Underwater housing

[Lensman]

I am a scuba diver whose past interest is in film photography. Was eyeing on the Canon A40 with the u/w housing.

Any hint & feedback on this combinations or even the Canon's underwater housing ?

Thanks

 

[BigBelly]

perhaps you would like to communitcate with David Koh in the Photography forum in www.hardwarezone.com. he too like u is an underwater camera man..

there is a dive exhibition on this week at Suntec.

 

[Lensman]

Thanks. I will be at the show too.

 

[pit]

Have you considered the Olympus range ?

Olympus C20xx to C40xx. Fits the PT-010 underwater housing which is available for S$290 from CP.

The housing gives you full controls of the camera. Depth rating is 30m. Clear polycarbonate lets you easily detect any leak.

Several Add-on lens available from INON and Sea & Sea. e.g. Wide, Macro, Close-up, Fish-eye.

You could also go for the Light & Motion Tetra housing which goes deeper and costs a lot more.

Slaves strobes from Sea & Sea are very comonly used with the PT-010 combination.

I have seen many fantastic photos taken with this config. If you want more info on the housing try the japanese olympus web site: http://www.olympus.co.jp/LineUp/Digicamera/index.html
Scroll down and see the various housings available. So far the PT-010 is readilly availanble in Singapore.

I currently use the C40 with the PT-012 housing which by comparison is smaller and less bulky. I will be diving Aur this weekend - hope to bring back some nice shots. Maybe I could share them if you'd like.

Hope this helps.

 

[midreef]

Originally posted by Lensman
I am a scuba diver whose past interest is in film photography. Was eyeing on the Canon A40 with the u/w housing.

Any hint & feedback on this combinations or even the Canon's underwater housing ?

Thanks

I think the suggested retail price of the Canon underwater housing is S$369. I am a scuba diver too and used to take pictures with my trusty Sealife camera. The Canon A40 on surface is quite a good DC, bought it over the weekend, but haven't tried it underwater.

 

[rochkoh]

Lensman,

There was a someone who mentioned that AP was selling the Underwater housing for around $290. (Instead of $369).

It's currently tested for up to 100ft - around 30 meters. And unless you're going deep sea diving, it'll probably serve all your needs. Most folks very seldom dive past 40 meters anyway, there's not much to see (unless you're diving oil rigs or wrecks), have double nitrox tanks or are willing to do 1 hour decom stops.

Think the casing should survive up to 40 meters if you push it a little. Careful maintenance of the casing will be key.

The only problem i see is lighting. There won't be enuf of it. Not sure if there're attachable strobes available. And as pit mentioned there're probably them Sea & Sea ones you could lug along. Dive torches won't solve the problem much as they're yellow light.

I'm still deciding between a DC+UW housing combination ($510+290=$800) or to get a dedicated UW housing for my Nikon SLR - complete with strobes($1500++). The DC+UW housing combination will be cheaper, but then i'll be getting something that depreciates 80%-100% every year. :cry:

 

[Lensman]

Wow guys. Thanks for the insight. Actually I have met a few with those high-end housing. Take it that an SLR's lenses will still be better that anything else. Just that unlike land, you can't wip out the lightmeter to check exposure setting and click away....

heard of www.finsonline.com ? May I post your opinions there for the u/w pix readers there for all to see.

Thanks

 

[pit]

I just came back from Pl. Aur with a few shots from my C40 and PT-012 combo.

I've had only 7 dives and so you know my bouyancy skill. But the small size and ease of use of the cam made it a lot easier.

Just to share with you guys for your reference. Hope this helps.

 

[rochkoh]

sweet.

 

[Lensman]

Impressed....

Originally posted by pit
I just came back from Pl. Aur with a few shots from my C40 and PT-010 combo.

I've had only 7 dives and so you know my bouyancy skill. But the small size and ease of use of the cam made it a lot easier.

Just to share with you guys for your reference. Hope this helps.

 

[Olympus2000]

Hi, I'm a diver too and is also hoping to get a housing for my aged oly.
Saw the pictures you posted. looks like a close up shot. Did you get a external flash (i think it called a strobe technically) to attached to the housing? I'd think the additional flash will do a lot more magic to the picture.
So far, I've dived at Pulau Aur, Tioman, Besar and Permanggil. Never wanted to bring my precious oly untill now. I think it's mature enough to go under water .

 

[BigBelly]

recently at the ADEX exhibition, my friends and I bought a $98 camera + housing!!!

very cheapo but well...it is the first...the seller was very nice and offered to teach us how to do underwater photgraphy.

i believe his name is chris and his shop is located in shaw tower.

 

[pit]

Olympus2000, nope I did not use any external strobe - just the built-in flash.

As I am a beginner diver (just clocked 10 dives), using the cam without the strobes was recommended by the pros so as to familiarize myself with the cam whilst not being too cumbersome.

The learning curve of a digital cam is very much easier as compared to film as I can correct mistakes almost immediately. But do note that the shutter lag means difficulty in snapping fast fishes.

Hope this helps.

 

[Lensman]

In doing so, you can get flares of spaks infront of the lenses. Very annoying.

Originally posted by pit
Olympus2000, nope I did not use any external strobe - just the built-in flash.
.

 

[Wai]

wow....how long was the shutter? how deep were u??
never expect photo taken underwater is so rich in colour...

too bad for the 2nd pic, i think u focus on the stone at the back already.....

btw...how come suddenly so many diver surfaced?

 

[Lensman]

real people, don't show themselves......

R U one of us too ?

Originally posted by kamwai
btw...how come suddenly so many diver surfaced?

 

[Wai]

Originally posted by Lensman
real people, don't show themselves......

R U one of us too ?

no....i only shoot...

although i can swim, but never dive more than 5m

I almost sign up for a scuba diving course a few years back, conducted by an army friend who is a diving instructor...so it is relatively cheap but in the end i choose photography instead

 

[pit]

Yes, it is true that using the using the onboard flash creates backscatter. I was advised by a pro that I should hold off buying a strobe first for a few reasons.

1) I am very new - 10 dives so far. Would not want to jeopardize anything with task loading. So the small sized housing was very comfortable. When not taking shots, I just hang it on my BC, Sometimes I forget its there.

2) I can't afford it yet

3) Using a strobe means more skills - strobe positioning, strobe power. I think I better improve myself before moving on.

4) I can use photoshop to remove backscatter . Cheapo you see. Well, I'm not so pro mah. Chin chai lor. Just wanna shoot something to show my wife. (Actually proof that I went diving and not for other "ECA" hahah..just kidding)

Settings for the lionfish shot: f8, 1/500s, ISO 100, macro mode, depth was about 15m I think. My cam was about 12cm away from subject. Thats why the flash could fill-in the colors. Lionfish are also generally slower, so easier to shoot.

The nudibranch shot was off focus because I was too near. (abt 5cm I think) I guess I need to buy a macro lens attachment. Hopefully not too ex.

kamwai, I strongly suggest you pick it up. You can show people nice photos of cows, tigers, portraits. People would go mmmm, ok, ahhh, etc. But when you show them underwater shots, they are more interested. You get like wow, what is this, you take one ah, etc I also enjoy myself taking playful shots in the pool - choot pattern, special pose - lots of captured memories that most people dont have.

Anyway, I love photography but I love underwater photography even more. Hope you could join the club and enjoy.