Shooting with an Underwater Digital Camera
Most underwater images we see on dive magazines have been shot with a professional set up of underwater cameras. This type of set up would normally include an SLR camera and the appropriate underwater camera housing, with one or two flash guns attached to the camera housing. This would have all cost an arm and a leg and would only be worth the outlay if you’re going into this as a professional underwater photographer.
Beside the cost of this stuff it also weighs a lot more than your normal holiday luggage. It's not un-common for underwater camera equipment to weigh 60Kg or more, now this is not something you want to be taking on holiday is it? You do however want good images from any dives you do on your holiday, so what should you look for in an underwater digital camera and how can you get the best out of it?
Choosing & Using Your Underwater Digital Camera System
Photography is something that you need to practise to get good at, just like everything else. Don't think you can buy the latest Fuji underwater camera package from duty free on your way to your holiday destination and be returning home with memory cards full of images worthy of any magazine cover, we all wish it was that easy!
You should choose the camera you want long before your holiday and start learning the different functions of the digital camera on land first. Now when you arrive at your sunny beach holiday you will have a basic understanding of what the camera can do. This will make the learning curve of underwater photography less step for you and within a matter of minutes you should know how to set up the underwater scene for the best results.
Even if you have had your camera for a while, however, you may find when you first take it underwater you screw up the first few shots, maybe even dives! Don't despair at this and just keep trying. Look at the images you just took and think what you would have done to get a better image should you get the chance again.
Digital Underwater Camera Housing
Before attempting any dive you should know exactly how the underwater camera housing works with your camera. Again at first this will probably take you some time to work out but with some time and practise you will have it ready for a dive in less than 5mins.The main part of the underwater camera housing is the 'O' ring and this will take up most of your time ensuring it’s located properly, clean and greased up.
Digital Camera Add-Ons
Most underwater digital cameras these days come with the option of add-ons lenses that will change the perspective of your shot from normal to either wide or (fisheye) narrow (macro). These only serve to confuse the beginner! Stick with the basic camera and underwater housing and if you really want to add anything on make it a flash gun. You will get far more use out of this piece of equipment than any add-on lens, and you will also see an improvement in your images faster when you use a flash gun properly.
Underwater Mode on Your Digital Camera
This should not need to be pointed out but I feel I must for the few who may not have considered this. Your compact camera will have different modes such as portrait and beach scene etc, something you should have learnt when practising with the camera. If you have purchased the right camera then it will also have and underwater mode! Before loading the camera into the case you should always make sure this has been selected.
Basically what this does is tell the camera to adjust the colours to make your images look less blue-green. On the surface after the dive your images should now be less wishy-washy with blue water and fish showing their natural colours. Not something major but I have seen a large number of people improve their underwater images just by this one change in their set up.
Final Points
Staying with the KISS (Keep It Safe & Simple) method of underwater digital photography you don't really need any fancy filters at this early stage in using your underwater digital camera. In the underwater mode your camera will know how to treat the colours it sees and what filters would be best to apply.
Compact cameras and the underwater housing maybe built to stand the pressures of 60m but these types of cameras work best in depths less than 30 meters, if you don’t have any external flash on them. For depths below 30meters you really should be looking at a more advanced underwater digital camera system.