Half in Water, Half out of Water Shots

Some general questions about these as they have always caught my eye.

As the camera is only partially submerged can one get away safely with using a less robust housing or dare I even say waterproof bag style enclosure?

I really don't have interest in true underwater photography of marine life/fish, etc... ; am not a diver nor comfortable enough that I feel I would be able to hold and steady large equipment while also swimming/snorkeling so think my skills limit me to somewhere where I can stand in a few feet of water for these type of shots.

Since this would be a rare type of shot in the right conditions/locations I don't want to spent too much money to be able to take such a shot.   Have seen many recommendations for the TG6 Olympus cameras for beginners with underwater photography and while that would be within my budget, I am not certain I would be Ok with the image quality nor the best tool for these type of images so trying to figure out my lowest entry point for enough protection for my main camera, a Sony A7riv.

At the same time one shot or type of shot is not worth ruining an expensive camera and/or lens to me.

These type of photos obviously work best in locations with very clear water, I assume ultra wide lens as well.

Figure the next evolution would be more in the surf, basic wave type photography for myself, which is more useful where I live in New England and maybe by then I will be hooked, you never know.

Hi Reynolds,

Here is a link to split photos, in case you have not yet found it:

#https://www.uwphotographyguide.com/over-under-split-photography

I fear there is no budget solution for the Sony A7riv. Split shots are WA and for them you need a domeport. You also will want flashes to light the UW part of the photo. This requires a housing and easily you will spend many k$....

A "budget" solution may be Oly TG. But you need an additional wetlens to achieve WA and flash(es) will be helpful. As you recognized already this is still far away from optimum. Maybe you can get an older version TG plus the additional gear second hand...

Wolfgang

Thank you Yar!

I have been known to be a nervous wreck the couple of times I have been on a rowboat or similar with my camera gear with me.

I could envision wasting money on a bag type system and then chickening out last minute and never using it so think I will need to avoid that temptation.

Architeuthis wrote:

Hi Reynolds,

Here is a link to split photos, in case you have not yet found it:

#https://www.uwphotographyguide.com/over-under-split-photography

I fear there is no budget solution for the Sony A7riv. Split shots are WA and for them you need a domeport. You also will want flashes to light the UW part of the photo. This requires a housing and easily you will spend many k$....

A "budget" solution may be Oly TG. But you need an additional wetlens to achieve WA and flash(es) will be helpful. As you recognized already this is still far away from optimum. Maybe you can get an older version TG plus the additional gear second hand...

Wolfgang

Thank you Wolfgang! That link and your advise was very informative.

Sounds like in the right conditions (shallow very still and very clear water) and during mid-day sun the flashes may not be needed?

While I would have fun with a small P&S waterproof camera it wouldn't be high enough quality for anything more than a memory for me and if I need to also get housings and gear for it, then it really becomes more than I would want to spend for less than optimal IQ.

For what I want you definitely have to pay to play, I guess that is not a bad thing as it will keep these type of shots unique for some time I imagine.

Ultimately in my case since I would not have clear enough water by me it would be something for a special vacation/trip. Although pricey my best course of action might be to rent?

Buy or rent would have to save up and would need to be a very special trip so might never become a reality for me.  Thinking a down the road anniversary type trip with the wife to somewhere exotic like the Maldives which without waterproof gear becomes less appealing to me photographically as you are for the most part stuck on one tiny island for multiple days which I would get bored quickly with.   A new type of photography would be a good way to cure that boredom and the wife would be content with being bored in such a locale.

something like below I think provides everything I would need for my camera and my 12-24 F4 lens if I did go the rental route?

https://www.lensrentals.com/rent/ikelite-dl-housing-for-sony-a7r-iv-a9-ii

Though I note this does appear to be an acrylic not glass dome as the article recommends. Might have to buy the $25 gear part as well to use the zoom.

If needing for more than 7 days, might look to buy and if don't think would use again could resell I imagine with a hit of less than the rental costs?

Strobe kits are also available for rent but that is getting really expensive.

Either that or be patient and look for a good used package deal, might be more likely to find a used full kit with different camera and lens than gear specific for what I own.

All hypothetical at this point, but curious if the link I provided gives me everything I would need to take a professional quality shot?  Or I need something even more substantial?

Hi Reynolds,

It seems that the site you linked has all the necessary items for rent. You should check with them (or ask in a tread in Wetpixel, there are users that are familiar with Sony equipment that can give better specific advise on items (I am Oly user)). Apart from the cost (my guess is that already the renting of such equipment for 2 weeks is > 1k$), you should not forget that you need to carry around an extra suitcase with luggage for all that stuff...

What I want to emphazise is that certainly there is a difference in IQ between Olympus TG6 and Sony A7Riv (if the photo with TG is made good, one cannot see the difference on a small image on the internet), BUT: the photographic skills of the photographer make >95% of the difference and a mediocre photo remains mediocre, even when made with the best FF camera and excellent UW equipment. When one makes a photographically perfect photo with TG6, it will look perfect in the internet, but you cannot make a print in advertising poster size (not a real problem for the start)...

I had a look at the photos at your homepage and they are beautiful, but I guarantee you that for split shots you are a beginner and have to learn a lot from scratch. Split shots are regarded to be the "Kings" discipline of UW photography and making photos UW is very different to making photos on the land. This book here is an excellent introduction to UW photography (including split shots), many of us learned a lot from this book: https://www.amazon.de/Underwater-Photography-Masterclass-Alex-Mustard/dp/1781452229

There is no need to travel to the Maledives to get some practice (better have the practice already there and then go to Maledives), any gravel pond can offer opportunities. A wetsuit, snorkel and fins may also be helpful, but in case someone does not like to become wet, maybe the camera on a pole could be an alternative. I am curious what renting a housing for A7Riv plus domeport, extensions a lens (e.g. the Canon 8-15mm fisheye lens plus adapter and zoomgear) would cost for a week. I guess you could buy for this a used TG (no need to be 6; 4 or 5 is also sufficient to start with) in housing plus WA wetlens and just start straight away to practice and have fun...

Wolfgang

I am traveling to the Caribbean in September, and bought a dome for my GoPro to try 50/50 snorkeling photos and kayaking, hopefully under bright shallow clear water. I am not expecting to capture an award winning image during the trip, but It should be a fun experience for the family. lol

Here are some tips I learned in a class on split shots at the Digital Shootout in June.

First, big domes are best....

Focus:  focus on the most distant underwater object, and use as high an aperture as possible for depth of field.  (F16 or higher)

Shutterspeed: fast enough to freeze water movement on the port.   1/125th to 1/250th.

Shoot a lot of frames per second.  (This is a volume game.   Take 100 shots.)

Shoot through a thin layer of water streaming down the glass.

This is a big tip.   If you can't keep the glass dry, you need to deal with water on it.   Before taking out cameras into the water for the glass, where we were in 3-4 foot depth, we cleaned the domes.   The instructor (Berkely White) handed out cleaning cloths and some mild plastic polish before we got in the water.  We all cleaned our glass thoroughly while he explained the reason.   Any bit of micro debris stuck on your port will cause water to stick.   You want a smooth sheet flow.   Dunk the camera, pull up and fire off several shots.  Dunk and repeat.  (In a pinch, spit rubbed on the dome will help keep water sheeting longer.)

I like to shoot on the water. I have tried many things from an Olympus TG series, Ikelite case for DSLR, Seafrog mirrorless housing, housing for smaller RX100 cameras to GoPro and iPhone underwater cases.

The Ikelite was huge, the sea frog is smaller but still a lot to pack. RX100 housing is smaller (obviously) but I'm not sure the images are much better than a GoPro 10 which is so much easier, iPhone in Aquatech Axis Go is good but I certainly wouldn't want to lose my iPhone in a rogue wave.

There are domes for Aquatech Axis Go iPhone, GoPro Domes and Domes for many types of housings. All these times take up lots of room in luggage or camera case. I have planned to bring larger housings on a few trips but once I started packing I ended up leaving the larger housing and domes as it was taking too much room in my bags and going with the space saving option.

I am even considering the trying Outex system at least for low impact water photography though I will probably wait until I try it out before investing in a dome for that system.

This is my first try at snorkeling at Buye Beach in Puerto Rico with a GoPro Hero 4 Silver using a Telesin dome.

Camrarat wrote:

Kofla Olivieri wrote:

This is my first try at snorkeling at Buye Beach in Puerto Rico with a GoPro Hero 4 Silver using a Telesin dome.

nixe composition! Haha i thought i was the only weirdo who swam underwater with *two* cameras at once but alas..

Thanks! I am trying to use as many cameras as possible to capture many underwater images. I have to give credit to the people on this thread who shared great suggestions. I followed PHXZACRAIG suggestion about dunking the camera, pull up and fire off several shots. Dunk and repeat. It works!

mreynolds767 wrote:

Some general questions about these as they have always caught my eye.

As the camera is only partially submerged can one get away safely with using a less robust housing or dare I even say waterproof bag style enclosure?

I really don't have interest in true underwater photography of marine life/fish, etc... ; am not a diver nor comfortable enough that I feel I would be able to hold and steady large equipment while also swimming/snorkeling so think my skills limit me to somewhere where I can stand in a few feet of water for these type of shots.

Since this would be a rare type of shot in the right conditions/locations I don't want to spent too much money to be able to take such a shot. Have seen many recommendations for the TG6 Olympus cameras for beginners with underwater photography and while that would be within my budget, I am not certain I would be Ok with the image quality nor the best tool for these type of images so trying to figure out my lowest entry point for enough protection for my main camera, a Sony A7riv.

At the same time one shot or type of shot is not worth ruining an expensive camera and/or lens to me.

These type of photos obviously work best in locations with very clear water, I assume ultra wide lens as well.

Figure the next evolution would be more in the surf, basic wave type photography for myself, which is more useful where I live in New England and maybe by then I will be hooked, you never know.

Is either a GoPro and a cheap dome for it or an underwater housing for your mobile with a small dome.

IQ is not great but for this kind of photography I think sharpness and details are less important. Furthermore in underwater photography even with best sensor you can't get a sharp image if water isn't crystal clear and there is plenty of light

Kofla Olivieri wrote:

This is my first try at snorkeling at Buye Beach in Puerto Rico with a GoPro Hero 4 Silver using a Telesin dome.

Great Selfie!

Thank you!