What Do You Need for Underwater Photography

There is no getting effectually it; underwater photography can be an equipment intensive hobby. Nonetheless, information technology's possible to get started for less than a m dollars. Whether y'all are buying your beginning compact, or thinking about getting a dSLR, there is data well-nigh underwater photography equipment to help you in this department.

This chapter covers compact & dSLR cameras, underwater housings, lenses, strobes, artillery, ports, TTL converters, sync & fiber optic cords, focus lights, and equipment costs.

A note on prices - I try to requite data on prices wherever possible. I am in the United States so prices are in US dollars. Go on in heed some of this gear may cost more in your home country.

What Should You Buy?

Before we swoop into a discussion about the equipment, lets presume y'all are ready to spend more than $600 on your setup. What should yous spend your money on? Here is an extensive commodity list current, up to date cameras available for underwater photography as of 2020.

1)Decide whether you are getting a meaty camera or a dSLR. See the commodity on deciding betwixt a compact vs dSLR.  If you are a compact user, I suggest you get one of the cameras in the recommended underwater camera section, or a like camera. If you ever recollect you will desire to shoot ultra-wide bending, or super macro, brand sure your photographic camera & housing combination supports the addition moisture lens y'all think you will need.

If you are unsure, go the dSLR route. If information technology's stretching your budget, get the to the lowest degree expensive used housing & body you tin can observe, any strobe, and one good lens. If your upkeep allows to go for a dSLR then your next decision is whether to go to a full frame sensor or 1 with a cropped sensor. Run across the dSLR Camera chart for help in choosing what blazon of dSLR camera bodies to research.

If yous practise decide on going with a dSLR, check out the dSLR underwater housing buyers guide, which discusses how to become a strobe, ports, and other info as well.

2) Lenses are the key to making good photographs and are often the about important choice you can make in underwater photography.  A practiced drove of lenses is non a trivial investment however lenses are often useful for many years to come and many upgrades to your camera system. If quality image files are your priority, you lot must make certain your drinking glass is summit-notch. Glass is another term for a lens. Get yourself a good macro lens and/or a good wide angle lens, depending on where your interest lies.

Suggestions: Well-nigh camera manufacturers make excellent macro and wide angle lenses. In terms of macro lenses, a lx mm focal length is probably best for beginners with a crop sensor dSLR, while a 100 or 105 mm lens is for more advanced photographers. Many third party manufacturers make excellent lenses such as the Tokina 10-17mm or 11-16mm. These lenses should last you lot forever, and will not lose their value. For compact users, try a INON fisheye or wide angle lens, and stacked INON UCL-165 macro lenses. Lenses generally concur their value very well, and in some cases have increased in value!

Click here for the best lenses for underwater.

3) Strobes - Preferably you volition desire two strobes, and the all-time you lot can beget. If yous are merely shooting macro, you lot tin go away with one. Strobes volition also last you a long time and can likely be intergrated with different systems if you choose to upgrade.

4) Underwater housing and ports. Keep in mind that camera bodies and housings can depreciate adequately quickly. Ideally, you will choose a housing and port within your budgetary restrictions.

5) Last merely non least, don't forget to protect and maintain your underwater equipment. There are some suggestions for additional items needed for protection and maintenance on this link likewise.

Lessons Learned

Here's a contempo experience from a friend of mine who uses a compact camera:

From my latest feel (with a compact point and shoot), I followed the priority order in this guide (glass outset) with my latest setup. I knew I wanted to practise broad bending, then I looked at the Inon fisheye lens: what volition work best with it for reasonable $$. It turned out to exist a photographic camera body (canon a570is) that I probably wouldn't accept considered had I started the process starting time with the camera body (maybe I would have bought the G9 or something like that). Previously, I had bought the Canon S80 thinking it's a great camera, only dorsum then didn't know better to look for glass that would go with it. Thank you for your advice Scott!

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