Need Your Help! Under Water Housing!

[wildstallion]

Hey Scuba Guys and Girls

My company is off to Krabi for a week to shoot at a resort and there will be a situation where an underwater camera will be required, and the housing would be great to protect from water out in the ocean.

Does any one have a D200 underwater housing they would rent out?

Alternatively, I heard there is one diving company here that rents out the sea&sea (i think) underwater housings? Does anyone know which one this is or where it is?

No strobes would be necessary.

Thanks in advance for your help!

 

[Ekia]

Hey Scuba Guys and Girls

My company is off to Krabi for a week to shoot at a resort and there will be a situation where an underwater camera will be required, and the housing would be great to protect from water out in the ocean.

Does any one have a D200 underwater housing they would rent out?

Alternatively, I heard there is one diving company here that rents out the sea&sea (i think) underwater housings? Does anyone know which one this is or where it is?

No strobes would be necessary.

Thanks in advance for your help!

If I'm not wrong, Orpheus Dive has a D200 housing for rental. Strobes also available for rent. Can give them a call to enquire. You can tru www.orpheusdive.com for more info

 

[wildstallion]

If I'm not wrong, Orpheus Dive has a D200 housing for rental. Strobes also available for rent. Can give them a call to enquire. You can tru www.orpheusdive.com for more info

Thanks alot, will drop them a line soon, although did not see the D200 housing on their rental equipment list.

 

[antacid]

it might be better to just rent a compact camera with a housing. unless it's a paid shoot or something.

the housing + lens ports is #@$~ heavy to carry around! its about 4-5 kg fully loaded with camera and lens.

 

[bighead]

it might be better to just rent a compact camera with a housing. unless it's a paid shoot or something.

the housing + lens ports is #@$~ heavy to carry around! its about 4-5 kg fully loaded with camera and lens.

may not have the port u wan for the lens ...

 

[wildstallion]

it might be better to just rent a compact camera with a housing. unless it's a paid shoot or something.

the housing + lens ports is #@$~ heavy to carry around! its about 4-5 kg fully loaded with camera and lens.

Weight isnt really an issue, however I think cost might be, was just quoted $150 per day, and its a week long trip, would only be using the housing for half a day though, so dont think cost wise its gonna be effective.

may not have the port u wan for the lens ...

Im sure we have a lens for any of the ports they have.

 

[crusher]

Are you using it for diving or just protecting your camera from getting wet? If it is the latter might as well borrow a Olympus waterproof camera.

 

[wildstallion]

Are you using it for diving or just protecting your camera from getting wet? If it is the latter might as well borrow a Olympus waterproof camera.

The latter and some minor shallow sub 5m 'dives', but I dont think the olympus will cut it quality wise, plus im unfamiliar with the system and would rather be shooting with my Nikon gear.

 

[diediealsomustdive]

If you are not familiar with UW housing it is probably wise to steer clear of using your D200 and accept the loss in quality.

There is the very dreaded word in the diving community called "flooding". You need to be meticulous in doing your o-ring greasing, checking for leaks with empty housing and drying, put in camera, etc.

Plus a DSLR housing is heavy and very cumbersome to use.

You're right that the mju-700 series do not cut the mustard. I have the 725 and don't like output, but being able to dung the camera in water while canoeing or snorkeling is fun. And I do use my mju-725 regularly.

You should definitely think about the prosumer/high-end compact range, like the Olympus 7070, Canon S70/80, etc with housing. And probably rent a strobe. Even at 2m shallow snorkeling the difference in colour is big with and without strobe.

And this comes from someone who's used Nikonos V, Sea and Sea Motor Marine II, Canon A40, S60, S70 and Fuji S2Pro while diving.

 

[wildstallion]

If you are not familiar with UW housing it is probably wise to steer clear of using your D200 and accept the loss in quality.

There is the very dreaded word in the diving community called "flooding". You need to be meticulous in doing your o-ring greasing, checking for leaks with empty housing and drying, put in camera, etc.

Plus a DSLR housing is heavy and very cumbersome to use.

You're right that the mju-700 series do not cut the mustard. I have the 725 and don't like output, but being able to dung the camera in water while canoeing or snorkeling is fun. And I do use my mju-725 regularly.

You should definitely think about the prosumer/high-end compact range, like the Olympus 7070, Canon S70/80, etc with housing. And probably rent a strobe. Even at 2m shallow snorkeling the difference in colour is big with and without strobe.

And this comes from someone who's used Nikonos V, Sea and Sea Motor Marine II, Canon A40, S60, S70 and Fuji S2Pro while diving.

The trouble is most shots will be just in the water, off a kayak, but not actually underwater, and as we are shooting for stock agencies the quality has to be superb, and I doubt a prosumer would cut it, especially with their latest vendetta against noise. I think we will just have to accept that it cant be done on budget for this trip and not take the cameras into a water risky situation.

 

[diediealsomustdive]

The trouble is most shots will be just in the water, off a kayak, but not actually underwater, and as we are shooting for stock agencies the quality has to be superb, and I doubt a prosumer would cut it, especially with their latest vendetta against noise. I think we will just have to accept that it cant be done on budget for this trip and not take the cameras into a water risky situation.

That's making it very clear, you have to have the quality of the D200 then. You still need to define your parameters, like I believe many of us who have been using DSLR to shoot underwater would likely not to want to use it on a kayak, unless you have a 2-men kayak and you don't have to do anything but shot, and water would be relatively calm (not white water rafting). You will probably want to have the housing or perhaps look at the options of bags (I have no experience in this area).

I think actually this situation the best solution is a Nikonos V with a 15mm or 20mm lens... shot lots and scan. Small and compact, high quality, easy to use (have to estimate distances though) and probably needs lots of bracketing.

Still, if you take the housing option (or Nikonos option), pay very careful attention on the setting up, greasing of o-rings, checking of water tightness, etc. And make sure you remove the main o-rings before you fly or one or more of the smaller inaccessible o-rings may pop during the flight and you'll have no way of knowing it. Then your camera will flood, as I did with one of my strobes...:cry:

 

[crusher]

I went kayaking at Krabi a few weeks ago with a Canon A610 with UW casing. Based on my experience, it is very difficult to take pictures above photo with UW casing, even for such a small camera. Firstly, the shutter is much stiffer, more difficult to press. Second, once the UW casing is wet, there will be a uneven layer of water on the glass infront of the lens, causing pictures taken to be blur and distort. I find that it is easier to use a small PNS like the canon ixus without the casing, keep it in the waterproof bag provided by the Thais, and only taking out it of the bag when you want to take pictures.

 

[wildstallion]

That's making it very clear, you have to have the quality of the D200 then. You still need to define your parameters, like I believe many of us who have been using DSLR to shoot underwater would likely not to want to use it on a kayak, unless you have a 2-men kayak and you don't have to do anything but shot, and water would be relatively calm (not white water rafting). You will probably want to have the housing or perhaps look at the options of bags (I have no experience in this area).

I think actually this situation the best solution is a Nikonos V with a 15mm or 20mm lens... shot lots and scan. Small and compact, high quality, easy to use (have to estimate distances though) and probably needs lots of bracketing.

Still, if you take the housing option (or Nikonos option), pay very careful attention on the setting up, greasing of o-rings, checking of water tightness, etc. And make sure you remove the main o-rings before you fly or one or more of the smaller inaccessible o-rings may pop during the flight and you'll have no way of knowing it. Then your camera will flood, as I did with one of my strobes...:cry:

Thanks, think we will either just be extra careful, or not shoot in the water too much, its not really worth it for us.

I went kayaking at Krabi a few weeks ago with a Canon A610 with UW casing. Based on my experience, it is very difficult to take pictures above photo with UW casing, even for such a small camera. Firstly, the shutter is much stiffer, more difficult to press. Second, once the UW casing is wet, there will be a uneven layer of water on the glass infront of the lens, causing pictures taken to be blur and distort. I find that it is easier to use a small PNS like the canon ixus without the casing, keep it in the waterproof bag provided by the Thais, and only taking out it of the bag when you want to take pictures.

A small PNS is out of the question, if you had read through fully you would have seen that the shots are for stock, and maximum quality will be required. But thanks for the bag suggestion, that may be the way forward.