best film?

[rcain1]

I am new to takng pictures underwater and i just got a 35mm underwater camera. Is there a rule of thumb for the speed of film i should be using?

The camera is a cheaper modle but has an auto flash. I got it for a trip to the Flower Gardens where the vis will be good.

Question about speed film?
100, 200, 300, 400

Is it the same for land pictures?

 

[Dee]

ASA 100 has always worked the best for me underwater. The faster film will have significantly more grain to it and you really don't need faster film underwater. For land use, ASA 200 and 400 can be used for action or fast moving subjects, like car races, capturing the movement of water, etc. but you'll still get extra grain.

 

[sigelr]

Also, best shots will be +/- 2 feet away from the camera -- anything a lot closer or a lot farther won't be as good quality- Good Luck!

 

[cdiver2]

I am new to takng pictures underwater and i just got a 35mm underwater camera. Is there a rule of thumb for the speed of film i should be using?

The camera is a cheaper modle but has an auto flash. I got it for a trip to the Flower Gardens where the vis will be good.

Question about speed film?
100, 200, 300, 400

Is it the same for land pictures?

ASA number is determined by the light available ie the more light you have the lower you can go with your film ASA.
As you stated cheap camera with built in flash, this will not give you a great deal of light so I would shoot no more than 2-3 ft and use 100 asa in waters like Coz. If you are in darker waters then I would go 200 asa, as has been stated a little grainer but a grainy shot is better than a all black one

 

[cornfed]

ASA 100 has always worked the best for me underwater. The faster film will have significantly more grain to it and you really don't need faster film underwater. For land use, ASA 200 and 400 can be used for action or fast moving subjects, like car races, capturing the movement of water, etc. but you'll still get extra grain.

If you pay more for "pro" film grain will be less of an issue. I generally shot fuji NPH (400 speed) on land and don't have any complaints about the grain. The grain on their cheaper film, fujipress 400 (or whatever it's called), is almost unbearable at times. So much so that I've never bothered with their consumer grade Superia X-tra 400 speed film. The worse grain I've ever seen was with kodak's high speed tungsten film (Ektachrome 320T), but I digress...

 

[rcain1]

The camera I got is the

Suprema Super Sport 35mm underwater camera

I did not want to spend a lot because most of my diving is in Texas lakes. Not a ton to see! Plus the vis.

But for my trip to the FLower Gardens i want to be able to take some picture.

Thanks all for your help

 

[DrSteve]

Bad grain with Fuji Superia? The forerunner to the Superia (HG) had about the best grain of any film in its class, so I cannot believe that Superia is so bad (and I use it a lot on land and underwater).

Anyway, anecdotaly Fuji is better than Kodak. I used 100ASA for shallower dives in Coz and 400 ASA for deeper dives. As printed at 4x6 I cannot see much of a difference beteen the two - some of the 400 ASA shots are more grainy but that is because there is less light deeper and there was enough silt in the water I didn't want to use my flash.

 

[rcain1]

Thanks all