Wide Angle - The Basics

[TimIngmire]

This thread is for users to post useful info for new photographers or those looking into this area for the first time. Feel free to add any relevant information, tips, links that you feel would of help.

Tim

[big_si]

Hi All,

I have been snapping with a canon compact camera and housing for the last year or so. I am in the process of moving on towards stepping up into the world of DSLR's so please forgive any stupid questions as I'm sure I'll ask them!

My plan is to take some time getting used to the camera and taking pictures with it on land for a while whilst saving up for the housing and all the gubbins. I've ordered my first lens (The new Nikon 18 - 200mm VR lens) and in a month or so should have the cash to buy my Nikon D80.

I'd really like to get into getting some excellent wide angle wreck shots (and already have at least one willing model to get in the pics for his wall)

My question is... There are a million different lenses out there. What lens would you recommend for some nice atmostpheric wide angle wreck shots...
(This is probably a bit of a cross over into a ports / housing thread but...)

Also what port would you recommend? Is a single port tied to a single size of lens or can you use multiple different lenses with one port? I'm sure I will want to do some fishy pics too (so am hoping I can get away with using the same port and just changine lens?)

I guess I can summarise my whole post by saying... This underwater DSLR stuff.... erm... how does it work?

Thanks in advance for your help!

Simon

[TimIngmire]

Simon, I just wrote a lengthy reply but then accidently closed the darn browser. I'll give it another go later.

What housing are you considering?

[GLOC]

Originally Posted by big_si

I guess I can summarise my whole post by saying... This underwater DSLR stuff.... erm... how does it work?

Thanks in advance for your help!

Simon

Get a friendly bank manager!

I have been using land based, a Fuji S2 which does me fine and can produce 30x20 prints easily. I have had one for about 3 yrs now and have moved into wedding photography, so I needed a second body. I saw an advert for an Aquatica S2 Housing for EU1000 which included an S2 body. Bought that.

£600 later for an 8" dome, extension port and zoom gear.

£250 for a 10-20 sigma.

£150-200 for a case to put the lot in

And its going to cost me in the region of £750-1000 for a pair of strobes to mount on the rig.

Its almost a year ago to the day that I went into Alan James and enquired about an SLR housing and nearly died at the cost as I had never done any UW photography so bought the Oly5050 and Epoque WA adaptor secondhand, took it to Tenerife, Scapa, South Coast - loved it, hence why I am now buying the bits for the S2. I also realised that there is quite a difference between land based optic 'rules' and UW ones, which will take some getting used to!

It is addictive, no doubt about it, but it is also bloddy expensive.

Good luck with your travel down the SLR route.

Regards

[big_si]

Originally Posted by TimIngmire

Simon, I just wrote a lengthy reply but then accidently closed the darn browser. I'll give it another go later.

What housing are you considering?

Ooops!


I'm not sure really. I don't know enough about the differences between them to be honest? I've only looked at the Ikelite and Hugyfot housings so far. Is there much difference between them all in terms of functionality / depth rating / price?

[big_si]

Originally Posted by GLOC

Get a friendly bank manager!
.
.
.
It is addictive, no doubt about it, but it is also bloddy expensive.

Good luck with your travel down the SLR route.

Regards

Cheers Gareth!


I'll let you all know how it all develops!

Until I get it all housed I'll be doing my best with my Canon housed Ixus V2 and sharing any good pics I get!

Simon

[GLOC]

Originally Posted by big_si

Ooops!


I'm not sure really. I don't know enough about the differences between them to be honest? I've only looked at the Ikelite and Hugyfot housings so far. Is there much difference between them all in terms of functionality / depth rating / price?

Cameras Underwater: Ikelite housing for Nikon D80 SLR: 6808.1 for the Ikelite at £985 and a depth of 60m

Hugyfoot Nikon D80 - £ 1350 ~ Jan'07 and would think the specs would be similar to the D70 and a depth rating of around 100m

With regard to functionality, not sure, I know that the girlfriend of Brian at Aquanauts, Plymouth uses a Hugyfoot for her Nikon and I am sure there are plenty who use Ikes here to give you an idea of what they are like. Although there is only £350 in the housing cost, you will need to look at all the ancilliaries as they soon become expensive.

HTH

[KenByrne]

It's difficult to suggest a single lens for wreck photography. The first decision is whether to go with a rectilinear lens that will give a fairly undistorted view up to about 100 degrees or a fisheye which gives a view of up to 180 degrees. I use a Nikon 12-24 at the moment but find it's a little soft at the corners behind the Ikelite Dome port. There are alternatives to this from Tokina and Sigma but watch the size they can be fairly big and can't fit in all housings. For fisheye the Nikon 10.5mm is a great lens and is fast at F2.8. I'm waiting for delivery of the Tokina 10-17 fisheye zoom which is cheaper and more flexible but slower at F3.5 maximum aperture, another disadvantage is that I understand it doesn't take filters.

When it comes to ports generally speaking macro lenses, which you really need for fish pics, are best used behind flat ports and wide angle lenses need dome ports. If it fits you can use a macro lens behind a dome port but you lose some magnification. Unfortunately you alos need a port that is the right size for your lens. This is acheived either by buying multiple ports, which tends to be the Ikelite way, or one port with extension rings. I use an Ikelite housing with multiple ports but these tend to be cheaper than the extension rings of some manufacturers.

As I've already said I use Ikelite. I'm happy with the functionality and particulary the price of these housings. A bonus is that if you buy Ikelite strobes as well you get ttl flash support. Some other housings are smaller and lighter, not always both. If you decide on a specific lens make sure the housing you select accepts that lens. You also need to make sure that the housing you select allows you access to all the controls you are going to need underwater, some provide less controls than others. For example a quote from the specs for the Sea & Sea D80 housing specs is 'Controls almost all of the Nikon D80’s essential functions underwater.' before I bought one I'd like to know what I can't use underwater.

Sorry this is a bit rambling but there's a lot to cover in your question.

[big_si]

Thanks Ken and Gareth!

Sorry my question was such a big topic... As I was writing it I could see that it was more like a dozen questions all rolled into one. You're really helping me start to understand things a bit more. (I'm also reading Martin Edge's book The Underwater Photographer. Loads of info but lacking info on housings)


I'd like to have a options to do some Macro and some Wide Angle so it's looking like I will probably need 2 ports depending on the housing I go for. Is it easy to swap ports? How are they held in / seal?
As I've been mentally adding up all these bits and pieces that I'm going to need my eyes are starting to water at the cost. I don't think I'm going to have the budget to take the DSLR underwater this year... Might have to wait until next year's bonus instead!


I'm toying with the idea of perhaps getting myself a new compact camera and housing which has got more functionality than my current camera (currently only have a 2MP Canon Ixus V2 which only has exposure compensation of +/-2. So ideally I'd like something with at least proper apature priority) so I can start to learn how to use the functions of the camera which are going to be transferable to when I'm in a position to use the SLR underwater. At the same time I can be learning to use my SLR topside.

Do you think if that's a reasonable plan?

[KenByrne]

The ports are very easy to swap Ikelite use 2 simple, but effective locks, others use a bayonet fit. Always they are sealed with an o-ring which needs to be kept clean and correctly fitted.

There are a lot of people getting excellent results with compacts. I'd say that the best usually come from using external strobes which bumps up the cost but you could look into getting a strobe that you could also use with a DSLR housing.

It'll get you taking pictures underwater quicker and some aspects will be transferable. However I don't think any compact does wideangle well without a supplementary lens which are £200 - £300. A lot of money to spend on a temporary solution, money which could be saved towards your DSLR kit.