Camera Equipments

Underwater photography is entirely about unveiling a world that rests beneath the deep ocean. Underwater photography is reliving this strange and mysterious world to the people. It is a process of clicking beautiful photographs while underneath water.

Underwater photography is an art which requires an expert swimmer and also someone who knows deep sea diving techniques. This is a type of photography where it needs many special equipments and complete knowledge about the sea. Underwater environment provides a complete new world of opportunities for the photographer. An underwater photographer should be mentally prepared for the challenges hiding under the deep sea. Sometimes inevitable natural circumstances rise, wherein the photographer has to rely on his knowledge and instinct to come over the tricky situation.

Cameras and equipments:

There are many cameras that are available for underwater photography, but one should select specific camera according to the needs. There are many DSLR’s that are used by professional photographers that provide excellent images. Cannon rebel T3 and Nikon D5100 are the latest DSLR’s that are used by professional underwater photographers. Selection of DSLR’s is important because every camera does not have underwater housing. Canon EOS1Ds Mark III, Nikon D3x Digital SLR, Nikon D7000, Olympus e620 cameras were previously used. A camera with high fps and shutter speed should be selected for underwater photography.

Fisheye lens with wide angle are manufactured by various brands. One macro lens is also necessary to take 1:1 macro or close up underwater photographs. Nikon 10.5mm fish eye lens, Nikon 105mm macro lens, Canon 10-22mm wide angle lens are some useful lenses that will prove beneficial for underwater photography. Port is an equipment that all photographers use according to the variety of lenses. There are mainly 3 types of ports :

• Standard for normal lens
• Domes for wide-angle lens
• Extended for macro lens

Underwater housing is an important equipment that is pressure tested and waterlight that allows one to operate the camera beneath the sea. Usually underwater housings are manufactured by limited companies with plastic or aluminum. Manufacturers are making underwater housing for specific cameras depending on the demand.

A strobe is another important component for underwater photography which is basically a flash unit. The strobe restores the lost color and provides artificial light, bringing back the natural colors to the images. There are 2 types of strobes:

• Built in internal flash
• External strobe which is attached to the housing

A color corrective filter is surely needed, as the first colors one loses underwater are the wavelengths of orange and red. One should always carry a couple of extra batteries that will be extremely useful.