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Archive 2017 · Underwater photography: Canon 5d4 vs 1dx mark ii & Q on lenses

  
 
mrlnyc
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p.1 #1 · p.1 #1 · Underwater photography: Canon 5d4 vs 1dx mark ii & Q on lenses


Hi everyone -

Wanted to get some thoughts on here. I'm looking into purchasing a housing kit but can't decide which body I want to purchase it for. I am leaning toward 5d4 simply because it's my go to travel option when I am limited to one body. That said, 1dx video and FPS have me torn.

I'm mostly interested in wildlife, however imagine scenic wide angle shots will be what I end up capturing most. (won't be doing anything super deep water diving - upcoming trips that I'll use it on will be Australia (great coral reef) & Galapagos Islands.

Also regarding lenses, is it possible to use a 70-200 underwater or is it too dark for distance?

Appreciate the time and any recommendations on actual kits is helpful. Currently cannot find great feedback resources.

Thanks,
Manny



Aug 01, 2017 at 10:54 PM
Henry Lydecker
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p.1 #2 · p.1 #2 · Underwater photography: Canon 5d4 vs 1dx mark ii & Q on lenses


What sort of experience do you have with UW photography? Water is way more dense than air, and there are many negative impacts that this have on images; usually you counteract these by shooting as close to your subject as possible and using strobes. Fisheyes and ultra-wide zooms are very popular. Longer focal lengths are mostly used for macro photos; I wouldn't take a 70-200 underwater (and I'd be impressed to see a lens port big enough to even house one).

Here's a decent website with good tips and info (I'm not affiliated with them): http://www.uwphotographyguide.com/underwater-photography-guide-beginners

Have you thought about renting? I don't know about the Galapagos, but you can rent underwater kits in Cairns before you head out to the Great Barrier Reef.



Aug 01, 2017 at 11:53 PM
Paul Mo
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p.1 #3 · p.1 #3 · Underwater photography: Canon 5d4 vs 1dx mark ii & Q on lenses


Think along the lines of your 5D4 w/ 16-35 f2.8L II - Ikelite housing and port.


Aug 02, 2017 at 12:46 AM
Cicopo
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p.1 #4 · p.1 #4 · Underwater photography: Canon 5d4 vs 1dx mark ii & Q on lenses


Underwater photography is VERY different than land based & wide to macro are your true choices. Even if there's a port for a zoom like a 70-200 (which I'd find as a big surprise unless very expensive) how do you think you will operate the zoom? Your enemies in underwater photography are the wave surge or current & the impurities in the water. Shooting things farther out than 20 feel is rarely a clean shot. Are you at least certified? If this is for just snorkeling a good P & S that shoots RAW in a housing will do very well. This is the kind of shot you get shooting something maybe 50 feet away.

IMG_0732v1 by ci_copo, on Flickr

Edited to add this photo which wasn't on line. Taken in 2007 specifically to show what a DSLR in a housing looks like from a bulk point of view. That's a then new top of the line 5D in a good housing with 1 strobe & 1 spotting light. It takes good skills to operate something like that in a current or wave surge. If you're certified can you dive without using your hands to control your buoyancy throughout most of a dive. If you can't you're not ready for a big rig.

IMG_3171 by ci_copo, on Flickr



Aug 02, 2017 at 02:36 PM
Cicopo
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p.1 #5 · p.1 #5 · Underwater photography: Canon 5d4 vs 1dx mark ii & Q on lenses


These links may help.

https://www.scubaboard.com/community/forums/underwater-photography.3/

http://www.wetpixel.com/



Aug 03, 2017 at 07:49 AM
Matisha
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p.1 #6 · p.1 #6 · Underwater photography: Canon 5d4 vs 1dx mark ii & Q on lenses


Look into that article about underwater photography it may be helpful http://fixthephoto.com/blog/photo-tips/underwater-photography-tips.html (don't know how experienced you are). Hope to see your pictures soon.


Aug 15, 2017 at 11:32 AM
AlanYoungblood
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p.1 #7 · p.1 #7 · Underwater photography: Canon 5d4 vs 1dx mark ii & Q on lenses


I will echo what everyone else has said.

If you are going to put a dslr in the water you really need an aluminum housing such as a Subal, Nauticam, Aquatica, Seacam, etc. The reasons are many. handling, durability, image quality, ease of use.

Most photos underwater are taken between inches to about 5 feet or less from the subject. There are exceptions of course shipwrecks, big animals and other large things. The point is you need to be as close as you can. Extreme Wide angle and fisheye lenses are the standard lens. a 70-200 is out of the question underwater.

Even with the really stellar technical capability, high ISO ability and everything else a modern DSLR offers, you still need a strobe. Two actually.

If you add it all up, a 5d Mk 4 underwater package will cost you about $10,000. Even if that was not an issue for you, you'll want to take a lot of pictures uw before you head to a fabulous place like the galapagos.

All that said, I was on a trip to Cuba recently and some of the folks had GoPro 5's, They used the set of filters BackScatter sells and got some very nice looking footage. I was very impressed. That might be an option to consider.



Aug 23, 2017 at 11:31 PM
Michael White
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p.1 #8 · p.1 #8 · Underwater photography: Canon 5d4 vs 1dx mark ii & Q on lenses


You might want to check out the underwater forum on canon photography on the net. I recall some threads discussing first time use photography that might make it easier on you from both the diver side and the photographer side.


Aug 24, 2017 at 05:22 PM





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