Underwater Camera Help

[Bearcat11]

Hello, I’m relatively new to diving (14months or so certified) but am fairly proficient at photography and consider it a hobby as well. I recently completed my Rescue Diver cert and will soon start divemaster.

Currently, my wife and I are talking about purchasing a setup for underwater still photography. I have two DSLR cameras and we have a couple point a shoot cameras as well.

For us, what would be your recommendations for how to move forward with getting the right photography setup.

We won’t be diving until January, so we have time to get everything we need.

We are considering one of the following options:

1) buying a housing for my Nikon D7100 and the lighting options to suit. (My feeling is that it’s worth the investment in the d7100 because I plan to keep that camera for quite a while)

2) buying a housing for my Olympus TG-820 and getting a good tray/lighting combo that will work well with the D7100 or a future DSLR

3) buying a decent camera combo that includes everything and is a newer camera (either a sealife or a camera and housing). Since we can wait until Black Friday, maybe we can snag a newish camera at a special then buy the housing, tray, and lights.

Since we are new to diving, we have considered option 2 the most, since it should give us flexibility and a chance learn underwater photography. But, there’s part of me that thinks if we are going to invest in a DSLR housing anyway, why not just save the extra money from the Olympus kit.

For those familiar with underwater photography, which option makes the most sense and where would you recommend we look to make our purchases?

Also, if there is any reading material you would recommend for learning to be a better underwater photographer, I would be grateful for your suggestions!

Thanks in advance!

 

[Addicted2H2O]

I have a DSLR myself that I use above the surface. I also have a SeaLife DC1400 (came with tray & strobe) that I use when diving. The SeaLife is in fact a point & shoot and you can use it out of the housing as such. So if you already have the Olympus, you could consider just getting the housing, tray, and lighting set up for that. What you get with the SeaLife cameras, though, are modes dedicated specifically for snorkeling, diving, etc. They automatically adjust white balance and add filtering for those types of activities. Maybe your Olympus has that, but I'd bet probably not. I would personally choose one of those two options because I don't really want to mess with manual settings during a dive. And I know myself and I absolutely will not shoot with a DSLR in anything other than manual. I have an "older" Nikon D5000 and I haven't shot anything other than manual since about two weeks after I bought it 2009. I wouldn't mind getting better at underwater photography to the point where I can play with settings and such while diving, but to me it's task loading and I don't want to be trying to do too much during a dive. I want to take some decent pictures and actually enjoy the dive. So for me, the SeaLife fits that bill. Maybe I can get DSLR quality pics from it if I play with the settings, but I don't expect it too shoot near as well as my DSLR. It doesn't take bad pictures, though. Here are a few from my cruise to Cozumel in September '17 during Hurricane Irma. And a couple above the surface with that camera, too.

 

[jgttrey]

My advice is to find a used housing for the Olympus and get a basic strobe. I bet you could get a competent compact rig set up for 3-400 bucks.

If you decide to progress, you'll end up with DSLR or mirrorless setup, for sure. But, that is a HUGE bite right off the bat, both in dollars and in complexity. It isn't just the housing, but also lens and port selection, float arms, etc. It is a lot to figure out all at once.

If you KNOW you want to do it, by all means, of course. I'd recommend posting here or on Wetpixel and getting setup advice. There are good deals on used housings all the time if you're patient about it. It will still be 2-3K investment though, once you roll in a pair of strobes, applicable ports, float arms, fiber optics, etc., etc.

If you start more modestly around the Olympus, then you can either sell that stuff when you eventually "move up" or keep it for a compact rig for dives when you just don't feel like bringing the full setup. I started with a used RX100ii in a Nauticam housing, used it for a bunch of dives and then sold it for what I'd paid for it when I upgraded to an A6500.

 

[Gareth J]

Disclaimer - I dabble, i.e. I am not an expert.

I have been using a camera underwater for somewhere between 5 and 10 years.

Point 1. - Any camera you take in the water you have to be fully prepared to flood.
(To date I have been lucky, but I know a large number who have flooded cameras).

Point 2. - A big SLR is both bulky, and heavy, which may become an issue when travelling.

I have beeb using a point and shoot since I started with a digital camera underwater.
I have a S95, with the Canon housing, and the INON lens mount and a selection of 'wet' lenses. Stobes etc.
(In point of fact I have a number of S95's and housings incase I flood one!).

The ability has never been the limiting factor - it is the operator that limits the quality of the images!

The S95 its very old now, I have been toying with replacing it with the Canon FG9X and the Fantasea housing.
I am aware that on the Canon FG9, it is more difficult to set the manual white balance than the older S95 - which is a shame, especially when diving without a strobe.
The newer Fantasea lense mount use the thread version rather than the bayonet (personally i prefer the bayonet - and all my lenses are bayonet (adapters are available)).


I like the ability to use wet lenses, allowing me to switch from Dome Port, to macro during a dive.
Manual white balance is invaluable, this is mainly beneficial when you are not using strobes.


Also if you are a new diver, remember, using a camera is a massive additional task loading. Buoyancy control is king when taking pictures underwater.

 

[MaxBottomtime]

Most people who make a big investment in a housed DSLR usually upgrade sooner or later. Ebay is full of great deals on housings/cameras that take better photos than you could get with a newer, smaller camera. I'm currently using a system that retailed for over $20,000 new. I bought it for $4300 on Ebay, sold the strobes and ports I didn't need for $1300 and walked away with a Nikon D3x in a Subal housing for $3,000. I wish I could find a similar deal on a D5.

 

[scubadada]

I am far from a serious photographer. I used a Canon and then an Olympus point and shoot in a brand housing for many years. My photos and videos were OK, aimed at family and friends. I upgraded to a Canon G7X in a Nauticam housing and could not be more pleased. I mostly shoot ambient light and the one button white balance is incredible. Too bad they abandoned that on the G7X II. Photos and video turn out excellent. I have the vacuum check system, incredible piece of mind.

 

[JohnnyC]

I have a 5dIII in a Sea & Sea housing. It takes INCREDIBLE photos. I also spend an inordinate amount of time in Lightroom editing them because I shoot in RAW, and have just accepted that it's part of the process. I don't even white balance underwater. It takes more time to do there than it does in LR.

There isn't a point-and-shoot that even comes close to the quality of images that I get out of my setup. HOWEVER, 75% of the way there is usually MORE than enough for most people to show friends and family and throw them on Facebook and Instagram. The decision really needs to be what you want to get out of your photography.

If you want incredible photos that you have to do some work for and appreciate the process, grab a housing and some strobes for your DSLR, and be prepared to pay a healthy price for it. If you just want to take some nice pictures of your vacations for memories and to share amongst your friends, grab a point-and-shoot. The cost difference isn't insignificant.

 

[AZTinman]

There are a lot of very well expressed perspectives and opinions here. For what it's worth, I'll add mine to the 'pot'.

You already own a Nikon D7100 that works extremely well as a housed underwater camera. I used my housed D7100 until I replaced it with a D7200 body. Both the D7100 and D7200 work in the same housing. Paired with the right Nikkor lenses and a pair of good strobes, a D7100 will give you the ability to get some exceptional underwater photographs. Lens selection is important too.

As mentioned by others, you really need to consider what you plan to do with the photographs you shoot. I frequently dive with folks who shoot with point and shoot types of cameras and they are perfectly happy with the results they get. These divers typically like to post on social media sites. I like to sell mine so I need higher quality than I can get with a point and shoot.

Several years ago, I made my first trip to Guadalupe Island to photograph white sharks. I was surprised to see how many other divers made the trip with housed point and shoot cameras. Others simply had their cell phones in housings. Only two of us on that trip had housed DSLR cameras. On my second Guadalupe trip last year, I was the only diver with a housed DSLR. During evenings on the boat, everyone was engaged in downloading and editing photographs. I cannot tell you how many times I heard the same question from the divers who were using point and shoot cameras, but I heard the question frequently. Other divers would ask, "Why don't my pictures look as good as yours?" The answer was my camera (D7200) and lenses I was using as I shot in RAW.

If you want to see what kind of work you can do underwater with a housed Nikon D7100/D7200 take a look at the portfolios on my website: www.cortezbluephotography.com. At some point, I'll be scraping together the money I need to house my Nikon D850, but until then I'll continue using my housed D7100/D7200.

-AZTinman

 

[DivealotZA]

I'm going to throw a spanner in the works here:

The ability of your photos really depends on you...I've seen people that take much better pictures with a compact, than others that use DSLR cameras...

The nice thing about compact is the size and ease of use, and of course the price.

I would personally recommend a sony RX100V (or VI) or Canon G7Xii and then you can get a more affordable housing (If you look after it, it will serve you just fine). The biggest issue you will face underwater is lighting, so a decent strobe or two would make the world of difference...

I wouldn't recommend the olympus, you'll get bored of that quickly I think.

I've been using a G7Xii for 2 years now, and just bought another one for my wife to start using - for now I'm happy to save up over the next 2 years to take a massive jump to a top-of-the-range DSLR, but then I'd have to sell the photos to justify buying it

There's many online uw photo stores selling great packages, so check those out too...

Backscatter Underwater Compact, Packages - Backscatter
Compact packages | Bluewater Photo & Video
Underwater Camera Packages with Video Lights or Strobes

You could also look at a mirrorless like the A6300/A6500 if you have a little bit of extra cash and want better photo and 4K video and (I might just go this route if I can find a good deal on the camera)

Also read the reviews:
Canon G7 X Mark II Camera Review
Sony RX100 V Review and Underwater Photo Essay
Fantasea FA6500 Housing Review

 

[Barmaglot]

Olympus TG-820 is quite old at this point - finding a housing in good condition (i.e. with all the o-rings still holding a seal and all the springs counteracting water pressure) may prove challenging.

The D7100 should be easier in this regard - browsing through Wetpixel classifieds shows multiple recent offers, and they're still available new as well, but a DSLR housing is a beast underwater. I had my Sony A6300 housing next to a Nikon D90 (Ikelite), and it was like 3x difference in size. You also need to take into account that with a DSLR, unlike a compact or mirrorless camera, you need to use the OVF for optimal autofocus performance, which can be difficult in a mask. There are add-on viewfinders that make it easier, but they tend to cost close to a thousand dollars and they add additional weight and bulk. Depending on what you already have in your kit, you might also need to purchase additional lenses (fisheye, ultrawide, macro).

All in all, it is possible that getting a newer premium compact (Sony RX100 series, Canon G7X series) + housing + wet lenses, or even a small mirrorless (Sony A6xxx, Canon EOS M, Olympus PEN) + lenses + housing may cost less and result in a smaller, lighter, easier to handle underwater package than housing a five year old DSLR.