Questions and Answers regarding underwater photography

Which camera should I buy?

None! My suggestion is first to rent a camera to catch some experience.

At a later date you will then have to decide between:

• Motormarine
• Nikonos
• Camera in a housing

My personal opinion in respect to the above possibilities is:

MOTORMARINE:

offers a large range of accessories. A good camera to start underwater photography.

NIKONOS V:

This camera leaves nearly nothing to desire for ambitioned underwater photographers. The most serious disadvantage: As with every viewfinder camera, you cannot determine the picture exactly.
Lenses: the 28mm lens from NIKON has been developed especially for use underwater and is brilliant
Wide-Angle: I use the 15 mm and 12mm lens from See&Sea and am fully satisfied with their performance. Al my wide-angle shots have been made with these lenses.

Caution: The use of wide-angle lenses behind domeports can be tricky. Some of the domeports are the reason of slightly blurred corners. The center of the picture is absolutely in focus and the diameter of the part of the picture which is in focus depends on the f-stop.

Mirror reflex camera in a housing:

At this point it really gets difficult: Which camera in which housing, which lenses, which strobe?
I only can advise based on my equipment:

I have been using for many years a NIKON S 90 in a Ikelite housing with a zoom lens (28-80mm), a 105mm makcro close up lens (NIKON) and two HARTENBERGER (German brand) strobes. Not to forget: My good old NIKONOS 3 for wide-angle (12 mm lens from Sea&Sea) and use of the 28mm lens.

Is there a film designed especially for use underwater?

No, there is no such universal film, neither for use above nor underwater.
You have to decide clearly on what kind of subject you want to photograph: Extreme close-up, close-up, medium range, wide angle.

For extreme close-up shots you best use a low sensitive film (50 ASA) such as FUJI VELVIA.
For all other types (wide-angle, medium range, close-up) films with 100 ASA are recommendable. As people see colors different, it is difficult to recommend a specfic brand of film. My preference is Fuji as I like their colors; again: this is a very personal opinion.

Do I nedd professional film quality?

Films with the same emulsion number guarantee a very constant color with smallest differences in color from film to film. You must decide for yourself, whether this is essential for you or not.

Do I need a strobe?

Yes you certainly do need one, eventually even two for wide angle and, to avoid shadows, for extreme close ups. All the colors are visible in their whole range only with a strobe.
Important technical assets are:
Short recycling time, neutral buoyancy, possibility to manually set strobe power and TTL-mode.

Should I use the strobe in TTL-mode?

Yes and no. Avi Klapfer, an American underwater photographer once said: The magic is in the Light!

In my opinion, the light is a creative part and much too important to be left only to the electronic. I am, however, aware that TTL is nearly a guarantee for "correctly² exposed slides, very much so in the extreme close-up shots.
I use the TTL if the ambient light is constantly changing and if I have to be very quick. The use with distances of more than 1.5 m is not satisfying very often.

Why is the background of my pictures too dark when using a strobe?

The aperture is too small and the film does not get enough of the ambient light. Open the aperture and reduce the power of the strobe.

I am well aware that I did not cover all the themes. I am open to suggestions and would be happy to include them in my page.

If you have a specific question, send me an email and I am happy to discuss it with you.

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