When to get strobe?

[imwright1985]

I like being as simple as i can with setups and am starting to get into recreational photography. I was wondering when its apropriate to add a strobe and when a strobe becomes kinda overkill for photographs that are pretty much used for personal gloating. To give you guys an idea of diving conditions, Usually dive in the keys or off palm beach around 8am to 4pm, Vis is usually 30+, and depending on whats going on dive 30-110ft

 

[oly5050user]

I probably would not bother with a camera if there was no strobe or w/a lens on it.

 

[Doc Harry]

Unless you are planning to stay at 15 feet to shoot photos, I would get a strobe at the same time I got a camera.

 

[Interceptor121]

In clear water on a sunny day you can shoot with manual White balance until 10 meters or 33 feet
Deeper than that you will need some form of light.
However you have to consider that you will go through a learning process and to start already with a strobe without a full understandind of how to take a good picture could be a complete waste of money and make your learning process longer as you have many things to worry about. At the start will shoot mostly macro and for that even the internal flash could be sufficient

I am a photography instructor and my recommendation to people that ask for advice is to get a camera capable of manual White balance with possibility of manually setting aperture and shutter speed and to make it future proof ensure the housing can accept lens to be mounted on

A classic case is someone turning up with a canon powershot g10 great prosumer camera already with the canon housing which unfortunately does not accept lens, you want to avoid that
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[HowardE]

Strobes are essential if you ask me.

 

[Interceptor121]

Strobes are essential if you ask me.

Strobes are essential yes but do you need a strobe when you are learning? Unless you are a good land photographer probably not
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[HowardE]

Strobes are essential yes but do you need a strobe when you are learning? Unless you are a good land photographer probably not
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Why learn with one hand tied behind your back?

It's like the question, "what's a good beginner camera"? Any camera is a good beginner camera. Why spend a few hundred bucks on a crappy camera, only to replace it 6 months later??

Strobes are essential to properly lighting the subjects underwater. Why wait for the most valuable tool in the underwater photographer's toolbox? Why start shooting crappy pictures, and wonder, "why are my photos crappy and always washed out with blue"? If you learn from day 1 with strobes... You can be taking good pictures sooner than later.

 

[Interceptor121]

Why learn with one hand tied behind your back?

It's like the question, "what's a good beginner camera"? Any camera is a good beginner camera. Why spend a few hundred bucks on a crappy camera, only to replace it 6 months later??

Strobes are essential to properly lighting the subjects underwater. Why wait for the most valuable tool in the underwater photographer's toolbox? Why start shooting crappy pictures, and wonder, "why are my photos crappy and always washed out with blue"? If you learn from day 1 with strobes... You can be taking good pictures sooner than later.

that's your opinion. If a person does not have a good grasp of the photography concept on land most likely the shots will be crap strobe or not

I have taken some amazing shots with a compact with the internal flash or with manual White balance

taking crap shots depends more on technique

I have seen people with bad buoyancy bad strobe positioning taking horrid pictures and then wondering why the guy next has a good shot with a compact

of course this is all relative but the message is that if you are not a good photographer to start with on land you should invest money in training and then get advice and your view on gear
a bit what happens on your open water course



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[HowardE]

you should invest money in training and then get advice and your view on gear

Spoken like a Scuba instructor.

 

[Interceptor121]

Spoken like a Scuba instructor.

Or he can buy some books if he is familiar with land photography

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