Help with Underwater photography kit..

[adamdewilde]

Whats the best underwater photography kit under $750 SD

Basically I was going to buy the Canon A640 with underwater housing, and then if needed an external flash (any suggestions?)

If there are other options some one please let me know.

I'm considering taking some diving lessons while in Singapore (thailand and surrounding areas), and hopefully I'll get to explore underwater photography, because I've always wanted to try!

So suggest away what I should get at that price point,
adam

 

[lovells19]

oh.. save ur money.. do ur courses first

 

[adamdewilde]

hehe, if I don't spend the money on a camera, I'll never go diving, I'll make up excuses about not having the time to go.

If I buy the camera, it'll sit around and i'll feel guilty, thus I'll go diving or at least snorkling or something...

And I really want to try diving...

Actually I really would like to see some shots with an a640 with and without the flash, not processed... So I can get a feel for what I'm in for.. (some discriptions of why the pictures look the way they look would be nice)..

If anyone can help out that would be great,
adam

 

[stonefish35]

trust lovells19 , take your basic dive course 1st . You will be too busy during the course that you wouldn't have the time to fiddle with your camera underwater. You will be busy with your buddy and look out for the instructor/dive guide.For your ( and your buddy's ) safety , Get comfortable underwater and good bouyancy 1st before bringing down a cam.

Enjoy the underwater journey

 

[kirkchua79]

ya lor. crawl oso got prob still want to stand.take class 3 oso hav to take basic 1st wat. :bsmilie:
trust mi you'll want to go diving even without a camera cause it's addictive .

 

[adamdewilde]

Hey, I can get the canon a640 and underwater housing for under $750 my question is whats the best underwater combo for that price or less...

I thought this was a photo forum!
I'll worry about the diving later..

Adam

 

[lovells19]

Well this is an underwater photography forum,

ppl here mostly dives and take photos underwater so, we are more or less concerned about what kinda damage you are going to do to the reefs and marine life. we just telling you that you should do your courses first and worry about taking photos later,

you can buy the camera and force urself to take up diving

I won't really recommend u to bring ur camera down on ur first trip out.. it's your life at stake here, not mine, im just concerned about the damage you going to doing to the reefs while struggling with your bouyancy and basic diving skills.

anyway without proper diving fundamentals, you'll never get good photos, becos you cannot even steady yourself underwater, give u a D2Xs u also cannot get a decent photo...

get the point?

if u think its a good deal then buy the camera
there's no best combi, just like land photography there's no perfect lens and there's always not enf light.

 

[stonefish35]

there's no perfect lens and there's always not enf light.

golden words :bsmilie:

 

[cityofangels]

Well said, lovells19! :thumbsup:

The fact that you have to buy yourself an UW photography kit just to make yourself take the initiative to sign up for a diving course, I guess this concerns alot of divers in this forum. I think the majority of the divers out there picked up UW photography after they picked up diving. Very seldom you see people who pick up diving just because they want to do UW phtography.

I know people who have been dying to take up diving, and when they do their first course, they vow never to go into the water again. You'll be amazed at how many people do not enjoy being in the uncertain dark blue waters.

 

[antacid]

yes, the A640 is a competent camera, especially since there's the RAW hack now.

you can see some of the photos taken with this camera and a WA conversion lens here:
http://www.colouredshots.com/site/albums/Sipadan07-album/

its quite obvious which are with or without flash. those that are all green and blue with no hint of colour is without the flash. i was using external strobes, btw. the internal flash is good to distances about half a meter away.

go ahead and buy the camera and u/w kit if you want, but you arent going to get very good results with it if you're struggling with diving.

you'll find that most of us get a little excited because we're divers first, and photographers second. its a little different from the photography mindset of landlubbers.
((=

still, do let us know if there's anything we can help you with.

 

[diediealsomustdive]

You can always buy the camera and underwater kit and use it during snorkelling.

Diving with camera is always a challenge for someone new, that's why the guys and gals here advise against diving with camera when one is still learning.

 

[adamdewilde]

I've gone snorkelling often (fun stuff), once I took a cheap disposable camera and shot some sand LOL...

But yeah lovells19 your just scared I'm gonna get better shots then you.
Damage the reef, your kidding, stop eating can tuna if you really care about the sea.
I didn't say I would take a camera on my fist dive, I mean honestly do you think I'm going to go to a hack diving school, where they just let me splash around with the sharks?
Any respectable school probably won't let me take a camera with me anyway. And if they do, I'm sure I'll have enough to worry about.

I've ALWAYS wanted to go diving! Its just if I don't spend the money on the camera, I won't find the time for it. With 15k invested in photography equipment one would suspect that my passion is photography, so with my interest in underwater photography, buying a camera would just force me to take up diving...


antacid thanks for sharing, I think thats a better apporach, it lets me learn by photo example.

I'm pretty sure a a640 with u/w housing and external strobe will work (and its within my budget). I have a deal lined up reguardless of where I am at the time (shipping is only $40 more to singapore, and I might even find the gear cheaper at lucky plazza er something).

Now to book those diving lessons, anyone have ideas, are there standup schools/instructors in Puket? I'll be there a week before going to singapore.

My girlfriends brother is a hardcore diver (lives in singapore), I could ask him, but she probably doesn't want me getting to buddy buddy with him. So I'm guessing again these forums might be able to help me out.

lovells19 you can be constructive, or play the whole Captin Planet roll, either is fine. But these forums are for helping people, and answering questions, keep that in mind.

Thanks guys,
Adam

 

[sprain]

Touchy.

 

[lovells19]

what a load of crap

15k on photography equipment and you're talking about a budget for a compact camera and a cheap strobe.

What you have said so far has given us all the impression that you will be taking your camera down without even getting your simple bouyancy right.

You'll be surprise what some dive centers would do to win customers.

And I don't like tuna

Seriously I can't be bothered if anyone can take better photos then me, I did not say I take fantastic photos

I'm sure you have passion for things you like or is interested in, and with that I hope you understand what we're trying to put through to you, if not its just a load of crap taken as passion..:nono:

Yeah to answer your questions, its a great camera and get an ikelite housing

 

[Trevor Teo]

Adamdewilde - Since you hv spent 15K on your photography equipment, a P&S will sure frustrate you...
So i say dont bother with the P&S. go straight for the full set up... like some of us say, cant shoot also must look good!!
And BTW, an UW set up (fully loaded) can cost more than 15K.... good luck in your decision.

Lastly, you should concentrate to get good buoyancy. That will allow you to take great pics. With confidence in the water, you will be able to 'perform' what you can do on land...

Good luck

 

[adamdewilde]

LOL, your logic is flawed. Just because I spend 15K on camera equipment doesn’t mean I’m about to spend another 10K on underwater photography equipment.

Hence my question, what’s the best setup for under $750, how I came to that price, well simple I wanted the a640 and underwater housing because I heard a lot of good things about it. So I figured get an external strobe, because I’ve also heard they’re a must. Then I thought to myself well I better ask people who actually do underwater photography, if there is a better setup in the same price range. If I don’t like diving or underwater photography, then I sell it and take a slight loss, better then buying something super expensive then taking a large loss on it. Don’t you think?

Regardless if I like diving or not, I won’t know if I like underwater photography until I’ve tried it, I might love diving and hate underwater photography. And if I don’t like diving after my first dive, I’d just quit. However, if I purchased a camera setup, I’d be more stubborn about going down again and again until I liked it.

If I like underwater photography I might spend the money, but I was planning on spending about $750 on the a640 with housing and strobe, so if there is something BETTER for the SAME PRICE maybe. But at this point until I decide I love underwater photography/diving, $750 is about all I'm willing to spend. **** if I love it, and start to understand how underwater photography works, I might get a housing for my 5D or 1D2 (which ever is better suited underwater, both cameras have pros and cons)..

Which brings me to my point, I asked a simple question about cameras, if you didn't want to answer it, you shouldn't have posted on the forum, I really don't care to hear what you have to say about anything but the answer to my question. Posting samples from different setups and talking about the pros and cons would have been nice, instead you bring up issues which don't concern you.

As far as the tuna comment goes, its a social comment on how we're all worried what other people will do to the environment, but when you look at yourself, what kind of footprint are you leaving on this earth?

Don't go getting all self-ritious on me.


Answer the question or don’t, its simple…

Adam

 

[lovells19]

You'll probably save more if you take up your diving lesson and see if you like it or not then get a camera or strobe.

Anything that will concern the reef concerns me, I might not be able to do wonders but I do what I can, rather then just telling people that its useless cos everyone else is killing the sea.

I apologize for getting out of topic. May you enjoy the underwater world

 

[glugg]

I'm in the market for a cheap underwater kit as well. I've been using an Olympus C5050Z for the past 5 years, but it recently died on me.

Based on my research, the A640 looks like it'll get me the biggest bang for the buck for under $1,000. :thumbsup:

I don't want to sound preachy or anything, but like the other folks in the thread, I'd recommend getting a few dives in before getting the camera. Typically, a person would need 20-30 dives before they'd feel comfortable underwater. This will take a couple of weeks at least. After that, you'll know if this is the sport for you.

 

[crusher]

[blar blar blar deleted to save space]

Which brings me to my point, I asked a simple question about cameras, if you didn't want to answer it, you shouldn't have posted on the forum, I really don't care to hear what you have to say about anything but the answer to my question. Posting samples from different setups and talking about the pros and cons would have been nice, instead you bring up issues which don't concern you.

[blar deleted]

Adam

Similarly, the rest of the folks here really don't care what you really don't care to hear about, which is really a one whole chunk of craps. So based on your reasoning, you shouldn't have posted on the forum either. Unless you own this forum, please don't come here and tell people what they should and shouldn't post. If you don't like lovells19's postings, ignore them just like we ignore yours. Free speech in the forum is not your sole entitlement.

 

[Morphis]

Whats the best underwater photography kit under $750 SD

Basically I was going to buy the Canon A640 with underwater housing, and then if needed an external flash (any suggestions?)
If there are other options some one please let me know.

I'm considering taking some diving lessons while in Singapore (thailand and surrounding areas), and hopefully I'll get to explore underwater photography, because I've always wanted to try!

So suggest away what I should get at that price point,
adam

$750 will not git ya da kit with strobe. If ya can, BBB. - Morphis

hehe, if I don't spend the money on a camera, I'll never go diving, I'll make up excuses about not having the time to go.

If I buy the camera, it'll sit around and i'll feel guilty, thus I'll go diving or at least snorkling or something...

And I really want to try diving...

Actually I really would like to see some shots with an a640 with and without the flash, not processed... So I can get a feel for what I'm in for.. (some discriptions of why the pictures look the way they look would be nice)..

If anyone can help out that would be great,
adam

BBB then feel then shoot then ya can see da picture. - Morphis

Hey, I can get the canon a640 and underwater housing for under $750 my question is whats the best underwater combo for that price or less...

I thought this was a photo forum!
I'll worry about the diving later..

Adam

$750 is not as big as da BBS or O.Z. Rims ya noe. - Morphis

I've gone snorkelling often (fun stuff), once I took a cheap disposable camera and shot some sand LOL...

But yeah lovells19 your just scared I'm gonna get better shots then you.
Damage the reef, your kidding, stop eating can tuna if you really care about the sea.
I didn't say I would take a camera on my fist dive, I mean honestly do you think I'm going to go to a hack diving school, where they just let me splash around with the sharks?
Any respectable school probably won't let me take a camera with me anyway. And if they do, I'm sure I'll have enough to worry about.

I've ALWAYS wanted to go diving! Its just if I don't spend the money on the camera, I won't find the time for it. With 15k invested in photography equipment one would suspect that my passion is photography, so with my interest in underwater photography, buying a camera would just force me to take up diving...


antacid thanks for sharing, I think thats a better apporach, it lets me learn by photo example.

I'm pretty sure a a640 with u/w housing and external strobe will work (and its within my budget). I have a deal lined up reguardless of where I am at the time (shipping is only $40 more to singapore, and I might even find the gear cheaper at lucky plazza er something).

Now to book those diving lessons, anyone have ideas, are there standup schools/instructors in Puket? I'll be there a week before going to singapore.

My girlfriends brother is a hardcore diver (lives in singapore), I could ask him, but she probably doesn't want me getting to buddy buddy with him. So I'm guessing again these forums might be able to help me out.

lovells19 you can be constructive, or play the whole Captin Planet roll, either is fine. But these forums are for helping people, and answering questions, keep that in mind.

Thanks guys,
Adam

So Just BBB. Shld ask da hardcore diver mah. :cheergal: just for ya. - Morphis

LOL, your logic is flawed. Just because I spend 15K on camera equipment doesn’t mean I’m about to spend another 10K on underwater photography equipment.

Hence my question, what’s the best setup for under $750, how I came to that price, well simple I wanted the a640 and underwater housing because I heard a lot of good things about it. blah... blahh... blah....blah..... tok.... tok..... tok..... tok.... However, if I purchased a camera setup, I’d be more stubborn about going down again and again until I liked it.

If I like underwater photography I might spend the money, but I was planning on spending about $750 on the a640 with housing and strobe, so if there is something BETTER for the SAME PRICE maybe. But at this point until I decide I love underwater photography/diving, $750 is about all I'm willing to spend. **** if I love it, and start to understand how underwater photography works, I might get a housing for my 5D or 1D2 (which ever is better suited underwater, both cameras have pros and cons)... blah ...blah ....blah ....blah ...blah
tok.... tok.... tok.... tok....

As far as the tuna comment goes, its a social comment on how we're all worried what other people will do to the environment, but when you look at yourself, what kind of footprint are you leaving on this earth?

Don't go getting all self-ritious on me.


Answer the question or don’t, its simple…
Adam

I luv canned tuna but not sharkfins etc.
Watz all tis BS abut 15K gear?
:cheergal: Well done kiddo, here's there cheer gal to support ya.
Ya need advise to spend several hundred dollars.
Here's the clarification to ya query.
BBB just tat simple.
- Morphis
p.s. "Lovells19, becareful of his girfriend brother who is a HARDCORE diver man. :bsmilie:
Some ppl just cant grow up and have to look for PAPA"