Underwater lens recommendation

pparker wrote in post #5176517
Mark,
I come from a professional diving background where I did a lot of work with various camera systems. I was part of a commercial diving team that provided underwater services to the US Navy under a government contract.
I can't believe no one has suggested the 20 mm 2.8. to go with the Ike housing. This is an excellent lens if you stop down to f-8 or f-11 on the 5 D. It has great contrast and color rendition and is very affordable.

As far as the Ike housing is concerned, just keep an eye on the lens port to make sure it doesn't come unseated prior to entering the water. Once leaving the surface, the lens port will seal more significantly due to water pressure.

Hope this helps.

Pete

Pete,

Thanks, it does help. I hadn't considered the 20mm because of the f/2.8 maximum aperture, but it appears to be a capable lens. Thanks for the suggestion.

Mark

Mark,
The only thing I don't like about the 20 mm 2.8 is it needs to be stopped down. Using the lens wide open isn't a good idea as you may get edge softness with your FF 5 D.

You may find your most useable apertures to be f 5.6, f8, and f 11. This lens is very good stopped down and the images are colorful and crisp.

What's nice about a lens like this is it allows you to "force the perspective" by shooting very close to your subject. It should be a great underwater landscape lens.

Ikelite has two wide angle ports for lenses like this: a regular 6" wide angle port, and an 8" dome port. Ask your Ike reps on the dive trip which port will be the best for that particular lens.

Good luck, be careful, and have fun.

Pete

As a DCS with cave certification, I have to agree with cicopo on the dive safety issue that he mentioned. After re-reading the OP, 30 years is a long time, if I remembered correctly, the 2 largest recreational diving accreditation schools were established sometime in the late 60's, early 70's, back then the standards are different.

I highly suggest getting your skill level back up again before attempting to do underwater photography.

even if you want to do general "landscape" style shots, you need excellent buoyancy control WITHOUT touching your BCD and without the use of your hands.

you need to stay still in a spot for at least 5 seconds if not more. that time is extended if you are thinking of macro shots.

on top of those, your SAC rate needs to go down down down.

and more often than not, if you are doing underwater photography, and with a DLSR, most likely, your buddy will be long gone by the time you get a image. Even on my recreational open water dives, where i toy around with a P&S, I dive with my single tank H-valve, cave setup.

when it comes to underwater photography, IMO, the mastery of your gear is two fold, and the more important one is the scuba gear, because you are in an environment where you can't stay alive without your gear.

with that aside, if you are going to spend that much on the Ikelite setup, why not cough up a little more and go with the Aquatica. it doesn't look like plastic and has a deeper depth rating. I'm saving up for the Aquatica because Eagles nest is my final goal, and I want to capture some images in there.

OT - Eagles Nests is a 300 ft deep cave system located here in florida, I'm still 3 long classes away from it.

Aaagogo wrote in post #5182000
As a DCS with cave certification, I have to agree with cicopo on the dive safety issue that he mentioned. After re-reading the OP, 30 years is a long time, if I remembered correctly, the 2 largest recreational diving accreditation schools were established sometime in the late 60's, early 70's, back then the standards are different.

I highly suggest getting your skill level back up again before attempting to do underwater photography.

even if you want to do general "landscape" style shots, you need excellent buoyancy control WITHOUT touching your BCD and without the use of your hands.

you need to stay still in a spot for at least 5 seconds if not more. that time is extended if you are thinking of macro shots.

on top of those, your SAC rate needs to go down down down.

and more often than not, if you are doing underwater photography, and with a DLSR, most likely, your buddy will be long gone by the time you get a image. Even on my recreational open water dives, where i toy around with a P&S, I dive with my single tank H-valve, cave setup.

when it comes to underwater photography, IMO, the mastery of your gear is two fold, and the more important one is the scuba gear, because you are in an environment where you can't stay alive without your gear.

with that aside, if you are going to spend that much on the Ikelite setup, why not cough up a little more and go with the Aquatica. it doesn't look like plastic and has a deeper depth rating. I'm saving up for the Aquatica because Eagles nest is my final goal, and I want to capture some images in there.

OT - Eagles Nests is a 300 ft deep cave system located here in florida, I'm still 3 long classes away from it.

I am truly amazed at all the advice I have been offered about diving when I asked a question about photography.

To all of you offering your unsolicited advice, thank you, but it is not only unnecessary, but offensive. I am perfectly aware of the changes in dive technology in the interval since my last dive. Even though PADI deems me perfectly qualified to dive, and any dive shop/resort would in all likelyhood rent me equipment, I am currently enrolled in a complete PADI Open Water Certification course. The trip I am planning to take will have a number of people on it, both divers and dive masters, as well as experienced underwater photographers. I am also set up for u/w photography lessons with the staff of the dive resort. I may look stupid, but I've managed to keep myself shiny side up for 53 years by being informed and qualified to do anything before I attempt it.

Please, if I or anyone else asks a question, limit yourself to that question. You have no knowledge of what someone might or might not be planning to do. Assuming to offer advice that is not solicited is just offensive.

Perhaps you might realize that the advice some of us have given re the diving side of the trip was due to the wording of your question. Because you didn't provide info stating that the housing would be free rather than bought at your own expense, plus stated that you were doing the course again we might have answered differently. HOWEVER, unless you will be diving where there is little to no current, and not much wave surge you still (in my opinion) have a very large challenge awaiting you if you are expecting great photos. My skills are up to date and I am a lifetime water person with a few years on you, and I seriously doubt I would enjoy diving with a housed DSLR in the places I dive. I have read far too many posts where someone is taking their certification course & expects to house their DSLR & take it under on their referal dives or first open water dives while on vacation.

Mark,

Hope you enjoy the dives, post some pictures when you get back! Wish I could go this year but I have other committments.

Mike

I have to agree with cicopo on what he said,

our suggestions and comments are based on what we read, naturally, red light comes on when something doesn't seem right. I assume that cicopo has seen his fair share of incompetent divers, instructors and dive masters.

I'm sure non of us are offering our comments in any condescending form or manner.

Now that you've given us more details about your OWC and what not, it's good. However, I still have to say, most of the dive accidents are actually caused by incompetent dive instructors and dive masters.

Been in the diving industry for a while, I've realized that having the certification of a dive instructor or dive master makes a lot of people have a big head and think they know all about diving.

The only requirement to be a dive instructor is only an OWC with 100 dives and at least 18 yrs of age. And I dare say, about 85% of the dive instructors don't know jack, they belong to the OW Instructors, the other 15% are the instructors involved in technical training.

I've seen instructors break their max depth for their training level, break the bottom time that I set for them while they're diving without a computer. I asked for training level on the dive trips that I lead, and when people reply with an instructor, I told them that's not important, I ask if they have any other advanced certification training.

Being a cave diver myself, I don't even dare to say that I've got all my diving stuff mastered and I've been in cave systems where I canceled my dive 5 mins into it because we saw a group of OW divers WITH their instructors in the entrance of a cave system. Me and my buddy surfaced with the group, pulled the instructor aside and chewed out the instructor and reported him to his school.

I hope you do have a fun dive, master your skills, don't trust the dive masters and instructors too much. I tell that to the dive groups that I lead. Not that I'm not confident of my own skills, but rather, in case of the worst case scenario, you got to be able to take care of yourself underwater.

sorry if I offended you in any manner.

cicopo wrote in post #5203031
Perhaps you might realize that the advice some of us have given re the diving side of the trip was due to the wording of your question. Because you didn't provide info stating that the housing would be free rather than bought at your own expense, plus stated that you were doing the course again we might have answered differently. HOWEVER, unless you will be diving where there is little to no current, and not much wave surge you still (in my opinion) have a very large challenge awaiting you if you are expecting great photos. My skills are up to date and I am a lifetime water person with a few years on you, and I seriously doubt I would enjoy diving with a housed DSLR in the places I dive. I have read far too many posts where someone is taking their certification course & expects to house their DSLR & take it under on their referal dives or first open water dives while on vacation.

My only issues with the 5D is the lack of high ISO usability. I have a 5D I'll sell you so you can have a backup for the trip. Once I moved to the 5DMKII's, I have 2 so I can have one in a housing, and one up on the boat, I've never touched the original 5D.

I dont use strobes, so most of my images are close to the surface, and I have to adjust the ISO quite a bit to compensate for the lighting issues, or lack of strobes. With the 5DMKII's, there is zero issues all the way up to ISO1600

I use a 16-35mm f/2.8 lens, but usually keep it set to around f/5.6, and strictly adjust the ISO

The super wide on the fullframe body is a great combo. I'm usually just snorkeling, so I just leave the lens set to 16mm and crop in while in Post.

Most of us with concern about a diver that is planning to do photography while relearning or learning to dive is that the task loading associated with that endeavor endangers them, their dive buddy, and the environment they are diving in. Don't take offense, that is not anyone's intent. We love our fellow divers and the places we dive. People biting off more than they can chew can lead to damaged or dead divers and reefs. We all want neither.

I hope you have a great trip, rediscover how awesome diving is and come home safely with some great shots!

FYI this thread is from 2008 and the OP's last post on the forum was 1yr ago.

I am not curious as to how his return to diving went and if he ended up doing any underwater photography.

Have a friend that regularly shoots with a 5d3+24L underwater, and it's a beautiful setup.

I would imagine that's a beautiful setup in any situation . But what are the results like? :P