Ignorant wants Digital Cam Info for Pro

I am an ignorant, please forgive me .

My brother is a diving pro and an U/W photography pro. He currently does not own a digital cam. He curretly uses a (non digital) Nikonos 5 UW cam + sophisticated lenses and full equipment (lighting/arms, you name it).

We would like to help him upgrade to an excellent U/W digital cam.

Could you help me with recommendations and reasons for your recommendation.

Please forgive my ignorance, what is the difference between a cam with and without housing?

What is best?

What would he need to take incredible digital pictures at a professional level?

Your help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks.

Sylvia

although i am far from an U/W pro, i can tell u the difference of casing and no casing. as far as i know there are no digicams that come w/ underwater casings like regular film cameras like the Nikon Nikonos series.

The casing is usually an acrylic box of sorts that you can place the camera in and have full control over all the features, but through extentions to the buttons through the casing while underwater.

hth

fabio

So, does that mean that you use a standard digital camera and the housing is the envelope that "protects" it and through which you have control?

exactly that!

Hi!

Find the digital (SLR-) camera of your choice (Nikon, Canon, whatever you like, a digital backpack, even for the 6x6 Hasselblad is now available) and find a housing. If you can't find a housing, find a manufacturer willing to do a prototype for you. Some do it, even at a reasonable price. Speaking of professional, money shouldn't be that important as if you're a "one week once a year" diver who has to support a family ;-)

Profesional housings are built from metal or carbon fibre. Depending on the number of levers and pushbuttons, the support for different lenses etc., they add an item to your shopping cart between EUR/USD 1200 and 3000 (open ended!). Depending on the camera you may use the lighting equipment from the Nikonos.

You should have a look at Digideep. It'll help you in finding a housing for a growing number of digital cameras.

Helge ;-)=)

It is difficult to buy a camera for someone else as the choices depend on personal preferences.

I just obrained a Fuji S2 and am very happy with it - it is supposed to be professional (is 6 million pixels). The Nikonos line is a fully amphibious camera system - these systems are specialized, cost a lot for the features you get, are small (and easier to swim against a current with), and have great optics. Many professionals are moving away from dedicated uw cameras and using advanced land cameras in housings. The housing makes the camera bulkier underwater but allows the use of feature rich mass produced cameras. I expect that there are housing for many common film and digital land cameras.

It is difficult to buy a camera for someone else as the choices depend on personal preferences.

 

I just obrained a Fuji S2 and am very happy with it - it is supposed to be professional (is 6 million pixels). The Nikonos line is a fully amphibious camera system - these systems are specialized, cost a lot for the features you get, are small (and easier to swim against a current with), and have great optics. Many professionals are moving away from dedicated uw cameras and using advanced land cameras in housings. The housing makes the camera bulkier underwater but allows the use of feature rich mass produced cameras. I expect that there are housings for many common film and digital land cameras.

It is difficult to buy a camera for someone else as the choices depend on personal preferences.

I just obrained a Fuji S2 and am very happy with it - it is supposed to be professional (is 6 million pixels). The Nikonos line is a fully amphibious camera system - these systems are specialized, cost a lot for the features you get, are small (and easier to swim against a current with), and have great optics. Many professionals are moving away from dedicated uw cameras and using advanced land cameras in housings. The housing makes the camera bulkier underwater but allows the use of feature rich mass produced cameras. I expect that there are housings for many common film and digital land cameras.