Best camera for underwater and normal photography?

I’m looking into housings for underwater photography, and I’ve found ikelite to be a good company. It’s not the housing i’m confused on, it’s the camera. I know i’ll need flashes, and different lenses, depending on what i’m doing. But overall, If i’m looking to do photography both above and below the water, what’s the best camera overall? I know it’s the photographer that takes good photos, so please, save it. But i’m interested in some of the best rated cameras. Not looking to spent a ton of money, a few grand at the most. What are the most reliable, and best performing cameras right now on the market? Thank you

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One Response to “Best camera for underwater and normal photography?”

  1. deep blue2 says:
    August 7, 2011 at 5:38 am

    Ikelite housings are pretty good although I’ve no personal experience with them – I have a Sea & Sea housing, dual Sea & Sea YS110alpha strobes, and a couple of ports (a compact flat port for the macro lens and a dome port for the wide angle). Total cost of setup around £4,000 (not including camera + lenses).

    I take it you want DSLR and that you’ll be going to scuba diving depths (ie 45-60m or so) rather than in a pool or snorkelling??

    I use a Nikon D100 at the moment. When photographing underwater, you need to be up close to the subject to reduce the water column between you & the subject – helps to improve the image quality. Lenses you need are macro (you can get close and get a little subject in) or wide angle (get close and get a large subject in). Don’t bother with telephotos – they bring a subject that is far away optically closer – not want you want to do – YOU need to get close.
    The reds/yellows disappear rapidly with depth – you either need flash or to colour correct WB in post. You can set a custom WB as you dive, but you will have to keep resetting it as you descend as the light levels/ratios change.

    You need off camera flash (strobes) because on camera (on axis) flash will produce backscatter off particles in the water giving white blobs all over the image – even in relatively clear water like a swimming pool this happens.

    Because you are buying a rigid housing – the controls on the outside must match the camera controls on the inside – so housings are made for specific camera models. You need to check that a housing is made for your camera before you splash out on it – you can’t put the wrong camera in another housing. The principal housing manufaturers (Sea & Sea, Ikelite, Subal, etc) generally only make housings for Nikon & Canon. Which make you go for is a matter of personal choice. I find Nikon to be good both under & above water because I do a LOT of off camera flash work with models too & for off camera flash, Nikon beats the pants off Canon. You can also mount a far greater range of lenses on a Nikon, as you can use old Nikon glass (usually stunning quality) from 1960′s up. Canon changed their lens mount in 1980′s or 90′s so you can’t use old Canon lenses.

    This is the best book I can recommend;
    http://www.amazon.co.uk/Underwater-Photographer-MARTIN-EDGE/dp/0240521641/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1282467081&sr=1-1

    Don’t forget that most floods of housings are user error from not maintaining the O rings properly. They need to be cleaned, greased & reseated before every dive session. Any nicks, cuts, hair, grit, etc in/on them can cause a flood. The port/housing junction, strobe sync cable connectors and strobe battery door all have O rings. The housing should be thoroughly soaked in fresh water after the dive to prevent the build up of salt deposits.

    Most importantly, when you get your new housing/ports – secure them all together without the camera in and take them for a test dive in a pool (a local scuba club will let you attend a session I’m sure). Press all the buttons/knobs on the housing loads of times and put it through its paces WITHOUT the camera. When you’re sure its leak free, only then try it out with the camera in.

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