Finding the proper lens.

Hello guys,

I'm in the process of updating my underwater camera equipment. For the last few years, I've been using an old coolpix 5000 in an ikelite housing with an ikelite DS 125 strobe. The photos I get using this system are OK but, I want to move up to a newer better resolution camera/housing combination. With this in mind, I purchased a Nikon D 90 before the holidays and have been taking alot of topside photos with it and am really impressed with what this camera can do and can't wait to get in the water with it. I'm planning on getting probably another ikelite housing. I had a few small problems with my old ikelite housing, but I managed to get alot of use out of it with no major problems. I'm in need of a little advice concerning the proper lens for this setup. I live in maine and do all of my underwater work there. The underwater visibility in maine usually isn't very good and most of my shots are close in, within say 5 or 6 feet max and I usually need to use the strobe as ambient light is generally poor. Any advice that anyone could give about what camera lens I should be considering would be greatly appreciated.

Steve K

The following are the most popular lenses for underwater photography.

Wide Angle:

Tokina 10-17 Fisheye

Nikkor 10.5 Fisheye

Tokina or Nikkor 12-24

Macro:

60mm

105VR

Start with a 60mm, I think almost everybody has one :-)

Hope it helps !

What do you shoot?

If you shoot from 6', I guess that you shoot large things.

Try a 10.5mm or the 10-17mm (don't forget to have a zoom gear), but get closer (2'-3').

Fewer people shoot wide-angle in cold water, so your images are a bit different from the beginning.

Here are examples with my most useful green-water lenses:

10.5mm

60mm macro

Tim

Steve K

Thanks for your advice guys. I decided to go with the 60mm and the Tokina 10-17 fisheye.