new to diving deep

[asmumm]

after a good chunk of a lifetime spent by the ocean I have finally made the step to open up the 3rd dimension. I have done pretty much everything you can do on the surface of water, always wanted to do the scuba thing but never got around to it. So I finally did it - on the reef of Belize.
Considering where I am in this forum I could just say "the rest is history" because you would all know how you got hooked, but that is of course not what I am here for.
Being a complete newbie apart from barely knowing how to keep breathing under water, I do of course have the usual one million questions and hopefully you can help me answering 5 or 10 of them.
I bought a camera. I read every blog there is and narrowed it down to about 5 models that suite my (beginners) needs and wishes and decided on the the one that came in the nicest colour (just kidding). I got the Panasonic GF3 as a well tested model with a good price/performance ratio. I added one of those low price MEIKON housings to it. The two should be on their way from the bay of e and soon be joined. Unfortunately most likely too late for a trip to Turkey in a couple of weeks with a chance to go on a dive.
OK QUESTION #1: How do I set this camera up for underwater photography? I have learned using a camera when they had adjustable exposure time and aperture and you needed a little light meter to set those two in a way that suited your intentions. Now these things come with a gazillion buttons to press, only to adjust time and aperture in a way that the camera takes the photo you might like. Probably some of the most over engineered technology presently available on this planet of ours.
OK so I know I have to do a white balance. I do that almost daily in the lab for completely different reasons so I know what it is, but it took me a loooong time to convince my lab camera to let go of the automatic white balance and hand over to me. How good is the automatic white balancing for underwater photography and does it continuously readjust once it is set on e.g. "shadow"?

I shall leave it at this first question, this post is already turning into half a book and who wants to read all that?!

So hello every body and hope to see some of you 60 feet under sometime.

 

[TSandM]

Welcome to :sblogo:, and to the underwater world!

I can't answer your specific questions about your camera, but you might consider visiting our underwater photography subforum and asking there . . . you're more likely to get your post seen by our avid photographer members there.

I will say that you should take it easy with the camera until you have done enough diving to have good buoyancy control and a bit of situational awareness. New divers can get into a lot of trouble by failing to notice changes in depth, and by being distracted by the camera and forgetting to check their gas.

 

[asmumm]

Welcome to :sblogo:, and to the underwater world!

I can't answer your specific questions about your camera, but you might consider visiting our underwater photography subforum and asking there . . . you're more likely to get your post seen by our avid photographer members there.

I will say that you should take it easy with the camera until you have done enough diving to have good buoyancy control and a bit of situational awareness. New divers can get into a lot of trouble by failing to notice changes in depth, and by being distracted by the camera and forgetting to check their gas.

I have had a look around the photography section and will probably pester them with a lot of questions about setting up the camera. I guess what I am trying to do is set up the camera before I get in the water so that once I am diving all I have to do id point and shoot. I was doing OK with the buoyancy but you are absolutely right: one can get carried away..... and I can sure see how one can forget about the gas.

 

[EMiles]

I will second Lynne's comment. Adding a camera too quickly can be problematic. You need to develop some awareness and muscle memory before adding too many additional tasks. Cameras can just suck all your attention and then you end up in a problem situation.