Underwater photography - Deep blue

Waterproof Cameras These stylish outdoor compact cameras, such as the new Panasonic Lumix DMC-FT3, the new Pentax Optio WG-1 or the tried-and-tested Olympus μ Tough-8010, are always ready and without any accessories for underwater use. These cameras are watertight from house, but only to snorkel diving depths. They offer undervalued water fun, and maintenance is limited to flushing and the occasional maintenance of the rubber seal.


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Flexible Housings The simplest and most cost-effective way to take a compact camera or a photo handy with underwater is to use a waterproof, one-size PU bag. More versatile: the flexible underwater housing with an optically neutral plasma plate in front of the lens, which is adapted in size and shape to the respective camera model, and the system flash unit is also available. Flexible UW housings are particularly suitable for photographers who just want to explore the underwater world.


Rigid housing A rigid housing is indispensable for the fan, who is usually at depths of 20 m. The decisive factor here is that all necessary camera settings in underwater operation are to be accomplished from the outside. Practical: The waterproof Olympus is equipped with a special UW housing, which makes the camera suitable for up to 40 m.


The ikelite system uses an identical transparent polycarbonate housing tube and adjusts the switching cycles to the corresponding camera models - which makes the system cost-effective but no less functional. The housings are only slightly heavier than e.g. A housing made of aluminum. At Subal, the Rolls-Royce under the UW housings, the lighter aluminum case is tailor-made in manual work, which of course has its price but is second to none in quality and handling.


Lens-mounted UW housings for SLR cameras are equipped with a special port, depending on the lens used: a dome port for the wide angle, a planport for the macro lens. With extensions, the port is precisely matched to the lens.


Underwater light Many diving lamps, which are already available in the dive equipment for night dives, can also be used as a photo continuous light, but of course they never emit the light quantity of a flash. For better color reproduction, halogen light is preferable, a flood reflector, in contrast to the spot, ensures uniform illumination. If you still have a dive player, which illuminates the motives with the handlamp, you do not need a fastening system.


The built-in flash is usually used for compact cameras in the UW housing. This is not problematic because of the proximity to the optical axis, because floating particles are present everywhere. It is important to ensure that a diffuser is available or can be retrofitted. A diffuser is also required in flexible camera housings in which the system flash unit is placed on the camera.


Rigid UW housings have the advantage that a cable leadthrough is possible and therefore an external flash unit can be used away from the optical axis. One possibility is to take the system flash unit in a separate UW housing with underwater. The control of the power output continues to work in the usual way. So-called amphibious flash units are specially designed for UW use.


The triggering is either via a fiber optic cable in slave TTL control (this also allows compact cameras which do not have an electrical flash connector to control the power output of the amphibious flashes via their built-in flash) or via an electrical synchronous cable, whereby the TTL control of the SLR camera remains. A built-in pilot light from the same direction as the flashlight allows a professional lighting design.