Beginners Camera

[Boandmaggiesmom]

Alright you lovely knowledgeable people.... now on the fun stuff:) Cameras. I am just starting out... know next to nothing about diving, let alone photography. After looking at all your beautiful photos I am very interested in capturing my adventures so that I can share the awe and fun. So I open the discussion to all of you.... knowing what you know now.... what would you get and why? Something small and easy to use initially or just bite the bullet and go big right out of the gate:) Thanks in advance, Joanna

[Scubie Doo]

Joanna, a canon G10 or G12 with a stock housing is a great way to start. Plus you can grow by adding strobes and a nicer housing. But you can get great shots with the standard housing. I'd be happy to show you the ropes once you get your setup

[Boandmaggiesmom]

Lovely. Thank you for the info and the offer:) Now I can send my call night shopping for cameras rather than studying. Way more fun:)

[Scubie Doo]

Camera shopping is more fun, by far by the way. I took this shot with a G10, standard housing, and no strobes. So you can get some decent pics.

http://www.jessemillerphotography.com/U ... -K72QvzH/A

[carlk3]

Joanna,

I use a GoPro without lights, but with a filter. Underwater, it is super simple: Push one button and it starts taking pictures. A few seconds later, push that button again and it stops. It gives me snapshot-quality photos, not magazine-quality. Back at home, I use my computer grab the best pictures and color correct.

Here are some pictures from yesterday at Alki.

And here are details of the method: http://slugco.com/meta/GoProScuba/.

- Carl

[Boandmaggiesmom]

That photo is gorgeous scubie:) Carl, thanks for the info about the go pro... ahh... shopping

[RoxnDox]

Speaking from personal experience, Joanna, start out ***simple***. The more 'stuff' you have to play with and keep track of down there, the easier it is to divert your attention away from the important things, like your air supply... Take Scubie Doo's advice and start with just camera, add strobes and extras as you get more dives under your belt and the experience... "Task overloading" is not good. Trust me on that one!

Jim

[carlk3]

Correction: I meant to share a link to the full set of pictures from Sunday (not just the first, somewhat fuzzy one). Here is the better link: https://www.facebook.com/ckadie/media_s ... 092&type=3

[Grateful Diver]

There are any number of point-n-shoot digital cameras on the market today that would qualify as "simple" ... but with the ability to grow as your photography skills improve. The G10 is an older model (they're up to a G15 now), and all of the G-series cameras are fantastic in terms of quality. I took many great shots with mine before I decided to move up to a DSLR.

But I think if I were in the market today I'd look at some of the Micro 4/3 cameras like the Olympus E-series, or the Panasonic Lumix or the Sony Alpha. The reason being that you can start out simple, and add lenses and accessories without having to trade up to a better camera or housing as your skills improve and you want higher quality images. And the larger sensor gives your images a depth that you just won't get with the smaller-sensor cameras.

To my concern, the most important thing is to make sure your camera supports RAW format ... it just gives you more options for post-processing, using programs like Photoshop or Lightroom, whereas a JPEG format will cause you to lose image quality during post-processing.

Also, do some research on housings ... not all stock housings are as reliable as they should be, and the last thing you want is to flood your camera. I had an Olympus camera once that I loved ... but the housing had a tendency to develop sticky buttons underwater, one of which was the shutter button. Once the shutter button sticks, the housing becomes unusable. Made for several really aggravating dives before I finally decided to just move on to a different camera ... in fact, that's when I got the G10.

In today's world ... unlike even five or six years ago ... a beginner's camera doesn't necessarily limit you to simple. It means you can start out with the basics on a camera that allows you to grow with your skill set.

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

[YellowEye]

Alright you lovely knowledgeable people.... now on the fun stuff:) Cameras. I am just starting out... know next to nothing about diving, let alone photography. After looking at all your beautiful photos I am very interested in capturing my adventures so that I can share the awe and fun. So I open the discussion to all of you.... knowing what you know now.... what would you get and why? Something small and easy to use initially or just bite the bullet and go big right out of the gate:) Thanks in advance, Joanna

Hi Joanna!
If you're starting with photography entirely or mostly from scratch, I suggest spending a lot of time on photography on land first. Take photos wherever you go (even with just your cell phone -- take >10000 photos), take some photo classes, checkout some books from the library, join some clubs (check meetup.com) and web sites (fredmiranda.com forum sections) etc. It is much easier to learn photography on land than in the water

Have fun!

[Scubie Doo]

Good point Eric. But the first camera I ever owned was an underwater camera. I learned UW first. I still struggle with topside photography.

Just saying

[mpenders]

Good point Eric. But the first camera I ever owned was an underwater camera. I learned UW first. I still struggle with topside photography.

Just saying

+1

[Gdog]

So...I might know someone who has an Olympus EPM1 4/3 camera with kit 14-42 lens, and Olympus housing that they may wish to sell.....

[finnegankp]

Joanna,

Depending on how complex of a camera you are looking for, I have a pretty simple starter rig that takes great photos and is super easy to use. It's a little older 9MP camera (circa-2008) but still works and shoots like new. It's a complete setup with 40m/130f rated case, camera (Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ5), charger, 2-3 spare batteries, spare seals and silica packets, computer tether cords, etc. Not asking much for it ($250 obo) as it doesn't get too much use since I upgraded to a more sophisticated system.

Take a look at some of the reviews and let me know if you'd want to meet up and take a look at the setup.

- Kyle

[Boandmaggiesmom]

Thank you all for your help:) I think for the summer I'm going to just dive and leave the photo plans until I've got more diving experience under my belt. I wrote down all your recommendations for the future. Thanks again. Joanna

[bradmond]

seems like a good idea, these pictures you see here take extremely good bouyancy skills.

[mpenders]

seems like a good idea, these pictures you see here take extremely good bouyancy skills.

Here's a little secret...learning to dive with a camera will likely better hone your buoyancy skills. And your maneuvering skills. And your finning skills.

I picked up and started using a basic P&S camera within a couple of months of obtaining my C-card. Nothing fancy, just something I could post pics to facebook with. I quickly realized my diving skills were lacking - I was the Godzilla of the underwater world and didn't even know it...or really even care. I just moved along like a jackrabbit, and often left a silt cloud of destruction in my wake. And I was having a ball.

With the camera in hand, I soon learned how valuable it was to be able to approach a subject without blowing by it, plowing into it, and/or completely destroying the vis. I also learned the skills necessary to prevent these issues. My pictures improved as a result of both better camera skills and better diving skills.

Using a camera made me a better diver.

[Grateful Diver]

Mike, I think it's more likely that using a camera gave you an incentive to focus on putting effort into the diving skills that would allow you to take better pictures ... but using a camera does NOT make anyone a better diver. More often than not, it holds you back ... either from a physical skills perspective or because it demands so much of your attention that it detracts from your development as a dive buddy.

Of course, everyone's going to bring their own abilities, interests, and priorities into it ... and what we take out of it will be a reflection of how all those things affect us overall. But there's two major parts of your skill set that will be impacted by the camera ... your physical skills and your ability to maintain an awareness of what's going on around you. The camera will affect them both. I've seen photographers with very good physical skills who are, effectively, same-ocean buddies because they never put any thought or effort into being a dive buddy. It's why so many photographers generally prefer solo diving.

Neither of those issues are conducive to a new diver developing good habits. I think it best ... in most cases ... to hone your physical skills as well as your awareness habits to the point where they're second nature before adding the task-loading that comes with carrying a camera. There are always those who can handle it and develop good skills and habits ... but they're more the exception than the rule ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

[fmerkel]

+1 to what Bob said. I lead a lot of dives for the club. I won't even let a new inexperienced diver bring a camera on a dive I'm leading until they've demonstrated basic dive capability, and I won't bring one myself. I'm a much worse buddy with camera in hand than without.

[mpenders]

Mike, I think it's more likely that using a camera gave you an incentive to focus on putting effort into the diving skills that would allow you to take better pictures ...

Completely agree. I cut down my posting, and probably didn't convey my thoughts clearly. Prior to diving with a camera, I was blissfully unaware that my skills were lacking. I was underwater. I was happy.

... but using a camera does NOT make anyone a better diver.

But it made me want to be a better diver.

My skills did not magically improve while diving with the camera, but it gave me a reason to improve them. I was pretty stoked when I learned how to back-fin, primarily because of how it allowed me to get a shot I would have otherwise missed. I have no doubt that having the camera made my diving skills learning curve much steeper.

I absolutely agree that having a camera can present issues with buddy awareness and task overloading. There's many things we need to be on top of while diving. My post was intended to focus more on physical diving skills, rather than the mental side of diving.

[wetb4Igetinthewater]

I started out with a G15 in Canon housing. First was using a Sola light to illuminate subjects. Then added a separate flash. I've moved onto an Aquatica housing for my Canon 5D Mark III. I'd be happy to dive with you and have you try it out so you get a feel for what you are getting into. I am not interested in selling it, as it is my "backup" for dives that a housing for a DLSR is just too cumbersome for me at this point (like Deception Pass).

Kosta

[Dusty2]

I didn't read through all the thread but from experience I can say if new or fairly new to diving put the camera on the back burner till you get your diving to the point where it's pretty much automatic. Then get your camera. I would highly recommend doing the Reef ID course too, it will really enhance your fun diving and shooting to know you subjects.

Cameras, I'm a Canon man all the way. There factory housings are quite adequate and not too expensive. If you can find a used G10 or above at a good price I would say go for it. It's a good starter rig with plenty of room to grow. The newer rigs will do better video but for stills the G10 does just fine.