Staying Still

[Jeff Toorish]

When it comes to shutter speed, the rule of thumb is to use the shutter speed that corresponds with the focal length of your lens. For example, if you are shooting lens with a focal length of 100, they you need to shoot at about 1/25th of a second. Frankly, if you are hoping to remain still long enough to shoot a sharp photo at 1/30th or a second with a relatively long focal length...that's just not going to happen.

I applaud your trying to go with natural light. And hitting truly neutral buoyancy is, of couse, necessary. But you are talking about minute changes or movements affecting the photograph, so I doubt there is really any technique that is going to work at 1/30 in a dark environment.

Jeff

 

[Nomad]

...Or a really big tripod to use in deeper water...

 

[fdog]

ChilyWaters, for me this falls into the category of "bigger is better". As in, bigger housing, or bigger tripod.

I routinely handhold a large housing to 1/15 with a 14mm lens, and had good luck at 1/8 second. However, with a Nikonos (small camera) my lower speeds are usually 1/30 to 1/15 with a 15mm.

I do a lot of tripod stuff. Weight is a big deal here (weight is good), as it keeps the assembly from being a leaf in the wind, so to speak. I am using a heavy tripod and ball head, with a heavy housing, and still sling a 5 lb weight under it. With a small housed digicam, a small tripod might work with 4 lbs slung. Beware of extending the legs! A cheap tripod's spindly legs are a vibration festival.

Quite a few years ago I experimented with attaching a 2' x 1' piece of plexiglas to the tray of the Nikonos. It worked rather well at extending slow shutter speeds, but was a PITA to swim around.

All the best, James

 

[Mike Veitch]

30/sec is very easy in UW, there shouldn't be a problem there, i do it all the time on housed DSLR, SLR, and Nik V when shooting scenics on a dark dreary day, its the only way to get a good blue. The slight movements you make shouldn't be a problem. The only time i have ever run into any blur with 30 is when i have a fast moving subject in a dark environment and was trying to get some sort of background light.

Like this where you can see image blur around the shark, althought the use of flash does help to freeze that action.

Sounds to me like you are doing a night dive though if nothing is coming out...i am originally from the cold dark waters myself and i know it shouldn't come out black

2 things...

A) SHOOT UP! thats the obvious one. If you shoot down you are going to have a hell of a time ever getting anything in deep dark waters, just ain't going to happen unless.....

B) up the ISO to something like 800 (film or digital) AND open up to 2.8 or whatever is the widest aperture your camera allows.

On another note...James (Fdog) what Nikonos are you using to get a 1/15? not a V, i have to go look at my Nik 2 to see if that does it...

M

 

[fdog]

It's a Nikonos III. I remember being not happy with results at 1/30, like it became unaccecptable slower than that. So all filled with righetous indignation, go fetch Nikonos.

So I pulled it out, and - what the??? - only goes as slow as 1/30th!

<sigh> The mind's a terrible thing to waste away.....Obviously Mike hasn't been wasting away his....bow to the master...

All the best, James

 

[cjames]

Is that an Inspiration Warren? Also, when you guys are doing this, I assume you're pushing the ISO up as well?

 

[Warren_L]

Is that an Inspiration Warren? Also, when you guys are doing this, I assume you're pushing the ISO up as well?

Close. That's actually the Evolution - really just a smaller version of the inspiration with the upgraded electronics. I shoot mostly ISO 400 as I don't get a great deal of noise and enjoy the faster speed.