Underwater cameras advice needed

Are there any underwater photographers out there? I need some help on
cameras. Last year for Fiji I bought a cheap underwater camera (not a
disposable, but perhaps just as bad). I shot 11 rolls of film and was
lucky to get 3 decent photos. I really want a good underwater camera
and am willing to invest a decent sum to get there: what is
recommended? I'll consider print or digital. thanks.

kaasman wrote:
> Are there any underwater photographers out there? I need some help on
> cameras. Last year for Fiji I bought a cheap underwater camera (not a
> disposable, but perhaps just as bad). I shot 11 rolls of film and was
> lucky to get 3 decent photos. I really want a good underwater camera
> and am willing to invest a decent sum to get there: what is
> recommended? I'll consider print or digital. thanks.

I don't want this to sound like I am an A..hole (although I
am), but much of the quality of the pictures has to do with
the quality of the photographer.

I took a cheap Ikelite systems with me to Yap to play with
along with my old reliable housed 35 mm system. LOTS of the
pictures from the cheapie turned out as comparable to what I
shot with my "real" camera.

Just get to know what your camera can do and don't expect
more from it. Make sure that you have an external strobe.
Plus, it would be nice if it had interchangeable lenses as
well. Both Ikelite and Bonica have low end cameras with
external strobes and close up/macro lenses and are in the
range of only a few hundred bucks as a full package.

Of course, if money is no object, then go with 35 mm and
digital on a stacked system with twin strobes! That way you
won't miss anything ... including the snickers from the
others in your diving party!

Just my $.02
--

Ray Contreras
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Webmonkey for:
http://www.ossystems.com
http://www.bobs-garage.com
http://www.rayzplace.com

Thus spake kaasman <idont@think.so> :

>Are there any underwater photographers out there? I need some help on
>cameras. Last year for Fiji I bought a cheap underwater camera (not a
>disposable, but perhaps just as bad). I shot 11 rolls of film and was
>lucky to get 3 decent photos. I really want a good underwater camera
>and am willing to invest a decent sum to get there: what is
>recommended? I'll consider print or digital. thanks.

I personally like my Sea&Sea MX-10. I've got all the lenses, etc.
It's been a great camera for the last 12 years.

We just bought a housing for my wife's Sony. We'll see how that works
in about three weeks.

--
dillon

When I was a kid, I thought the angel's name was Hark
and the horse's name was Bob.

On Tue, 09 Nov 2004 01:40:18 GMT, Dillon Pyron
<dmpyronINVALID@austin.rr.com> wrote:

>Thus spake kaasman <idont@think.so> :
>
>>Are there any underwater photographers out there? I need some help on
>>cameras. Last year for Fiji I bought a cheap underwater camera (not a
>>disposable, but perhaps just as bad). I shot 11 rolls of film and was
>>lucky to get 3 decent photos. I really want a good underwater camera
>>and am willing to invest a decent sum to get there: what is
>>recommended? I'll consider print or digital. thanks.
>
>I personally like my Sea&Sea MX-10. I've got all the lenses, etc.
>It's been a great camera for the last 12 years.
>
>We just bought a housing for my wife's Sony. We'll see how that works
>in about three weeks.

I don't disagree with either of you. I told my husband that perhaps I
had just had trouble estimating the distance needed to really get
decent photos. His attitude was if that many photos came out bad, the
camera sucked. I've been shooting film more than half my life and
have won some photo contests, so I do know what I'm doing. Just not
underwater, yet. I was thinking of getting the strobe and the macro
attachment for the camera for this trip. Maybe that will help.

kaasman wrote:

> His attitude was if that many photos came out bad, the
> camera sucked. I've been shooting film more than half my life and
> have won some photo contests, so I do know what I'm doing. Just not
> underwater, yet.

If you can take good photos out of the water but 95% of the UW photos suck then
there's a pretty good chance that you're facing one of two problems. Maybe the camera
really does suck, or perhaps you've missed some basic difference of UW shooting.
Exactly what was wrong with all those shots that weren't decent?


> I was thinking of getting the strobe and the macro
> attachment for the camera for this trip. Maybe that will help.

Macro will almost certainly help by forcing you to get close to the subject. That
will allow for more light from whichever strobe you use, and cut down on the water,
and everything that might be in the water, between the lens and subject. Adding the
external strobe will give you more light in general, which is usually a good thing.
OTOH, if the camera sucks, don't bother investing more money in it by buying a strobe
that's specific to that camera.

When we know what was wrong with the photos maybe we can offer better advice.


--
Steve

The above can be construed as personal opinion in the absence of a reasonable
belief that it was intended as a statement of fact.

If you want a reply to reach me, remove the SPAMTRAP from the address.

Digital! You'll get more good shots quicker than any other way. You can
review the shot immediately, correct and re-shoot underwater.

--
Ross
www.myoldtools.com
"kaasman" <idont@think.so> wrote in message
news:fcqvo09kmas4rioek3vgr2rk6n2m7p1ntt@4ax.com...
> Are there any underwater photographers out there? I need some help on
> cameras. Last year for Fiji I bought a cheap underwater camera (not a
> disposable, but perhaps just as bad). I shot 11 rolls of film and was
> lucky to get 3 decent photos. I really want a good underwater camera
> and am willing to invest a decent sum to get there: what is
> recommended? I'll consider print or digital. thanks.

What he said

Go digital.
Instant feedback. Less hassle easier learning curve.
IF you have the time and money conventional film - when exposed properly AND
in focus :-p is probably better, But digital will get you to magazine
quality IMHO.
Some example on my site.
HTH
Tim
www.DivingTheBlue.com
www.FilteredLight.com


"My Old Tools" <ross@myoldtools.com> wrote in message
news:10p33ks8t6svh9e@corp.supernews.com...
> Digital! You'll get more good shots quicker than any other way. You can
> review the shot immediately, correct and re-shoot underwater.
>
> --
> Ross
> www.myoldtools.com
> "kaasman" <idont@think.so> wrote in message
> news:fcqvo09kmas4rioek3vgr2rk6n2m7p1ntt@4ax.com...
>> Are there any underwater photographers out there? I need some help on
>> cameras. Last year for Fiji I bought a cheap underwater camera (not a
>> disposable, but perhaps just as bad). I shot 11 rolls of film and was
>> lucky to get 3 decent photos. I really want a good underwater camera
>> and am willing to invest a decent sum to get there: what is
>> recommended? I'll consider print or digital. thanks.
>
>

RayC <ray@rayzplace.com> wrote:


> Of course, if money is no object, then go with 35 mm and
> digital on a stacked system with twin strobes! That way you
> won't miss anything ... including the snickers from the
> others in your diving party!


Snickering dive buddies sometimes tend to find themselves the ambush
subjects at the end of a dive when I have some film left.

Crank in both your strobes (mine are Ikelite SS-200's), set them to full
power and pop your buddy in the face from around a foot out.

Later, you can innocently claim that they had this amazing cute cleaning
goby on their mask's top rim and you just knew that they would want you
to take a photo of it for them



-hh

I noticed that there is an underwater photo discussion group at Yahoo where
you will have loads of underwater photographers. You might try getting some
advice there.
The group is called UWPHOTO

Good luck

Clint

Free Spirit Gallery
http://www.FreeSpiritGallery.ca
Exquisite Inuit Eskimo & Native Art

"kaasman" <idont@think.so> wrote in message
news:fcqvo09kmas4rioek3vgr2rk6n2m7p1ntt@4ax.com...
> Are there any underwater photographers out there? I need some help on
> cameras. Last year for Fiji I bought a cheap underwater camera (not a
> disposable, but perhaps just as bad). I shot 11 rolls of film and was
> lucky to get 3 decent photos. I really want a good underwater camera
> and am willing to invest a decent sum to get there: what is
> recommended? I'll consider print or digital. thanks.

"My Old Tools" <ross@myoldtools.com> pounded away at his keyboard
resulting in:
:Digital! You'll get more good shots quicker than any other way. You can
:review the shot immediately, correct and re-shoot underwater.

Digital is better than film, but, for the rest of this post,
wellllllllllllllllllllll, perhaps possible but not likely.

Dan Bracuk
Is it my imagination, or do Buffalo Wings taste like chicken?
The Best of rec.scuba http://www.pathcom.com/~bracuk/RecScuba/


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