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 If you are reading this article, then you probably have the bug. No doubt you’ve seen some incredible underwater photos in dive magazines or had a go at underwater photography once or twice and are eager for more. There’s no doubt that having your own camera & housing is essential for your new hobby, but there is such an enormous range of options available on the market today, so how do you choose?
Here, we will try and help you focus on the important decisions, so that you can make an informed decision on your camera & housing and start to enjoy your new hobby straight away.
First, you need to think about what you want to use the camera for - and this in turn helps to determine your budget. If you simply want to take a few snapshots from your dive holiday & are not so interested in learning the finer points of underwater photography, then a point & shoot model, such as a Sony Cybershot or Canon Ixus should suffice. If you are interested in learning a little about underwater photography & having a few controls at your disposal to improve your image making skills, but feel that an SLR is a step too far, then there are a few great consumer digital cameras on the market that offer full manual controls, such as the Olympus SP350 or Canon A540. These models are still relatively inexpensive, but allow you to develop your skills and adjust vital settings like shutter speed or aperture as your confidence grows. Finally, if you really want to splash out and are interested in taking very high quality images for entry into competitions or for publication, then you need to look at Digital SLR models.
Another area to consider is the number of megapixels. A normal photo of a decent quality, for use as a screensaver or a slideshow for example, needs to be around 5-6 megapixels. If you create larger images, such as posters, or take photos that can be entered into competitions or submitted to magazines, then you should be looking at a model with a minimum of 8 megapixels.
 In addition to the size of the images, the functions available to you on a specific model are very important for underwater photography. The ability to manually set the white balance is extremely useful. Setting the white balance, quite simply, means telling the camera what colour is white in different lighting conditions. Once the camera knows this, then it can adjust its balance so that all your colours look great. Macro photography is also very popular among divers as small critters make fascinating subjects. If you think you would like to have a go at some macro subjects, it’s very useful to have a camera that has a small minimum focus distance & will allow you to focus manually. A good minimum focus distance for underwater is around 2 - 5cm.
Another area you may wish to think about when budgeting for a camera & housing are accessories. The two really expensive accessories are strobes & lenses. Let’s start with strobes. Strobes are important underwater as they provide more control over the flash to light your subject better & allow you to provide lighting at a different angle to your camera lens, meaning much less backscatter or reflected particles in your shot and a much better image. They are not so easy to use for the beginner though & may lead to some frustration, so unless you are confident, it may be better to go for a model that allows you to attach a strobe, but hold back on buying a strobe until you have a little experience. In terms of lenses, there are two types to consider: Wide Angle & Macro. A Wide Angle lens is great for larger subjects and allows you to get closer while still fitting the subject into the frame. A Macro lens allows you to focus on the very small. Buying both is very expensive however. If you are going for a consumer digital camera, it may be best to stick with the standard lens to begin with, but again purchase a housing that allows you to add lenses later. If you are purchasing a Digital SLR, then you must choose a lens for the camera & the corresponding port for the housing before you can take the camera underwater. To begin with, a wide angle lens if probably the better choice as it is more generally useful, plus macro photography takes a lot of skill & great buoyancy, which will only come with time & practice.
 Lastly, there is the actual housing to think about. Most popular consumer camera models have a housing supplied by the manufacturer. These housings are great as they are lightweight & fairly cheap. Their downside is that they are not the strongest, most reliable models on the market and are much more liable to flooding than more expensive housings. Generally, the better the camera, the more housing options you will have available. For popular Digital SLRs, there are a wide range of housings available, such as Ikelite, Hugyfort, or Sea&Sea which offer extra strength, reliability & functions.
The second aspect of an underwater housing that is important is the available controls. There is little point buying a camera which allows you to control shutter speed, aperture, white balance & focus, only to find that these options are not accessible through the housing. Having all the controls available to you is by far the best option, but if this is not a realistic option within your budget, make sure the key controls that are important to you are available.
 So by this simple thought process, you can narrow down a smaller range of cameras that are suitable for you and also what housing might be better. You will almost certainly be left with a few options though. How do you narrow this down to just one camera & housing? And how do you know you are making the right decision?
Firstly, if you are purchasing the equipment from a reputable dealer, they should give you honest advice on the strengths and weaknesses of individual models. Ask around a few different shops and concentrate on the quality of advice, rather than just the price. Secondly, internet forums are a great place to receive advice or learn of other people’s experiences with a particular camera or housing. There are a range of useful websites with a wealth of information and forum topics, both for cameras and specifically for underwater photography. Things to consider are if the camera has been on the market long enough to have a good track record; if they are considered reliable; if you can access all the controls you need underwater; if they are considered to shoot good colours; & if they have any glitches or small design faults.
Another good option is to take a short course in underwater photography, or make a few try dives with an instructor and a good camera before making your final decision. Once you have a little experience for yourself, then you are in a much better position to make an informed decision on the features of a camera & housing set-up that are most important to you.
By following this process and finding the answers to these questions, you will be able to get an excellent idea of which camera & housing is right for you - ensuring that you avoid any expensive mistakes & enjoy your new hobby from the word go!
Liquid Lense offers a range of courses in underwater photography & videography, from one day introductory dives with an instructor up to advanced level courses, including help on how to turn pro. For more details, go to www.liquidlense.co.uk
Useful resources:
Video Camera reviews:
www.camcorderinfo.com
http://reviews.cnet.com/camcorders
Cameras, Housings & Accessories:
www.bhphotovideo.com
www.camerasunderwater.com
www.oceanicfocus.com
www.backscatter.com
www.underwater-housing.co.uk
Housing Manufacturers:
www.ikelite.com
www.lightandmotion.com
www.gateshousings.com
www.amphibico.com
www.10bar.com/index-old
Useful Forums:
www.wetpixel.com/forums
www.digideep.com/go/forums
www.videouniversity.com/forum
www.indepths.org/forum/phbBB2/index.php?c=3
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