General Underwater Shooting

D

DDirector

Veteran
I am getting a scuba divers license for personal pleasure and possibly wanting to shoot underwater videos for myself and others.
-1st, is it worth getting a scuba divers license to shoot underwater?
-How big do you think the need is for underwater and on land cameramen?

I have a Canon T2i, the cheapest housing I found was for $1329.95 (Ikelite) plus another $100-$300 for the lens dome (didn't look into it much so I don't know exactly how much yet.)
-Does anyone know where I can find reliable housings for cheaper? Or possible this model but on sale anywhere?

3rd, I will be using the Canon T2i & a 28mm lens.
-Do you think it is needed to have lights? Or will it not be required? (Obviously not in really deep waters or in dirty/impossible to see through waters.)

One more thing...
-How do people record audio underwater?
I've seen many videos with and without audio underwater, how do they do that?
 
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If you're just learning scooba diving now, then I'd wait a while before taking your camera on a dive with you. There's so many variables, even without a camera. You wan't to be fully competent to the point where scuba diving proceedure becomes second nature before you start shooting on dives.

$1300 sounds pretty good for a housing. You can find cheap splash bags or surface housings but for actual scuba diving, you won't find anything much cheaper than that.

I'm not sure about lights because I only shoot on the surface for surfing (which is actually harder work because you have waves constantly crashing on you).

As for audio, there isn't anything worth recording underwater anyway. You're on-camera mic will record audio, and will be surprisingly clear (though muffled) inside the housing - much better than with DV cameras where all you hear is the whining tape mechanism echoing inside. This will suffice if you want audio of live action - like the sound of a wave crashing over you, but if you want general ambience you will be better off recreating it in post.
 
Get certified scuba first before buying anything. You'll learn what works and what doesn't and a lot of other things that are important to an underwater photographer/videographer.

The deeper you go, the more light is filtered out. The first color to go is red. So you're going to need lights. Typically you want lights on long arms, so that you can light your subject from the sides. If you had a light right over your lens, it will light up all the particulates in the water and make for bad film.

Consider getting a GoPro Surf, it will shoot HD, is waterproof, and only costs like $250-$300. Then you can upgrade to an underwater housing for your t2i later.

Everything underwater is magnified 25%, so keep that in mind. You learn that real fast hunting underwater... when you pull up that huge fish and it's barely legal.

But really, get certified, and get a lot of experience diving before you start trying to do camera work underwater. You need to get comfortable with your gear and learn to control your buoyancy before bringing expensive photo gear down with you, or it may end up drifting away or sinking into oblivion.
 
First, have you seen this video? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4P2rypaR87I

My fiancee and I just got certified a few weekends ago. It was a total blast! If you have a good serious instructor you will be very comfortable (everything will be second nature) in the water by the end of your open water dives. My suggestion (like Noworries) is to get comfortable with your buoyancy before filming.
 
Cool thanks. I most likely wont be getting a housing right after I get my license like you guys said. I've been up to Tobermory several times, and I know I will be going there again to scuba dive several times so, I will have more opportunities to film.
I have gone scuba diving many times before, I am really comfortable with it, I just never got a scuba diving license to go alone.

morgan_moore said:
28mm is virtually a telephoto under water
maybe 10 or 11
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The widest I got is a 28. I know its best getting a wide angle or a wide zoom lens, but that's going to be another investment for me. If I can make the extra money, I will try but if I cannot, I will have to stick with the 28mm - 45mm equivalent.

deltoidjohn said:
$1300 sounds pretty good for a housing. You can find cheap splash bags or surface housings but for actual scuba diving, you won't find anything much cheaper than that.
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I was thinking of getting one of those bags, but they only recommend going to a certain depth, and most aren't that deep.

noworries said:
Everything underwater is magnified 25%, so keep that in mind.
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You've gotten some good advice here. Just a few specifics.

1. There is no such thing as a SCUBA license. It's a certification and does not expire (sadly).

2. I would not recommend ANYONE try to operate camera underwater without 75-100 dives under their belt. Most people barely have their buoyancy squared away at 50 dives.

3. The task loading is INCREDIBLE when filming. You are essentially solo diving. And a new diver especially has no business being solo in the water.

4. Never, EVER forget the dangers of being task loaded in the water. I lost a friend a couple of weeks ago while he was filming for National Geographic. He's been diving 40+ years. He's been all of the world dozens of times filming underwater and had numerous film credits to his name. Do NOT take this casually.


Now, all that said, the Ikelite housing is as cheap as you're going to find and I don't know if I would even recommend that housing. I have one for an older camera, and it's been fine, but given my druthers, I'd prefer a Gates or Amphibico.

Audio travels well in the water, and if you have a built-in mic on the camera, (the T2i does) you'll be ok.

The 28mm lens will be a PITA underwater. There are lots of inexpensive options. I suggest you follow the advice of the people here.

Do NOT go looking for a "bag". They are unsuitable below 10ft. Not only will the water pressure cause them to leak, but it would wrap so tightly, it would press all the buttons.

SCUBA diving is not an inexpensive hobby. And filming underwater is about the most expensive undertaking you could have under water. If you really don't have the money for this, and your posts make it seem like you don't, then maybe you ought to wait a bit before pursuing this. I am not trying to rain on your parade. I've been where you are, and I know the path.

And in case you are wondering, yes, I am a diver. Technical and Cave, certified for both.
 
PerroneFord, you obviously have a lot of experience in this. Could you explain to me how filming underwater translates into "solo diving"? I can see how the equipment would be a distraction but I just can't translate that into the risk of solo diving.

@DDirector You have no good reason to dive alone, don't do it.
 
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Jordan Berry said:
PerroneFord, you obviously have a lot of experience in this. Could you explain to me how filming underwater translates into "solo diving"? I can see how the equipment would be a distraction but I just can't translate that into the risk of solo diving.
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There's two pieces to this. The first is that the camera becomes incredibly task loading. It is essentially impossible to maintain tabs on your own well being as well as that of your buddy, when concentrating on filming. At the level I was diving at regularly, I fell into a synchronized breathing rhythm with my buddy so that if he or she missed a breath, or increased their breathing rate, I knew immediately. You can't do that when filming. You also don't have a simple way of using basics like lgiht communication when you have your head stuck in a viewfinder.

The other side of the equation is the person you are diving with when you're filming. Who is looking after their well being? If they should lose a fin, how long would it be, before their filmmaking buddy noticed that something was wrong? If their regulator malfunctioned how long would it be, before the buddy would notice? If they lost a weight and couldn't hold buoyancy, how long before the task loaded diver knew something was wrong? If the answer is more than 3 seconds, that's probably too long.

I realize that the environment I come from is not one most recreational divers are accustomed to. The ability to swim in formation, 8-16" apart for a couple of hours and navigate turns, changes in depth, deal with low or no-viz, and be able to resolve emergencies within 6 seconds or less (that was my team's goal) is not a normal environment for most people.

So why is it solo diving? Because task loading reduces a diver's ability to respond to adverse situations. In many cases, it reduces it to the point of becoming the source for a cascading problem chain. Cascading problems often lead to fatalities. It's not the loss of a mask that kills people. It's the loss of a mask, the sudden rush of water up the nose that causes the gag reflex and makes you spit out your regulator, and the lack of training and practice that puts you in the untenable position of not knowing where to find your backup or primary, and a buddy who's off looking at coral heads or has his/her eye in a camera. I've seen more than one person die from these types of cascading problems. One just over a month ago on what should have been an absolutely routine dive in a place she'd been 50 times or more.
 
Jordan Berry said:
@DDirector You have no good reason to dive alone, don't do it.
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NEVER!
Like PerroneFord was talking about, many things can go wrong. When diving with additional equipment that distracts you from the important stuff (like texting and driving) bad things can happen. I agree, you are a 'solo diver' - And I dont plan to do this when I am inexperienced.
Even when you are experienced, and just want to scuba for fun, I don't even think its even allowed to go alone anyways?

In all honesty, I would not take any camera equipment (photo or video) without learning how to dive properly and having gone through enough dives. Maybe once in a while to take a few pics as a memory, but not for gigs.

PerroneFord said:
The 28mm lens will be a PITA underwater.
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What do you mean?
 
Perrone - Outstanding posts. As a fellow diver, I'd just add underlines and exclamation points to everything you said. Best description of the challenges I've seen. Thanks for sharing - these threads have thousands of lurkers - you may have saved a life.

Deepest condolences on the loss of your friend.
 
Okay. I will give it some time before I start shooting something. Thanks for the advise.

Im going to trade in my wide lens with some additional cash for a Tokina 11-16mm.
 
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Hi guys, let me start by saying this is all good advice, however some perspective might be nice.

I'm a pilot and a certified diver, I shoot aerial video while flying solo all the time. Its reasonable that you might think I'm either an idiot or a genius, I prefer the latter but the truth is I'm neither. And if you think using a camera underwater is task loading try flying a plane. I've done some underwater cinematography but not much, I don't have the equipment for it.

My point is this, anything that requires attention to detail like flying a plane or scuba diving where a lapse in judgment might have dire consequences requires you to learn how to multi task and more importantly prioritize the decision making process. Its all about mitigating risk. Once you have the confidence and can repeatedly demonstrate this ability adding another layer of complexity, like using a camera is really not that big of a deal.

If your so myopic, or your the type of person who forgets their driving a car when on your cell phone then you probably shouldn't be scuba diving in the first place. But I think the video that Jordan Berry posted is a great example of combining two great skills. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4P2rypaR87I

I'm not suggesting that immediately after learning how to dive you go to 90ft with a camera in search of a great white but again, the video that Jordan shared with us seems to be a great example of how you can experiment with perspective, bringing the viewer a point of view that they may never have had otherwise.

So some perspective is important, if your trying to combine two passions, diving and photography go have a great time and be safe.
 
Just put the new Go Pro on your chest/head with a strap, or even your wrist! It's a tiny thing there, and a lot of space on the arms anyway. Float around, concentrate on the actual diving... and hopefully the little bastards have catched some neat footage for you... :)

But no - I wouldn't do that "what you see on TV"-stuff carrying an actual underwater housing with both hands. Weight distrubution is always hard when diving and I doubt that I would even dare trying that.
 
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