Underwater Housing and a new Diver

theEntreriCode wrote:

Hello,

I've been getting into diving and am considering getting a camera rig together before I invest in my own scuba gear. Is this a mistake?

Depends on how good a diver you are, and if you are comfortable underwater before adding camera gear. I would definitely NOT recommend starting with a big DSLR rig with dual strobes while learning to dive. However, a point-n-shoot, gopro, or at least a rig without strobes hanging off would be much easier to deal with while getting your buoyancy skills up to snuff.

I shoot a Nikon D810, 750 and a Fuji XT30. Most rigs I see for the D810 would require me to be in the 3000-4000 dollar range with Dome and Strobes.

I think you have seriously underestimated the cost of a D810 rig. Mine was in the range of $8,000:

Nauticam D810 housing: $3200

Dual YS-D1 strobes, arms, STIX floats and fiber cables: $2000

Focus light: $300-400

Macro port (105vr or 60mm about the same cost): $400

Dome port (230mm): $1900

Extension port for dome: $400

spare batteries: $100-300 (depends on special batteries for focus light).

I have three lenses I can use underwater: 60 micro, 105vr micro and 16-35vr. I've also tried the 105vr with a 1.4TC on it and a port extension.

The 16-35 is extremely sharp underwater - in the center - and it works much better to the edges with a ($400) Sea and Sea Internal Correction Lens. I suspect you cannot use the Tamron due to it's size and probably lack of a zoom ring for it.

If I'm doing that, I may as well upgrade to the D850 for future proofing.

Which is what I did after three years shooting the D810 underwater. The housing was due for ($800) maintenance, and I decided to just upgrade. The D850 housing is another $200 more than the D810 because it needs to include a flash trigger. (D810 uses pop-up to drive the strobes via fiber optic cable).

Unfortunately that is not a financial possibility until much later next year. Is there anyway to do it cheap?

Used equipment will be cheapER, but CHEAP? No way with reliability.

I'll probably be at around 20 dives a year for the next year or two, but, I live in India, so given the funds and time, I'm sure that number can go up pretty quickly. I'd like to be able to print my images, so not too keen on investing in another system like the m4/3rds which would require a net investment on par with getting my FF dive ready anyways.

Once you see what it takes to do full frame wide angle underwater you may rethink that. You will definitely rethink it once you've hauled a 230mm dome port through a few airports.

If only I could get a full Meikon rig for a grand or lower and some second hand Strobes.....

Yes, if only. If only camera manufacturers would not keep changing the button placement and shape of the cameras, we might have cheaper housing costs.

Here's what it takes to pack my rig. It's a D850 rig, but there is no difference between it and the D810 rig: http://www.cjcphoto.net/uwcamera/