I took the camera.

I was thinking digital would be nice just for the ease of deleting unwanted photos rather than paying for developing and finding they didn't turn out like you wanted. I don't think digital has the same quality as film. For some things it doesn't matter.

We use Sea&Sea processing. One of the options is also getting your pics on disc. This really makes it easy to upload pics to the web.

PS. Whatever you get buy a strobe for it. Big difference.

 

[AliKat]

I also use a Reefmaster with the double strobe set up and the macro kit. I've been pretty happy with it.

 

[Hooligan]

Reef master has come out with a digital but the've been tweaking it alot. It's pretty hard to get one they're backordered quite a bit on those. You shouldn't get into photogaphy too much until you get pretty good with your bouyancy, some of your best shots you might have to be bobing upside down into little holes. Having a stobe will make your pictures turn out 100 times better.

 

[Marvintpa]

Once you are totally confident in your buoyancy, you might want to try starting off with a camera that is simple, easy to use, and low maintenance.
The Sea&Sea MX10 is such a camera.
But don't even think about bringing a camera with you until your diving skills are reliable, and second nature.
There's enough to worry about down there without throwing in a camera before yer fully ready.