Underwater Housing and a new Diver

PHXAZCRAIG wrote:

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'm pretty good buoyancy control, but am extremely inexperienced so obviously I have a lot to learn. I have a singularly difficult time equalising and managing my claustrophobia. Especially if I have the slightest bit of a sinus issue.

What point and shoot would you recommend to someone who wants to print? The Olympus has RAW capability, but, it probably can't print beyond 8x10 without serious resolution loss. The other's don't really have any RAW capability. By the time one buys a housing, strobe, point and shoot, you are looking at $1500 anyways, aren't you? If so, then I'd much rather wait it out until I can find a way to make it affordable and safe for me.

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.

Dear lord you have some serious kit. I am going to peruse the forum for some of your images when I get the chance. There is no ways I am getting into that level of kit, initially or in the foreseeable future. I was hoping for a cheap Meikon housing, or, failing that Ikelite. I can't afford the cost of the entire Nauticam rig, although, that is the best quality and ergonomics out there.

I was expecting the ikelite with arms and dome to be around 2400 - 2800. Another 1000 for strobes.

Not being able to use the Tamron is a bit of a bummer as I'd hoped that would have been my underwater wide angle. I have no interest in Macro photography topside, don't know how that will reflect underwater. If I do get into it, I can always borrow my Dad's Tokina 100 mm.

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).

In your situation, this makes perfect sense. I'd have done the same thing.

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 was hoping for something like the Meikon rig, which makes the whole large format rec dive photographer possible for a lot of people.

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.

From the look of it, I've put buying a rig on the back burner. I'll probably buy my dive kit before and see if a suitable rig pops up for my Fuji system next year. Even my dive kit sadly will take more time than I initially thought. Stuff is simply too expensive in India. I am trying to save up enough to pick up the whole set before my next work trip to the US, but that may not happen. So, it might only be mid/end of next year before I pick up my kit.

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/

my word that is an extensive set up. The  photos are fantastic.