It's all so confusing...

Is there a good book or magazine that I can pick up to begin cracking the code of underwater photography? I really want to get in to this but have NO idea where to start. I have done some research and have heard good things about the Canon as well as Fuji cameras. I don't know where to start looking to understand the importance of manual controls and the like. I want to make the most informed decision but all the info on here keeps my head spinning. We are planning a trip to Panama or Andros in November or so and would like to be used to it and settled in first. Thanks in advance...

(BTW, if you'd like to make camera suggestions...on land, point and shoot is the best i get. I'm trying to stay within $700 or so for the camera and housing.)

Aloha G2G,

The best thing you can do is paractice, practice, practice.

There are a few good books out there that we recently talked about here

For the basics go for Jim Churchs' Essential Guides Excellent. Forget about the fact that he wrote about film - the same ideas still apply with digital.

There are some newer books on digital imaging but none that I've seen so far come close to Jim's stuff. There are some very good books on post processing digital out there, but those may be the next step down the track after you decide on cameras!

i pmd you.

gecko2gecko:

Is there a good book or magazine that I can pick up to begin cracking the code of underwater photography? I really want to get in to this but have NO idea where to start. I have done some research and have heard good things about the Canon as well as Fuji cameras. I don't know where to start looking to understand the importance of manual controls and the like. I want to make the most informed decision but all the info on here keeps my head spinning. We are planning a trip to Panama or Andros in November or so and would like to be used to it and settled in first. Thanks in advance...

(BTW, if you'd like to make camera suggestions...on land, point and shoot is the best i get. I'm trying to stay within $700 or so for the camera and housing.)

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I understand your concern regarding UW photography, but I would highly recommend learning the basics of land photography first then hang around this great forum with helpful folks that have some very helpful tips.

I try to avoid recommending any one type of camera, but in your case being new to photography in general, I would look into an Olympus... 5060 or 7070. My reasons why, very good prices, a proven system, all the manual, semi and full auto controls, hot shoe, very good optics, many are in the used market, housings and acc. are out there etc. etc.

The Olympus 8080 is my 8mp PS of choice in UW photography, but now harder to get and limited in parts. These cameras are not "fits in your shirt" credit card size cameras, but then "semi-pro" cameras never were. Remember you will be pushing the bottons from outside a water proof housing, its ideal to have as much spacing between the buttons as possible.

I have no brand loyality, I mostly use Nikons SLRs and some Canons, Olympus to me has proven their worth in UW photography. Canons also have some great PS, I have the older G1 a very good camera from great company. Which ever system you get, master its use on land before taking in the water. Good Luck

Dive Safe

f3nikon:

I understand your concern regarding UW photography, but I would highly recommend learning the basics of land photography first

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This is excellent advice. Practise on land, learn the principles and then learn about the added issues underwater. I have Olympus 5050 and 8080 and would recommend them both - however, they are both discontinued so you may not be able to get them easily!

This leaves me even more confused...what if someone told me to wait to get certified until I was really good at diving? I know how to point and shoot on land and at this phase of my learning underwater that is all I would like to do. I just want pics to document for my family and friends what my husband and I do while blowing bubbles. I was under the impression that the best place to start is at the beginning. Eventually, I may want to learn the ins and outs of underwater photography. For now, I just want more info on what to expect and how to address it. I want to find a basic intro camera and housing (the Canon A95 seems to keep popping up) for now. My husband has a land camera that has all the crazy manual controls that are commonly talked about. He said he will help me learn if I want. When that desire strikes (and I'm sure it will) I will do so and in turn need to buy another camera. I'm okay with that...I have two girls that I can pass the camera on to later anyway.

Thanks for all the helpful responses and PM's. I've got Jim Church's book on the way and am at least a little bit closer to finding a camera and housing.

What would also be important is that you to get to know your camera before you do any serious picture taking. Nothing worse than not knowing how to turn the flash on or off, getting the screen back on when it has gone into sleep mode or what all the other buttons are for.

justleesa:

What would also be important is that you to get to know your camera before you do any serious picture taking. Nothing worse than not knowing how to turn the flash on or off, getting the screen back on when it has gone into sleep mode or what all the other buttons are for.

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I have two eager subjects that are ALWAYS willing to pose for a picture. I could break it in nicely!