I almost always do the first dive or two without the camera unless there is something I'll miss absolutely without it. Lets me get acclimated to the site and see what there is to see without a camera. Get back in my rig and feel comfortable empty-handed.
But almost every time I say, "Damn I coulda . . . ." but then even with a camera I miss a lot of shots, so I don't regret the dives without my other eye.
To the poster who wonders why take a camera and who advises a more direct experience without it, I agree up to a point. But those of us who dive with cameras _have_ a direct experience: it's the experience of diving with a camera, of seeking out beautiful things to capture without actually touching. I always enjoy OW diving more with a camera than without and I've done plenty of both. It's a different experience. Neither is better.
As for camera divers being worse or more aggressive, well, that isn't a problem unique to dive photographers and I think that most experienced divers who dive with cameras are as careful and considerate of their environment as those without.
It's experience and consideration that is the difference not the camera.
JoeL
But almost every time I say, "Damn I coulda . . . ." but then even with a camera I miss a lot of shots, so I don't regret the dives without my other eye.
To the poster who wonders why take a camera and who advises a more direct experience without it, I agree up to a point. But those of us who dive with cameras _have_ a direct experience: it's the experience of diving with a camera, of seeking out beautiful things to capture without actually touching. I always enjoy OW diving more with a camera than without and I've done plenty of both. It's a different experience. Neither is better.
As for camera divers being worse or more aggressive, well, that isn't a problem unique to dive photographers and I think that most experienced divers who dive with cameras are as careful and considerate of their environment as those without.
It's experience and consideration that is the difference not the camera.
JoeL
