Been getting feverishly back into film photography for my above water pursuits and thought it would be fun to try it under the water. I love making darkroom/wet prints and think some stylized BW might be a fun reason to get wet in my local area (perhaps try out P3200 since it was re-released again but also HP5, Pancro, etc.). Plus with Ektachrome coming back that might be fun to try (though seems challenging under the water unless it's perhaps shallow or very bright?).
I did some searching around here, and it's kind of a polarizing topic. Not trying to make this some film v digital tirade. I use a GoPro for most of my underwater stuff (mostly just do video) and also own a nice Nikon DSLR (though haven't been nearly brave enough to take it underwater in a housing). I'd likely keep using my GoPro and just bring the film camera for fun and experimentation. I think TMAX P3200 under the water would look pretty awesome for instance.
Rather I was curious what folks that have used film UW cameras think about the Nikonos cameras? Seems like that is the best go to when reading up and the Nikonos IV and V's are quite affordable. I'd consider myself a moderate to advanced shooted in both film and digital (not a professional though) so was thinking something that gives me more control than just a point and shoot. I was hoping for something in medium format but in searching around that is both very expensive and very rare (though I did read about some clever ideas such as putting a Holga in a bag
). Also read some articles of some crazy folks taking a 4x5 large format camera underwater. Sounds amazingly fun but well over the top for anything I could think of doing (I have a 4x5 but, yeah...).
Any thoughts on the Nikonos then and/or tips on underwater film photography in general? (trolls need not apply here, yes yes digital is better, I know - that's not the point) Wondering, for instance, how filters work with color/slide film given the white balance is more fixed than with digital. I also don't really know what to expect in terms of light levels. GoPro does a fine job most of the time at that for video and I've never pondered it much (I'm more concerned with getting the white balance right with filters, etc.). Kinda why I was thinking high speed films like Portra 800, T-Max P3200, HP5 (perhaps pushed to 800 or more), etc. Ektachrome would look so lovely but without strobes I can't imagine it's speed, when it does come out, will be useful. Velvia even more so.
I did some searching around here, and it's kind of a polarizing topic. Not trying to make this some film v digital tirade. I use a GoPro for most of my underwater stuff (mostly just do video) and also own a nice Nikon DSLR (though haven't been nearly brave enough to take it underwater in a housing). I'd likely keep using my GoPro and just bring the film camera for fun and experimentation. I think TMAX P3200 under the water would look pretty awesome for instance.
Rather I was curious what folks that have used film UW cameras think about the Nikonos cameras? Seems like that is the best go to when reading up and the Nikonos IV and V's are quite affordable. I'd consider myself a moderate to advanced shooted in both film and digital (not a professional though) so was thinking something that gives me more control than just a point and shoot. I was hoping for something in medium format but in searching around that is both very expensive and very rare (though I did read about some clever ideas such as putting a Holga in a bag
). Also read some articles of some crazy folks taking a 4x5 large format camera underwater. Sounds amazingly fun but well over the top for anything I could think of doing (I have a 4x5 but, yeah...).Any thoughts on the Nikonos then and/or tips on underwater film photography in general? (trolls need not apply here, yes yes digital is better, I know - that's not the point) Wondering, for instance, how filters work with color/slide film given the white balance is more fixed than with digital. I also don't really know what to expect in terms of light levels. GoPro does a fine job most of the time at that for video and I've never pondered it much (I'm more concerned with getting the white balance right with filters, etc.). Kinda why I was thinking high speed films like Portra 800, T-Max P3200, HP5 (perhaps pushed to 800 or more), etc. Ektachrome would look so lovely but without strobes I can't imagine it's speed, when it does come out, will be useful. Velvia even more so.
