Phrenzy
Registered
Hello there,
Ive been diving for a little while now, and I am looking into taking a camera underwater. I have thought about using my current camera, a D200. But I realized there might be a disadvantage to using an older camera.
After looking at the situation, I realized it might be better to approach it from another angle. The best camera above water might not be the best camera underwater. So from the perspective of diving, what are some of the better cameras?
Right now I only dive cold water with thick wetsuit gloves. Most of my dives are either deep or at night or both. In time, I would like to travel and take pictures in warm water as well, but I would like I optimize my setup for when I am diving closer to home.
This is what I am thinking right now. I would like to get a better point and shoot camera to get familiar with photography underwater. I would imagine most of the time I would need a flash for my pictures. Ideally, the flash system I purchase would be able to work with the DLSR system I would eventually upgrade to. As an example, I would pick up a Canon G-10 and use the Ikelite DS160 TTL flash. Then once I am certain I enjoy lugging all the photo gear with me underwater, I would move to a DSLR and use the same DS160 flash. When I am done buying stuff, (ha!) I picture me with a DSLR and 2 big flash units underwater. Note: I am not married to any of those choices, just using them as an example.
Now diving deep and dark, I realize that any light that I will be using, I will need to bring it with me. Is it even worth bringing a point and shoot down to 100 at night? I know you would need a flash, but how much better would a DSLR be? I would think that a D40 or D700 with a nice f/1.8 or f/2.8 could grab a lot more light.
So this is what I am asking. Is it worth messing with a point and shoot on the way to bigger and better toys? Or will I need to have a much larger lens to collect enough light?
The other thing I am wondering is what are the best cameras to use under water? Which ones have the best button placement and menu options? I will be diving with think wetsuit and drysuit gloves & I dont want to go though half a dozen menus to make a simple change. That is annoying dry, on land, I can only imagine how bad it would be underwater.
Ive been diving for a little while now, and I am looking into taking a camera underwater. I have thought about using my current camera, a D200. But I realized there might be a disadvantage to using an older camera.
After looking at the situation, I realized it might be better to approach it from another angle. The best camera above water might not be the best camera underwater. So from the perspective of diving, what are some of the better cameras?
Right now I only dive cold water with thick wetsuit gloves. Most of my dives are either deep or at night or both. In time, I would like to travel and take pictures in warm water as well, but I would like I optimize my setup for when I am diving closer to home.
This is what I am thinking right now. I would like to get a better point and shoot camera to get familiar with photography underwater. I would imagine most of the time I would need a flash for my pictures. Ideally, the flash system I purchase would be able to work with the DLSR system I would eventually upgrade to. As an example, I would pick up a Canon G-10 and use the Ikelite DS160 TTL flash. Then once I am certain I enjoy lugging all the photo gear with me underwater, I would move to a DSLR and use the same DS160 flash. When I am done buying stuff, (ha!) I picture me with a DSLR and 2 big flash units underwater. Note: I am not married to any of those choices, just using them as an example.
Now diving deep and dark, I realize that any light that I will be using, I will need to bring it with me. Is it even worth bringing a point and shoot down to 100 at night? I know you would need a flash, but how much better would a DSLR be? I would think that a D40 or D700 with a nice f/1.8 or f/2.8 could grab a lot more light.
So this is what I am asking. Is it worth messing with a point and shoot on the way to bigger and better toys? Or will I need to have a much larger lens to collect enough light?
The other thing I am wondering is what are the best cameras to use under water? Which ones have the best button placement and menu options? I will be diving with think wetsuit and drysuit gloves & I dont want to go though half a dozen menus to make a simple change. That is annoying dry, on land, I can only imagine how bad it would be underwater.