Underwater Digital Photography Gear

Underwater photography with a point and shoot digital camera? I've been using a Canon PowerShot since 2007

"Do you use a special underwater camera?"

I hear this question a lot. And most people seem surprised to hear that you can put a regular point and shoot digital camera into an underwater camera housing and take it down as deep as 40 meters (the depth limit for open water scuba diving certification).

I've been shooting a Canon digital camera underwater since March 2004 when I was first assigned to the Peace Corps in the Philippines. Since then I've used four different Canon cameras underwater (only one so far has been drowned in salt water).

The reasons I choose to use a regular point and shoot digital camera underwater instead of an SLR:

• I travel light. Lugging a Pelican case full of ports, strobes, housings, etc. would make traveling for me a lot less fun.
• I like the maneuverability of a smaller camera. It's just easier to swim with underwater.
• I'm happy with the quality of the photos it brings back--especially if you're concious of the limitations of point and shoot cameras.
• Much less expensive. At first, I wasn't even sure if underwater photography was for me. I felt a lot more comfortable trying out my skills with a $180 camera housing for my Canon Elph than dropping more than $1,000 for an entry-level SLR housing (and that's not including ports for the lenses).

Taking the Camera Underwater

Canon makes an underwater camera housing for most (if not all) of their digital point and shoot cameras

I use a Sealife Digital Pro Flash to bring out the brilliant colors of the coral reef

I use Canon digital cameras because I think the picture quality is the best when compared to the other manufacturers. Canon makes a clear polycarbonate underwater housing for every point and shoot camera that I've ever owned, typically retailing for $170 to $200. Just choose the one that's made to fit your camera and you're ready to start your career as an underwater photographer.

When I first started taking pictures underwater I just used the little on-camera flash with the attached diffuser (see photo to the right). I quickly bumped up against the limitations of the anemic light the little thing was putting out, so I realized I needed a more powerful off-camera flash to really bring out the colors of the coral reefs, clown fish and sea turtles at depths below 10 meters (30 feet) or so.

Today I shoot a Sealife Digital Pro Flash that attaches to the bottom of my underwater housing with an extension arm to hold the flash. The coiled wire (pictured to the far right) is a fiber-optic cable that attaches to the Canon camera housing directly over the flash. The timing of the pre-flash (the rapid sequence of flashes that fire just before the actual flash) synchronizes the external flash. Pretty cool, you can also adjust the strength of the flash depending how far away you are from your subject. I usually detach the flash from the handle and hold it with my hand to try to match the angle of the artificial light from the flash with the natural light from the sun so that the shadows are more realistic.

Digital SLR (single lens reflex) Camera

I made the switch to a digital SLR in November 2005 and have missed the old days of shooting slide film (Fuji Velvia) only once or twice. Today I shoot a Canon EOS 40D.

Point and shoot digital cameras are great, but as I mentioned above, they have limitations.

If I'm not shooting underwater or in a downpour, I use a Canon digital SLR (I made the switch from film to digital SLR in November 2005). Before November 2005, I used a Canon SLR loaded with Fujichrome Velvia color slide film. You might recognize the Fuji Velvia color palette in the photos I have here--since I made the switch to digital I've tried to re-create the vibrantly amplified colors from a photo shot with Velvia.

Today I use a Canon 40D digital SLR as my main camera. I bought it in September 2009 as an upgrade from the Canon Digital Rebel I was using before. This is why I made the switch:

• More durable. The camera body is sealed better, keeping out bad weather, sea salt spray, waves, sun, etc. when I'm traveling.
• More accessible controls. I like not having to navigate through menus or sub-menus to change the ISO, aperature, shutter speed, and exposure compensation.
• Bigger viewfinder. It's a lot easier to compose the photo when you can easily see through the camera lens. The Digital Rebel is nice because it's very compact. The problem is that the viewfinder is also compact so shooting in dark or difficult situations makes it a lot harder to see your subject. The 40D solves this problem with a large viewfinder that's much easier to see through.
• Works with Canon Digital Rebel lenses. Canon makes several great lenses that are only compatible with the Digital Rebel. Since I already owned two of them, I didn't want to have to buy all new lenses to work with the newer 40D. But since the 40D works with them, it wasn't a problem.

I usually sell and upgrade my digital SLR every one to two years. I keep an eye on the new equipment coming out in between, but try not to read too many camera gear advertisements because you can always come up with a reason why you need to upgrade. Better to pick your camera and focus on taking your best photos possible with it until the newest model really offers a huge difference (in terms of your creative options).

This year Canon released the 50D, a 15.1 megapixel upgrade of the 40D, which would definitely be my choice if I was upgrading from a cheaper DSLR or a nice point and shoot digital camera. I expect my next upgrade will be one of Canon's full frame sensor digital SLR's like the 5D. I hear the new one also shoots high definition 1080p digital video as well.

If you're deciding whether to buy a more expensive digital SLR or a more expensive lens, go with the better lens. A great lens is much more of an investment than a great camera, and your photos will show it.

The Lenses I use for Travel Photography

Carrying tons of camera gear makes traveling not fun. Most of the best photo opportunities will come and go quickly.If you're lugging 25 pounds of lenses, tripods, extra batteries, memory cards, etc., you will probably not be ready for the shot when the opportunity appears.

I travel with a small camera bag that does not look like a typical camera bag. There's only room inside for three lenses, my camera, and a few other accessories that I'll cover below. These are the lenses I never leave home without:

Canon 70-200mm L Series Zoom Lens

The Canon 70-200mm L series lens is the best zoom I've ever owned.

The Canon 70-200mm L is the best zoom lens I've ever owned, and it's no surprise that it's a lens you'll find in the camera bag of many professional photographers.

I don't worry about it getting damaged by salt spray, light rain, or other difficult travel conditions because it's sealed and weather proofed. The "L" series are the highest quality lenses that Canon builds, so the photos are sharp and always have great contrast. I've used it for everything from street photography in Lijiang, China, to portrait and surf photography in Indonesia and couldn't be happier with the results. If you've never tried a Canon L series lens, this is the one to start with.

Canon 10-22mm Super Wide-Angle Lens

The Canon 10-22mm super wide angle lens is my favorite lens for capturing the true feel of "being there"..

Open up my camera bag when I'm out shooting and it's more than likely you'll find the Canon 10-22mm super wide-angle lens attached to my camera. Wide-angle shots capture the spirit of a landscape and are the best for giving your viewers the feel of "being there".

I also use it for portraits because you can fit both the person and a lot of the background in the frame. Another advantage for portraits, you can get away with not pointing the lens directly at your subject so they are likely to be more comfortable in front of the camera. The only complaint I have about this lens is the distortion you can sometimes see around the edge of the frame because the focal length is soooo wide.

Canon 60mm Macro Lens

The Canon 60mm macro lens is perfect for detail shots as well as portraits.

Capturing a frame-filling detail of a local dish, flower, artwork, or even a person's face can bring the spirit of a place to your viewers in a way that a wide angle shot just can't. The Canon 60mm macro lens has been a favorite of mine for shooting everything from Thai food in a Bangkok market to an intimate portrait on a small island beach in the Philippines. With a very shallow depth of field and a focusing distance of only a few inches, you can cut out all the clutter and fill your frame with even the smallest detail.