Newbie to underwater photography!

[icefrost]

Hi all, after 1 year of waiting i'm finally going diving again! can't wait! this time i bring my camera. i'm using mju410 with pt-016 housing. but i've nv done underwater photography before i juz bought the housing for this trip. how is it different from taking photo on land? need to do some adjustments to colours since some colours will disappear as we go deeper? how do i do that? can all the pros come help help? thanks alot!!!

 

[icefrost]

how do i prevent flooding btw????

 

[howeikwok]

Takes too long to explain all the little things to look out for here in the forums. Easier to just show. Therefore it'll be easier to just ask any experienced u/w shooter who is on the same trip as you, i'm sure most of them will be willing to explain to you and show you the finer points of shooting and taking care of you stuff.

 

[icefrost]

is it very easy to get the camera flooded? omg i dun wan to get my camera flooded in the 1st dive den cannot take picture in the subsequent dive liao

 

[howeikwok]

is it very easy to get the camera flooded? omg i dun wan to get my camera flooded in the 1st dive den cannot take picture in the subsequent dive liao

Like what i said, it's easier to show and learn first hand rather than describing using words. Ask a serious shooter the trip you go on for advise.

 

[icefrost]

yup...i will...thanks!

 

[antacid]

yes it is very easy to get the camera flooded. a confirmed way is changing batteries during the dive. i always dare my friends to do it, and so far none of them succeeded without flooding their camera.

 

[kthan]

yes it is very easy to get the camera flooded. a confirmed way is changing batteries during the dive. i always dare my friends to do it, and so far none of them succeeded without flooding their camera.

changing my max out card during a dive will almost always flood my camera.
changing my lens from 15mm to 90mm will also flood my camera, confirmed

 

[antacid]

changing my max out card during a dive will almost always flood my camera.
changing my lens from 15mm to 90mm will also flood my camera, confirmed

ah that's a new one...ok i will try them on unsuspecting divers this season. heh heh heh heh
*prays it doesn't happen to mine!*

 

[cyrzk]

bouyancy..bouyancy..as for me i always check this..if ok..then happy to shoot.not an expert though.just my 2 cents worth of sharing

safe dive!

 

[icefrost]

juz wondering how did u ppl get started with taking photo underwater? was anybody there to guide ur along?

 

[coalfox]

juz wondering how did u ppl get started with taking photo underwater? was anybody there to guide ur along?

I wanted to take what I see while diving cos most of the time, i forget when I get out the water. :bsmilie:

 

[kthan]

juz wondering how did u ppl get started with taking photo underwater? was anybody there to guide ur along?

i grew bored with diving and was wondering if i should carry on....then got a chance to own a Motor Marine II for $150.

As they say, the rest is history. With digital, u realise that you have to be a good photographer and a great photoshopper.

 

[icefrost]

icic! i think i will see how it goes...maybe save up abit more first and learn from the rest when i go diving in march!

 

[icefrost]

hey guys...my friend is selling me a mju 720 with pt-033 housing. but the thing is there is a crack on the housing. shld i take it? he told me it tried it underwater and it works fine. what do u guys think?

 

[johnblue]

hey guys...my friend is selling me a mju 720 with pt-033 housing. but the thing is there is a crack on the housing. shld i take it? he told me it tried it underwater and it works fine. what do u guys think?

Let me try.

Since you said tt u are afraid of flooding, i dun think u shld get. When the housing is under pressure as u dive deeper, the crack will quite simply, crack more. Even if the offer is less than $450, it's not worth to take the risk. A case of penny wise, pound foolish.

Perhaps you have not check our local dive forum www.finsonline.com

some very good deals there

(a) http://www.finsonline.com/forum/showthread.php?t=8261

(b) http://www.finsonline.com/forum/showthread.php?t=8175

Both Canon and Olympus cams above have manual functions which is very impt.

Personally, I would suggest that olympus seems to be a good deal as the Ikelite uw housing is stronger in construction than the house brand housing. The SP350 is pretty well regarded by the angmohs over at scubaboard.com though the 650is is pretty good. Also, IS, VR, optical stabiliser doesn't give u an advantage uw.

Based on my estimated total price (2nd hand) breakdown (based on 30% depreciation) :

Package (a): $300 x 2 (SP350) + $600 (ikelite housing) = $1300

Package (b): $350 (Canon 650IS) + $250 (canon housing) = $600

No brainer, based on the selling price, the Olympus package is better. The ikelite housing can also take a lot of abuse and knocks and still function well. The catches of the canon housing is not as secure as the ikelite. Hence the price differential.

And when triggerfish is coming after u, I rather have an ikelite than a canon housing to protect myself when it decide to take a bite. :bsmilie:

Good luck in your search.

 

[antacid]

urgh, i had the sp350, used it for 2 minutes and got disgusted with it. it's sloowwwww in AF, write speed, and everything else imaginable. i wouldn't use it even if someone paid me to bring it underwater. i'm positive i'll start spitting blood the moment i turn it on.

YMMV, of course.

 

[Tuffatore]

urgh, i had the sp350, used it for 2 minutes and got disgusted with it. it's sloowwwww in AF, write speed, and everything else imaginable. i wouldn't use it even if someone paid me to bring it underwater. i'm positive i'll start spitting blood the moment i turn it on.

YMMV, of course.

haha my sale thread is mentioned.

That's why we all are graduating to dslr didn't we? Dun sabo my sale thread in fins leh. Point and shoot cams are used to shoot nudis, frogfish, rhinopias, those that dun move fast.

Anyway, have u use a focus light with the SP350? I guarantee u the speed is decent.

 

[icefrost]

anybody using sony t10 for underwater photography? any review???

 

[johnblue]

anybody using sony t10 for underwater photography? any review???

Bro (i assume that u are a guy),

U will probably sell that away after a dive trip. Like a said before, look for cameras that have manual controls if you want to stretch your $$. Google and find out why. Go figure why people buy Canon G9, G10 even though prices for them + housing can range from $1200 to more than $2k for aluminium housings.

There is no such thing as cheap prices in the realms of diving. If you want colours, you have to invest in strobes, arms, tray, clamps, optical cable, wet lens, lens mount. I guess you are looking for something that fits your budget as you have switch your sight from Olympus mju to Sony T10. Better for you to find something that lasts u for a while. Cheap does not mean you should buy. Costly does not mean that you dun buy. Like I said, penny wise, pound foolish.

Info that you need to know.

(a) which camera manufacturers make housings for their cameras, and for which model.
(b) go to www.ikelite.com to find out which brand Ikelite dun make housings for.
(c) go to Inon Japan and find out if they do mount base for the OEM or Ikelite housings.
(d) what is your budget?
(e) how long do u think you will stay in diving and uw photography?
(f) how many trips u do a year to justify the expense?
(g) how good is your buoyancy control?

check out my previous post in this thread. Both the Oly and Canon are good cams. The Ikelite housing is just better than the canon made housing. $600-700 seems to be alot. But $300-400 spent on something that's more suitable for surfing and snorkelling or for use in swimming pools just doesn't cut it. U will regret and then you try to sell them away. No one will buy them at the price you want to resell them for. I will shudder if you try to buy the Sony T10 new if they are still available. Sony wise the decent one is the W-300 model. But the price of new Sony camera + housing will probably set u back almost $1000.