Half in and half out

[aHeavyD]

Is there anything special in shooting your camera with it half in and half out of the water. I've seen shots like this before and they look great. I even seen video where the camera comes out of the water the the picture looks great. (no water spots)
I've tried this a few times and I usually have water drops on the lense which don't look great.
I'm wandering if you are putting anything on the lenses so the water comes right off when the camera comes out of the water. Like will rain-x work or something like this

If not I would be guessing you have your camera on infinity so the camera will not try and look at the water spots. I leave my camera in auto focus all the time.

Thanks for your input if anybody has this move perfected

 

[slammer]

H.D I always keep the auto focus off and that way your camera won't always be searching. focus about 15 feet away and lock in the focus. Second thing I have never put any substance on my lense and have been able to make the 50 50 shot work very well. I would be a little worried about using rain-x. try spit first...works on masks to stop foggin problems. I'm no expert though.

 

[meekal]

some, but not all, the shots i've seen are done in reverse..... they're going DOWN (thus no droplets) and just REVERSE the video in post.

 

[Phil TK]

One of my favourite shots that features 'in and out' of the water is the decent shot. I start by getting far enough away from the boat to get it in frame nicely then dump all the air from my bc. Whilst holding a big breath and finning strongly to stay on the surface I hold shot on the boat for 3/4 seconds then exhale and as I start to sink, I swing the camera up to the sun and then down I go -camera still rolling. Next, the tricky bit, I have to use a hand to equalise so I bend my leg and use my knee to prop the camera - being careful not to get my fin in the frame -at this point I'm upside down and can 'aim' my bubbles to swirl past the camera, this gives a 'dropping' effect to the shot as the bubbles ascend (it looks static otherwise). I also add a spin to my descent, (this musn't be overdone however as it can make audiences feel ill when you show it!)
The whole shot takes about 15 seconds and in good conditions I shoot down to 15 meters or so. Once, I had the good fortune of having 3 longtoms swim over me as I descended and it looked brilliant! I bet that never happens again.
To stop 'drops on the lens' I just keep the lenses scrupiously clean and never muck about with chemicals on the lens surface lest their coating is affected - only occaisionaly do I have to 'spit and dunk' to get a drop off.
Phil TK