Underwater PhotographyUnderwater PhotographyBasicsBasics

Underwater Photography - Underwater Photography - EquipmentEquipment• Compact – point and shootCompact – point and shoot• D/SLRD/SLR

Compact – AdvantagesCompact – Advantages• Smaller size for travelSmaller size for travel• Less drag underwaterLess drag underwater• Ability to change lenses underwater (Wet Ability to change lenses underwater (Wet

lenses)lenses)• Much less cost Much less cost • Less weight, easier to carry and beach dive Less weight, easier to carry and beach dive

with with • With wet lenses, you can shoot macro, Wide-With wet lenses, you can shoot macro, Wide-

angle, and video all in 1 dive angle, and video all in 1 dive

Compact - DisadvantagesCompact - Disadvantages• Smaller sensor (more noise, smaller dynamic range, Smaller sensor (more noise, smaller dynamic range,

etc.)etc.)• Increased shutter delay and focus delay optics are a Increased shutter delay and focus delay optics are a

lesser qualitylesser quality• Less choices for good quality lensesLess choices for good quality lenses• Only a couple models can shoot in raw and use a Only a couple models can shoot in raw and use a

true fisheye lenstrue fisheye lens• Very slow raw write speeds, if raw is offered Less Very slow raw write speeds, if raw is offered Less

battery lifebattery life• Less control over depth of field. A larger-sensor Less control over depth of field. A larger-sensor

dSLR will have a smaller depth of field at a large dSLR will have a smaller depth of field at a large aperture, giving a blurred background that is aperture, giving a blurred background that is difficult to accomplish with a compact camera.difficult to accomplish with a compact camera.

D/SLR AdvantagesD/SLR Advantages• Nikon, Canon, Olympus, Sony and Nikon, Canon, Olympus, Sony and

FujiFuji• Ability to shoot in RAWAbility to shoot in RAW• More camera features availableMore camera features available

– Aperture settingsAperture settings– Shutter speed settingsShutter speed settings– Depth of field Depth of field

D/SLR DisadvantagesD/SLR Disadvantages• Difficult to access camera featuresDifficult to access camera features• Difficult to remember which button Difficult to remember which button

performs which functionperforms which function• Two handed operation needed for Two handed operation needed for

accessing most camera featuresaccessing most camera features• With housing and lighting set up is With housing and lighting set up is

very bulky, adds drag and can be very bulky, adds drag and can be difficult to capture fleeting momentsdifficult to capture fleeting moments

Underwater Camera Underwater Camera FeaturesFeatures• Full manual mode available Full manual mode available • Good quality UW housing availableGood quality UW housing available• Close macro mode, although this is less Close macro mode, although this is less

important if you are going to use wet lensesimportant if you are going to use wet lenses• Ability to take wet lenses, macro & wide Ability to take wet lenses, macro & wide

angleangle• Ability to take a fisheye lens. Ability to take a fisheye lens. • Low shutter lagLow shutter lag

Underwater Camera Underwater Camera FeaturesFeatures• Long battery lifeLong battery life• Ability to view histogramAbility to view histogram• Ability to manual white balanceAbility to manual white balance• Raw modeRaw mode• Ability to fire strobes via sync cordAbility to fire strobes via sync cord• Good auto focus capabilityGood auto focus capability• It should be easy to adjust the aperture It should be easy to adjust the aperture

and shutter speed UWand shutter speed UW

Underwater Camera ChoicesUnderwater Camera Choices• Waterproof cameras – no housingWaterproof cameras – no housing

– 10 ft for snorkeling only10 ft for snorkeling only– 33-40 ft for snorkeling and shallow dives 33-40 ft for snorkeling and shallow dives

(free diving)(free diving)• HousingHousing

– Camera specific/SportCamera specific/Sport– Full, partial or limited use of all controlFull, partial or limited use of all control

• KitsKits

Camera and Housing Camera and Housing ChoicesChoices• PanasonicPanasonic

– 40 ft no housing40 ft no housing– Leica 4.6 WA 28-128mmLeica 4.6 WA 28-128mm– Fast autofocusFast autofocus– Short shutter lagShort shutter lag– $284.20 (B&H)$284.20 (B&H)

• Aqua Tech Sports Housing Aqua Tech Sports Housing for Nikon D700for Nikon D700– 33 ft33 ft– Interchangeable lens portsInterchangeable lens ports– TTL flash compatibleTTL flash compatible– Need Lens portNeed Lens port– $1,894 (B&H)$1,894 (B&H)

Camera and Housing Camera and Housing ChoicesChoices• Ikelite Housing Nikon Coolpix S3100Ikelite Housing Nikon Coolpix S3100

– All controlsAll controls– WA lensWA lens– External Color FiltersExternal Color Filters– 200 ft200 ft– 1.3 lb1.3 lb– $259.95 (B&H)$259.95 (B&H)

• Aquatics Housing for Nikon D700Aquatics Housing for Nikon D700– TTL Compatible w/adapterTTL Compatible w/adapter– Moisture alarmMoisture alarm– Double Nikonos BulkheadsDouble Nikonos Bulkheads– All controlsAll controls– Multiple lens compatible w/lens portsMultiple lens compatible w/lens ports– 300ft300ft– 7.2 lb7.2 lb– $3,100 (B&H lens not included)$3,100 (B&H lens not included)

Camera and Housing Camera and Housing ChoicesChoices• Bonica Sony DSC-W350 Camera, Bonica Sony DSC-W350 Camera,

Housing & Light KitHousing & Light Kit– Color correcting lightColor correcting light– 130 ft130 ft– 14.1 mp Carl Zeiss Lens14.1 mp Carl Zeiss Lens– $919$919

• Sea&Sea Housing for Nikon D300S Sea&Sea Housing for Nikon D300S Flat Port Pkg w/YS-01 StrobeFlat Port Pkg w/YS-01 Strobe– Double Nikonos bulkheadsDouble Nikonos bulkheads– 200 ft200 ft– Leak sensorLeak sensor– All controlsAll controls– TTL compatibleTTL compatible– $4,499.95 (B&H)$4,499.95 (B&H)

Underwater LightingUnderwater Lighting• Water absorbs lightWater absorbs light

– Light levels drop at lower depthsLight levels drop at lower depths– Red is absorbed faster than blue, causes loss of Red is absorbed faster than blue, causes loss of

color especially at lower depthscolor especially at lower depths• Water sucks contrast and sharpnessWater sucks contrast and sharpness

– Need to get close to subjectNeed to get close to subject• Four sources for lightFour sources for light

– StrobesStrobes– Dive lightsDive lights– Focus lightsFocus lights– SunSun

Underwater Light QualityUnderwater Light Quality• Amount of lightAmount of light• Color of the lightColor of the light• Direction of the lightDirection of the light• Amount of diffusion or softnessAmount of diffusion or softness

Loss of Color UnderwaterLoss of Color Underwater• Water absorbs different light wavelengths Water absorbs different light wavelengths

to different degreesto different degrees– Longest wavelengths absorbed firstLongest wavelengths absorbed first– Colors disappear in order that they appear in Colors disappear in order that they appear in

the color spectrum, ROY G BIVthe color spectrum, ROY G BIV• Color disappearsColor disappears

– Red 15 ftRed 15 ft– Orange 25 ftOrange 25 ft– Yellow 35-45 ftYellow 35-45 ft– Green 70-75 ftGreen 70-75 ft

Loss of Color UnderwaterLoss of Color Underwater• Horizontal distance counts!Horizontal distance counts!

– Strobes light subject 5 ft away, light Strobes light subject 5 ft away, light travels total of 10 ft (5 there and 5 travels total of 10 ft (5 there and 5 back), significant loss of redsback), significant loss of reds

– Must get close to subject!Must get close to subject!• Brain compensates for color lossBrain compensates for color loss

– Think you see red and orangeThink you see red and orange– In ambient light shot red and orange are In ambient light shot red and orange are

gone!gone!

Scrawled File Fish Scrawled File Fish

Coral FormationCoral Formation

Reflected Light UnderwaterReflected Light Underwater• Light penetration depends on surface Light penetration depends on surface

conditionsconditions– Choppy water reflects more lightChoppy water reflects more light– Sunlight from horizon reflects more than Sunlight from horizon reflects more than

sunlight from abovesunlight from above– Brightest conditions 10AM to 2PM on Brightest conditions 10AM to 2PM on

sunny daysunny day– Early morning or late afternoon light has Early morning or late afternoon light has

soft qualitysoft quality

BackscatterBackscatter• Caused by strobes or internal flash lighting Caused by strobes or internal flash lighting

up particles in the waterup particles in the water• Point strobes away from subjectPoint strobes away from subject

BackscatterBackscatter• Take photos away from other peopleTake photos away from other people• Use proper fins and frog-kick, Use proper fins and frog-kick,

achieve perfect buoyancyachieve perfect buoyancy• Shoot macro only from a few inchesShoot macro only from a few inches• Don’t shoot against open water, use Don’t shoot against open water, use

the reefthe reef• Edit in Photoshop if it happensEdit in Photoshop if it happens

BackscatterBackscatter