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sallygreen

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I've attempted various approaches to underwater photography, everything from a high-end Nikonos IVA iwth 35mm film, to waterproof P&S, P&S in housings, etc. I'm not going to recommend any specific camera or camera+housing, but I will note some principles that you need to keep in mind when choosing what you will take. 1. Water very quickly absorbs the longer wavelengths of light, which is why the ocean is blue. Underwater shots at anything below 2 meters depth or without supplemental lighting will have a severe blue cast. 2. As the water absorbs light, it absorbs it between the surface and the subject, and from the subject to you camera, so, at a depth of 1 meter, at 1 meter from your subject, you will have absorption effects equal to 2 meters. This not only impacts colors, but also total light available for the exposure. Compensate accordingly. 3. In other than the most absolutely crystal clear waters, the distance at which you can make a worthwhile exposure is very limited. An ultra-wide-angle lens is effectively essential, and the techniques to use it are unique. Baseline is that you will need to get close, very close, to your subjects to obtain any meaningful images. There's no such thing as underwater telephoto. 4. It is impossible to use a normal viewfinder with a face mask on, and nearly impossible to see even a moderately sized LCD display. This is another case where the UWA lens comes in handy, as simply getting close and pointing generally in the right direction will tend to capture your subject. Don't fool yourself into assuming you can manipulate a camera underwater in any way like you do on the surface. The constraints and obstacles are unique, and obtaining useful images demands substantial adjustments in both technique and expectations. For example, both you and your subjects will always be moving, frequently in opposite directions, as you float back and forth in the surge, making precise focus with a narrow DoF nearly unobtainable.

 

All of the underwater housings that I have seen for the various action cameras should be fine at the depths you'll experience while snorkeling (check their literature to be sure). At SCUBA depths (3-30 meters), the pressures and available light tend to demand more specialized gear. Keep your housings clean, take along spare "O" rings and ring grease (as recommended by mfr.) and thoroughly rinse and dry after every outing. Have fun and bring us back some wonderful images!

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I've attempted various approaches to underwater photography, everything from a high-end Nikonos IVA iwth 35mm film, to waterproof P&S, P&S in housings, etc. I'm not going to recommend any specific camera or camera+housing, but I will note some principles that you need to keep in mind when choosing what you will take. 1. Water very quickly absorbs the longer wavelengths of light, which is why the ocean is blue. Underwater shots at anything below 2 meters depth or without supplemental lighting will have a severe blue cast. 2. As the water absorbs light, it absorbs it between the surface and the subject, and from the subject to you camera, so, at a depth of 1 meter, at 1 meter from your subject, you will have absorption effects equal to 2 meters. This not only impacts colors, but also total light available for the exposure. Compensate accordingly. 3. In other than the most absolutely crystal clear waters, the distance at which you can make a worthwhile exposure is very limited. An ultra-wide-angle lens is effectively essential, and the techniques to use it are unique. Baseline is that you will need to get close, very close, to your subjects to obtain any meaningful images. There's no such thing as underwater telephoto. 4. It is impossible to use a normal viewfinder with a face mask on, and nearly impossible to see even a moderately sized LCD display. This is another case where the UWA lens comes in handy, as simply getting close and pointing generally in the right direction will tend to capture your subject. Don't fool yourself into assuming you can manipulate a camera underwater in any way like you do on the surface. The constraints and obstacles are unique, and obtaining useful images demands substantial adjustments in both technique and expectations. For example, both you and your subjects will always be moving, frequently in opposite directions, as you float back and forth in the surge, making precise focus with a narrow DoF nearly unobtainable.

 

All of the underwater housings that I have seen for the various action cameras should be fine at the depths you'll experience while snorkeling (check their literature to be sure). At SCUBA depths (3-30 meters), the pressures and available light tend to demand more specialized gear. Keep your housings clean, take along spare "O" rings and ring grease (as recommended by mfr.) and thoroughly rinse and dry after every outing. Have fun and bring us back some wonderful images!

 

Thank you! It was incredibly helpful!

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