Underwater Photography Canon 40D

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Carsten Bauer - 13 Sep 2008 07:31 GMT

Hi all,

I'm going to Cocos Island next month, and want to try my hand at
underwater photography.

My gear is a Canon 40D, 17-85mm IS lens, and 580EX II Speedlite.

I've heard of the Ewa-marine U-AXP case, which seems to be the right one
for my setup. Seems to be about $400-500.

Any suggestions for a solution, which is good for a small budget?

Cheers

Carsten

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Alan Browne - 13 Sep 2008 15:21 GMT

> Hi all,
>
[quoted text clipped - 7 lines]
>
> Any suggestions for a solution, which is good for a small budget?

See if you van rent a complete system when you get there. (Camera, lens,
enclosure, flash).

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Noons - 14 Sep 2008 06:34 GMT

Carsten Bauer wrote,on my timestamp of 13/09/2008 4:31 PM:

> I'm going to Cocos Island next month, and want to try my hand at
> underwater photography.
[quoted text clipped - 5 lines]
>
> Any suggestions for a solution, which is good for a small budget?

If this is a once only event of uw photography,
then rent the gear. It's too expensive otherwise.
Once you have results back and *if* you decide
it's something you swant to do a lot more of,
*then* is the time to invest in good gear.

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Carsten Bauer - 14 Sep 2008 08:50 GMT

Hi all,

Thanks for the replies.
My photo gear is insured against dropping, etc... so thats that taken
care off.

Renting, no can do on the island, so will try in Perth before I go.

Am tempted to buy a cheap underwater digi, but don't really want to
because of the results..

Thanks

> Carsten Bauer wrote,on my timestamp of 13/09/2008 4:31 PM:
>
[quoted text clipped - 13 lines]
> it's something you swant to do a lot more of,
> *then* is the time to invest in good gear.

Reply to this Message

Noons - 14 Sep 2008 10:44 GMT

Carsten Bauer wrote,on my timestamp of 14/09/2008 5:50 PM:

> Renting, no can do on the island, so will try in Perth before I go.

that'd be my first choice. try the dive shops, they sometimes
do that.

> Am tempted to buy a cheap underwater digi, but don't really want to
> because of the results..

Narh, don't bother. It won't give you good results
and you'll kick yourself for wasting time with it
on such a great trip.

You need good lighting underwater for colour and that
means an off camera flash - or two. If b&w, then you
can get away with natural light.

If the water is *very* clear - and I mean *very*! - then
an extreme wide angle can do some stunning perspective
colour shots. Anything equivalent to 20mm or wider in old
numbers is good for that sort of thing.

Digital cameras will be sensitive enough for underwater
colour without flash but all you'll get after about 5
metres depth is tones of grey-blue or grey-green: all
other colour is almost gone by then. That's why you need
a flash to get back the reds and yellows.

For general "fish shots", you need a moderate wide angle
or close-up. Around 35mm in old numbers is good, with
50mm being used for close-up "macro".

But like I said: off-camera flash. Anything near the
lens and all you get is lit up silt!

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Carsten Bauer - 14 Sep 2008 14:30 GMT

Cheers,

I'll invest in the Ewa-Marine bag then.
You think I can get results such as on the below website, with a 40D and
580EX II Speedlite, using the bag job?

http://www.karenwillshaw.com/Cocos%20Underseascapes%20-%20Gallery%20I/album/inde
x.html
http://www.karenwillshaw.com/Cocos%20Underseascape%20-%20Gallery%20II/album/inde
x.html

Cheers

Carsten

> Carsten Bauer wrote,on my timestamp of 14/09/2008 5:50 PM:
>
[quoted text clipped - 31 lines]
> But like I said: off-camera flash. Anything near the
> lens and all you get is lit up silt!

Reply to this Message

Noons - 15 Sep 2008 12:08 GMT

Carsten Bauer wrote,on my timestamp of 14/09/2008 11:30 PM:

> Cheers,
>
[quoted text clipped - 5 lines]
>
> http://www.karenwillshaw.com/Cocos%20Underseascape%20-%20Gallery%20II/album/inde
x.html

I'd be very surprised. Some of those were definitely taken
with very wide angle lenses, dome port and off camera
flash. "Ski run corals" is a perfect example. The "fish photos"
at low depth in that site are achievable with an ewa-marine type
setup, but forget the flash: it won't work well unless you got
a completely separate job. And I mean: one hand on the camera,
another holding the flash on a pod away from you, pointing
at the subject.
This:
http://www.nyip.com/images/stories/ezine/outdoors/underwaterj1103.jpg
is the absolute minimum for off-camera flash, to give you an idea.
When I mean off-camera flash, I mean completely separate, in
its own "pod".
This page:
http://www.nyip.com/ezine/outdoors/underwaterphotography.html
has some ideas of what you can do with a simple camera setup
or an ewa-marine.

Pity you caught me before I scanned my u/w stuff: got
hundreds, mostly macro and fish shots with a few wide
angles thrown in.
This:
http://wizofoz2k.deviantart.com/art/Posers-48915161
I took many years ago with a Nikonos II, 35mm lens,
a 2nd hand flash on a pod, at about 8 meters deep.
These:
http://members.iinet.net.au/~nsouto/photos/latest/uw01.jpg
http://members.iinet.net.au/~nsouto/photos/latest/uw02.jpg
http://members.iinet.net.au/~nsouto/photos/latest/nuw02.jpg
were taken with a Nikon F and 55 micro in an underwater
housing, with a detached flash.
This
http://members.iinet.net.au/~nsouto/photos/latest/nuw01.jpg
was a 20mm lens in a dome port in the same Nikon F and
housing, with a two flashes: a small one attached to the
housing and a big one in one of the windows, triggered by the
light of the small one.
Apologies for the quality: these were all scanned in
a flatbed and are "horrible".

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Carsten Bauer - 16 Sep 2008 08:30 GMT

Hi Noons,

Thanks for your input.
A mate of mine has offered to lend me his Ewa-Marine bag, so I'll be
using that, without spending too much money (Minus a carton of beer).

I'll let you know how I go when I get back from holidays.

Carsten

> Carsten Bauer wrote,on my timestamp of 14/09/2008 11:30 PM:
>> Cheers,
[quoted text clipped - 46 lines]
> Apologies for the quality: these were all scanned in
> a flatbed and are "horrible".

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Noons - 16 Sep 2008 12:12 GMT

Carsten Bauer wrote,on my timestamp of 16/09/2008 5:30 PM:

> Hi Noons,
>
[quoted text clipped - 3 lines]
>
> I'll let you know how I go when I get back from holidays.

Well done! Have a great holiday and
enjoy that place: great diving, there!

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Mr.T - 14 Sep 2008 06:42 GMT

> My gear is a Canon 40D, 17-85mm IS lens, and 580EX II Speedlite.
>
> I've heard of the Ewa-marine U-AXP case, which seems to be the right one
> for my setup. Seems to be about $400-500.
>
> Any suggestions for a solution, which is good for a small budget?

If you are going to put that gear into anything cheaper, make sure your
insurance will cover it's demise.

MrT.

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