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Choosing a Camera
Any piece of camera equipment that you take into the water has a chance of leaking, as many photographers have found to their cost. Nearly all underwater photographers have had some kind of leak in their equipment. Keep this in mind when you are purchasing a camera, and especially when you are doing your pre-dive preparations.
There are a number of options for the underwater photographer, ranging from the most simple disposable camera to sophisticated cameras in specially designed housings. As always, the right one depends on the type of photography you will be doing and how much you are prepared to pay. Here are a few guidelines:
Nikonos
These cameras are made for underwater photography and are the choice of many professionals. The Nikonos is
probably the most widely used of any underwater camera. It is compact and has a number of lens choices, including: 15mm, 20mm, 28mm, 35mm, and 80mm (and maybe some others). You can also buy extension tubes and close-up outfits.
The two most popular Nikonos cameras are the Nikonos V and the Nikonos III. The Nikonos V provides aperture priority automatic exposure and lets you use a TTL flash. The Nikonos III is a purely manual camera, it has no automatic exposure or TTL capability. So you'll need a light meter or a lot of film for trial and error shots.
One advantage of the Nikonos III is that if it floods it is not so complicated to repair as the Nikonos V. The Nikonos goes back a long way and has several forerunners including the Calypso, Nikonos I, Nikonos II and Nikonos IV.
The Nikonos RS is the flagship of the Nikonos range offering zoom and autofocus functions. It is really a beautiful camera with a great viewfinder. The unfortunate side is that it is priced way out of reach for the ordinary diver.
Motor Marine
The MotorMarine II is a dedicated underwater camera but does not provide interchangeable lenses. Additional lenses for wide angle and macro use are attached to the main lens underwater. This has some advantages in that you can shoot both macro and wide angle on the same dive.
Land Camera in Underwater Housing
You can use your land camera underwater if you get a housing specifically designed for your camera. There are quite a few housing manufacturers around including (and these are just the more well known!): Hugyfot, Sealux, Amphibico, Ikelite. Be prepared to spend at least what you spent on your camera for these housings, they don't come cheap. If you are beginning underwater photography and don't have a large amount of experience, this may not be the best option.
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