Buy a strobe or a wide angle wet lens?
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It's been a while.
Yesterday I placed the order for the Ikelite RX100 housing. Money got a little tighter than expected in the last months. The upcoming wedding is more expensive than I hoped.
I won't invest in a strobe now, that's too much. I might get a wide angle or macro adapter, let's see if I can spare those Euros.
Worst case I'll just have my camera and the housing, but even then I hope I can get some good shots. I'll post my pictures here when I'm back from the trip.
Yesterday I placed the order for the Ikelite RX100 housing. Money got a little tighter than expected in the last months. The upcoming wedding is more expensive than I hoped.
I won't invest in a strobe now, that's too much. I might get a wide angle or macro adapter, let's see if I can spare those Euros.
Worst case I'll just have my camera and the housing, but even then I hope I can get some good shots. I'll post my pictures here when I'm back from the trip.
Hi Julian. I have to say in general I tend not to agree with the idea of buying a strobe first and the a WA lens.
The RX100 has a 28mm lens and once underwater because of the refraction it will be reflectively a 36mm.
We all know the most important rule of UW photography is to get as close to the subject as possible.
The Camera without any wide angle lens will allow you to get great results only if your subjects are small, (macro and fish portrait) anything bigger will force you to be to far away to get decent contrast and sharpness.
A wide angle lens will dramatically increase the range of subjects you can shoot maintaining the quality you expect from this little great camera.
A strobe is a great solution and is the only way to bring back the "true" colors of your subjects however is not as simple to use as plug and play. You will have to go through a steep learning curve. It will solve one big problem, color but will introduce a few more like back scatter, hot spots and exposure control and task loading.
Strobe will also have a limited range of about a couple of mt the most if you go for something like the Inon Z240 or the S&S YS-D1
I would recommend to get the lens first and practice your camera skills underwater and figure out how taking photos will affect your buoyancy. attach the lens and shoot big or small subjects alike.
Now if your main interest is the little critters, then the strobe come first but for general use the lens is a better option.
The RX100 has a 28mm lens and once underwater because of the refraction it will be reflectively a 36mm.
We all know the most important rule of UW photography is to get as close to the subject as possible.
The Camera without any wide angle lens will allow you to get great results only if your subjects are small, (macro and fish portrait) anything bigger will force you to be to far away to get decent contrast and sharpness.
A wide angle lens will dramatically increase the range of subjects you can shoot maintaining the quality you expect from this little great camera.
A strobe is a great solution and is the only way to bring back the "true" colors of your subjects however is not as simple to use as plug and play. You will have to go through a steep learning curve. It will solve one big problem, color but will introduce a few more like back scatter, hot spots and exposure control and task loading.
Strobe will also have a limited range of about a couple of mt the most if you go for something like the Inon Z240 or the S&S YS-D1
I would recommend to get the lens first and practice your camera skills underwater and figure out how taking photos will affect your buoyancy. attach the lens and shoot big or small subjects alike.
Now if your main interest is the little critters, then the strobe come first but for general use the lens is a better option.
Thanks for your reply.
This is a point I was worried about.
The camera with the housing alone could almost be described as small. Together with the WA lens it is bigger, but still kind of compact. The strobe on the long arm makes the whole thing quite big.
So thanks for your encouraging words, I guess I will not worry about the strobe until my next diving trip and go with the WA lens if I can afford it for this time.
This is a point I was worried about.
The camera with the housing alone could almost be described as small. Together with the WA lens it is bigger, but still kind of compact. The strobe on the long arm makes the whole thing quite big.
So thanks for your encouraging words, I guess I will not worry about the strobe until my next diving trip and go with the WA lens if I can afford it for this time.
HI Julian.
With the RX100 you have 2 wide angle options that work a treat. The Inon UWL H100 M67 type2 that will give you about 100 degrees of coverage. This will be aprox what you get with a 20mm with a full frame camera. The other option is the Fisheye UWL 28M52 with 165 degrees of FOV. This second option is great for large subjects like wrecks but it requires to get extremely close to general subjected. I'm talking about few inches.
The Inon option is in my opinion more practical if you are starting in UW photography. is a more forgiving option.
The Fisheye is a better solution but as I say, you have to be incredibly close to the subject, otherwise you end up with a very small subject in very big frame.
With the RX100 you have 2 wide angle options that work a treat. The Inon UWL H100 M67 type2 that will give you about 100 degrees of coverage. This will be aprox what you get with a 20mm with a full frame camera. The other option is the Fisheye UWL 28M52 with 165 degrees of FOV. This second option is great for large subjects like wrecks but it requires to get extremely close to general subjected. I'm talking about few inches.
The Inon option is in my opinion more practical if you are starting in UW photography. is a more forgiving option.
The Fisheye is a better solution but as I say, you have to be incredibly close to the subject, otherwise you end up with a very small subject in very big frame.
Hi Mario,
I think I'll go with the first one.
Is the Epoque DCL 30 the same?
I found this one: unterwasserkamera.at - EPOQUE DCL-30 67DR
I think I'll go with the first one.
Is the Epoque DCL 30 the same?
I found this one: unterwasserkamera.at - EPOQUE DCL-30 67DR
Hi Julian
The Epoque is a cheaper lens, it will do the job but as with many things in underwater photography you get what you pay for.
The main problem is the diameter of the rear element. is a bit smaller than the H100 causing some vignetting.
Image quality is not bad but not as as sharp as the Inon.
There is a god review on this website:
DEEPSHOTS UNDERWATER WET WIDE-ANGLE LENS TEST | Deepshots
IMHO if you can afford the Inon go for it. If money is a issue, the Epoque iwould be my second option.
The Epoque is a cheaper lens, it will do the job but as with many things in underwater photography you get what you pay for.
The main problem is the diameter of the rear element. is a bit smaller than the H100 causing some vignetting.
Image quality is not bad but not as as sharp as the Inon.
There is a god review on this website:
DEEPSHOTS UNDERWATER WET WIDE-ANGLE LENS TEST | Deepshots
IMHO if you can afford the Inon go for it. If money is a issue, the Epoque iwould be my second option.
I read the test, the difference seems not to be too dramatic.
The price difference is around 100 Euro.
I guess I'll get the Inon if I can afford it, but it seems I will still be happy with the Epoque.
I have a problem finding good resources for examples of available light underwater photography do you have any links?
---------- Post added April 20th, 2013 at 08:33 PM ----------
I spend some time googling. In case someone else would be interested. Here are some natural light underwater photos:
The Secret To Awe-Inspiring Natural Light Underwater Photography from Adorama Learning Center
Natural light underwater - capturing the surface in underwater compositions|Underwater Photography Guide
Shooting underwater photography in ambient light -- DivePhotoGuide.com
PhotoFriday ? ?Natural Light? | Memoirs of an Underwater Photographer
Last Flight Out Photography: Natural Light - Underwater
Natural Light Reef Scene - ScubaBoard Gallery
Natural Light with INON UFL-165 AD Fisheye Lens - ScubaBoard Gallery
Manual White Balance and Ambient Light|Underwater Photography Guide
Flickr: Ambient Light Underwater
Ambient Light - No Strobe Photography by Lawrence Alex Wu - © 2004-2012 AGuaPictures Productions -
Ambient Light Wide-angle underwater Photography|Underwater Photography Guide
ambient light photography
Even some black and white photos:
Black and White Fine Art Photo
The price difference is around 100 Euro.
I guess I'll get the Inon if I can afford it, but it seems I will still be happy with the Epoque.
I have a problem finding good resources for examples of available light underwater photography do you have any links?
---------- Post added April 20th, 2013 at 08:33 PM ----------
I spend some time googling. In case someone else would be interested. Here are some natural light underwater photos:
The Secret To Awe-Inspiring Natural Light Underwater Photography from Adorama Learning Center
Natural light underwater - capturing the surface in underwater compositions|Underwater Photography Guide
Shooting underwater photography in ambient light -- DivePhotoGuide.com
PhotoFriday ? ?Natural Light? | Memoirs of an Underwater Photographer
Last Flight Out Photography: Natural Light - Underwater
Natural Light Reef Scene - ScubaBoard Gallery
Natural Light with INON UFL-165 AD Fisheye Lens - ScubaBoard Gallery
Manual White Balance and Ambient Light|Underwater Photography Guide
Flickr: Ambient Light Underwater
Ambient Light - No Strobe Photography by Lawrence Alex Wu - © 2004-2012 AGuaPictures Productions -
Ambient Light Wide-angle underwater Photography|Underwater Photography Guide
ambient light photography
Even some black and white photos:
Black and White Fine Art Photo
Julian. UWphotoguide is one of the best resources in terms of tips.
The secret shooting ambient light is to stay as shallow as possible, remember that after about 15/20ft the red part of the spectrum is almost gone.
Sony cameras are not the best in terms of manual white balance for that reason I will always try to shoot in RAW and work the photos afterwards.
The Sun will be your only light source so try always to keep it behind you.
Water will absorb light not only vertically but also horizontally so try to get your reference at the same distance as your subjects.
Because the water column between the port and the subject has a huge effect in the image quality, as a rule I keep my subject within arms reach. If you can not extend your arm and touch the subject you will be to far away. Because of that, when white balancing I use some duct tape stuck to my fins, The gray tape is closer to 18% gray than a white slate and because it is on my fin I wont have a slate flapping around and I will never forget it on the boat.
The secret shooting ambient light is to stay as shallow as possible, remember that after about 15/20ft the red part of the spectrum is almost gone.
Sony cameras are not the best in terms of manual white balance for that reason I will always try to shoot in RAW and work the photos afterwards.
The Sun will be your only light source so try always to keep it behind you.
Water will absorb light not only vertically but also horizontally so try to get your reference at the same distance as your subjects.
Because the water column between the port and the subject has a huge effect in the image quality, as a rule I keep my subject within arms reach. If you can not extend your arm and touch the subject you will be to far away. Because of that, when white balancing I use some duct tape stuck to my fins, The gray tape is closer to 18% gray than a white slate and because it is on my fin I wont have a slate flapping around and I will never forget it on the boat.
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