Celebrating the Majesty of Sharks.
Camera Suggestions. =)
Hello everyone!!! And Happy New Year. I hope that 2010 will bring you lots of adventures.
I want to ask for your advice, as I know that you are all amazing photographers with lots of experience. I am a 15 year old girl trying to buy my first underwater camera. But I think it should be something of good quality and suitable for a starter. I have been visiting different SCUBA shops and surfing the web to look for a nice camera. I was highly recommended about the Sealife's DC1000 Digital Camera,which I find very convincing. But before getting it I want to get the advice of other professional or experienced photographers. So what do you think about it? here is the link:http://www.sealife-cameras.com/cameras/dc1000.html
If you know about other cameras please tell me.
Also I want to know if I should also get an external flash and a lens for the camera, or if I should rather wait until having more experience.
Anyway I will continue saving for it, I am close now :D
Thanks for your help, and congratulations to all of you, those pictures are beautiful and they inspire me more and more every time I see them for taking my own photos!
Best wishes to all of you.
I want to ask for your advice, as I know that you are all amazing photographers with lots of experience. I am a 15 year old girl trying to buy my first underwater camera. But I think it should be something of good quality and suitable for a starter. I have been visiting different SCUBA shops and surfing the web to look for a nice camera. I was highly recommended about the Sealife's DC1000 Digital Camera,which I find very convincing. But before getting it I want to get the advice of other professional or experienced photographers. So what do you think about it? here is the link:http://www.sealife-cameras.com/cameras/dc1000.html
If you know about other cameras please tell me.
Also I want to know if I should also get an external flash and a lens for the camera, or if I should rather wait until having more experience.
Anyway I will continue saving for it, I am close now :D
Thanks for your help, and congratulations to all of you, those pictures are beautiful and they inspire me more and more every time I see them for taking my own photos!
Best wishes to all of you.
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by iDive Sharks on -
Hi Ana,
Thanks for posting your question.
I would imagine the best way to approach your purchase is to find a camera that you understand. If your knowledge of photography is limited then buying a system with all the whistles and bells may well have the effect of turning you off of the idea! You will get frustrated with photography at times, all Pro's do, its a part of the learning. I suggest you make those learning steps manageable.
The Sealife Cameras are an excellent starting point. By understanding the way the camera works and reading the manual you will find your way. Once you start to understand the system you will be able to see your improvements.
Maybe the other Photographers can chime in here. I'm more of a lesser breed by my video addiction!
Cheers,
Mark.
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Permalink Reply by Ana on -
Thanks a lot Mark!! . I am not very good with technology, but Ill follow your advice and read the manual. I hope someday I can upload my first videos and pictures to show them to you.
I also want to thank you a lot for starting Idive sharks. It is so cool! And now I know there are other people who want to save the oceans :)
I am impressed with what you do, its admiring! Your videos and photos are beautiful.
Thanks a lot again!
Ana.
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Permalink Reply by matty V on -
Hi Anna, Sealife are a very well respected brand and a great starting point for learning underwater photography .
I started with a sealife and enjoyed it very much but have now moved on to a canon slr,
I wouldnt bother with a strobe just yet as you can still take great shots using natural light ,just remember to always try to shoot in an upward angle to use the light .
get used to what you have first then maybe buy a lense just remember that fish will not stay still so underwater photography can drive you nuts but dont despair and enjoy your self.
Al the best matty
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Permalink Reply by Ana on
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Thanks a lot!! I thought it would be better to maybe get the lens and external flash later. So I will follow your advice and wait for getting those.
I am not the expert, but sometimes natural light is not enough for a good picture, don't you think?
Best regards
Ana
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Permalink Reply by Igone Ugaldebere on -
Hi Ana, I use a Canon Ixus 960 IS. It's a great camera and not too expensive, you can also add lenses from INON when you save a bit more. It's also quite small and easy to carry around.
For me the best feature is that you can make a short cut for the white balance and change it with just the touch of one button. Great when a shark is coming towards you head on (you don't want to start fiddling with menus etc and miss all the action...). I also use natural light in most occasions and the camera's flash when shooting macro. There is always time to invest in a strobe later on..
And as Mark said.... Read the manual and get to know the camera. Have fun!!!
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Permalink Reply by Dean Burnside-Machado on -
Hello Ana,
I have a Sea & Sea 8000G. I've been using it for about 4 years now and had alot of fun with it. I have a strobe, but I don't use it that much. I will getting a housing for my Canon SLR soon. I would suggest that you start with something easy to understand, read the manual, play with the controls and make sure you can operate all the functions easily if you ever have the need to wear gloves. Like Igone said, you don't want to miss that cool shot, but you also don't want to spend the entire time looking thru a view finder and fiddling with the controls. I have alot of pictures of fishes tails as they swam away and you will too in the beginning.
Just remember, it's sometimes not the most expensive camera that makes the best shot, it's the skill of the person behind it.
BTW, if you check out my page, all the pictures were taken with my Sea & Sea using ambient light. I'm still working on the post editing process, but that's another story...
Dean.
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Permalink Reply by Ana on
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Thanks a lot for your suggestion Dean. I saw your pictures and they are beautiful. You have a big talent, specially because they were taken with natural light. I think you convinced me of only getting the camera, which is better for me.
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Permalink Reply by Widenham Surf on -
Good question Ana. I had the same question and all these responses are very informative.
Cheers
Sean
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Permalink Reply by Terry Goss on -
Starting out, I would suggest getting a middle- or top-line Canon or Olympus point&shoot camera, and housing it separately (whether with Canon/Olympus' own housings, or Ikelite, etc.). I've heard too many mixed reviews of the Sealife brand (bad resolution, miniscule battery life, freezing up, etc.), so it's best to get a camera that's simply dedicated to being a good camera, first & foremost! (Then you can use it to great effect for the rest of your vacation too....)
Getting a baseplate and strobe setup from there is relatively straightforward (call Backscatter, Reef P&V or H2O Photo).
Optimally, you'll want to upgrade to a housed dSLR, which is no small investment of serious cash, but really great photos are the result of the shooter, not the equipment - so don't let anyone con you into spending more than you have to; it's all very expensive, but you don't need a Canon 1Ds or Nikon D3x to get great shots.
(Disclosure: I highly recommend the Nikon D300, however! Awesome camera, and I keep it in an Aquatica housing, with dual Sea&Sea strobes....) :P
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Permalink Reply by Andy Murch on -
Hi Ana , a bit of a late response but...
Lately I have been recommending the Canon G11 to people that are just starting out. It is a reasonably priced point and shoot camera with many of the qualities of a DSLR including the ability to shoot in RAW. Obviously it doesn't have the versatility of a proper SLR but it takes amazing pictures.
Most manufacturers are making housings for it because it is very popular.
On the subject of strobes, I would encourage you to save up and get at least one as soon as possible. It will make all the difference to your results.
Whatever you choose (or chose) have fun in the world of underwater photography. It is an incredibly addictive and rewarding past time.
Andy
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