Scuba camera

[Ben Wilson]

Not sure where to post this so I may post in both forums. I was wondering what you guys would recommend for underwater photography. I have a huge pro camera, Canon 1D Mark IIN, I was wondering if I should buy or rent a housing for that, I would probably need a light too. Or should I buy an underwater camera, like a Sea n' See? Just got my Open water certification and am leaving in a week for St Lucia.

Thanks everyone,
Ben

 

[TitusvileSurfer]

That would depend on your budget. The 1DMkIIN is an amazing machine and would do wonder for your underwater photography. Living in IL, you pretty much have to take a plane to the ocean so how often you get to dive is also a factor. I wonder if there is much to see in the Great Lakes? Anyway, I think renting a housing and flash unit would be my personal route.

 

[Rennsport]

the Canon G9 or now the G10 prosumer cameras are awesome -- I have the G9 and have had great results with it despite only one dive trip with it.

Strobes! Need to have light!

The G9 and 10 shoot RAW and are fully controllable in manual modes but still have some shutter lag. SLR is very cool UW but pricey, even if you only need a housing and strobes, arms etc.

Here are a few from my G9 -- straight from the camera

 

[Ben Wilson]

Beautiful shots, really. I guess I should have mentioned, I do have other cameras, just none as big as the 1D. I do have a Canon SX120 IS, it also takes wonderful pics. I suppose that the smaller the better down there, not sure if you can hook a strobe up to that though.

 

[Rennsport]

Thanks a lot, I am still a rookie UW photographer. Would love to have the chance to practice more

You can adapt a slave strobe to any camera with a flash via an optical cord, but best results use a TTL setup. Like any other hobby, its certainly a slippery slope!!

 

[pipper]

I use an Olympus Stylus 1030sw 10.1 megapix camera. It's just a hardcore rugged camera that takes awesome shots down to 40ft. I recommend it as a great camera before you go spend thousands on a camera rig.

 

[livingstone]

Newly certified, photography, and the reef don't mix too well. And it's always the reef that gets the short end of the stick. If you must take photos, I suggest 'point and shoot' (something very quick and easy) until you get a really good handle on your buoyancy. I wish you safe, fun diving. Love those reefs!

:thumbsup:

 

[sphelps]

For diving I also went with a G9 and canon underwater case, it's compact and takes good pictures. I didn't like the idea of taking a large DSLR diving, that's just too much baggage to carry around.

A couple pics I took with the G9, no strobe btw and those scolys are 60ft down.

Video is good to
http://s11.photobucket.com/albums/a174/sphelps/Dive Pics/?action=view&current=4c1f80c3.flv
http://s11.photobucket.com/albums/a174/sphelps/Dive Pics/?action=view&current=eb61bf5b.flv
http://s11.photobucket.com/albums/a174/sphelps/Dive Pics/?action=view&current=ac0725f5.flv

 

[smb2]

Livingstone I couldn't agree more.
Forget the camera and enjoy your diving. Get to know the reef and become a perfectly buoyant diver. I am lucky in that I am diving almost every day with a housed camera but I still learn something with every dive. Dive boats are filled with poorly trained camera toting divers who swoop down on the reef, damage the corals and silt out the vis for everybody else. Scuba boards are filled with complaints about underwater photographers.
By your camera it appears you know something about photography. Good shots anywhere take time and knowledge of your equipment, and in nature a little luck. Underwater you have all the dive gear and the camera. I might spend 20-30 minutes hovering at one spot waiting for the cleaner shrimp to hop on the eel.
Enjoy your diving and learn all you can about the reef environment. For your next dive vacation try a photo course where you can rent the housing and flash. [Any good course will start with buoyancy!] Then you can start spending vacation time with O rings, batteries, downloading instead of going out to dinner, like the rest of us fools.

 

[KJB547]

Wow nice pics

 

[pleasants9]

man i wanna go diving with you!

 

[smb2]

Seems like I stumped LS with the middle image. That is the mouth of a Trumpet fish trying to swallow a Coney. I suspect neither won.

 

[smb2]

LS was right this is a Graysby.

 

[livingstone]

LS was right this is a Graysby.

I'll trade you being right for being in Curacao!

 

[smb2]

Well I've been to Oneonta, and as Dec. approaches I think I'll take my chances in Curacao!