WA Lens for Video

Interested in adding a lens for WA video on a Nikon D7000. At the moment, considering the Tokina 10-17, Sigma 8-16, and Nikon 10-24.

I'd be shooting in somewhat limited visibility waters (mostly Southern California), both reefs and wrecks. Would eventually want to shoot stills, but the primary use of this lens would be UW video. Topside still use would also be a bonus.

I know plenty of people love their Tokina 10-17, but is this a good lens for video in darker waters? How is it topside? Can it be satisfactorily de-fished with DxO or other software?

I assume an 8" dome (minimum) would be recommended for any of these lenses?

Thanks for your suggestions!

From my limited experience with DSLR video, I would have thought the Tokina 11-16mm would be a nice WA video lens. That said, I don't have one and have been using the 10-17mm, though I find it is too wide at times (difficult to light) and the fisheye barrel distortion doesn't do the video any favours.

Checkout some of my stuff at http://damiensiviero.com/category/video/, almost all shot using tokina 10-17, mostly at 17mm which is why I'm thinking of buying a rectangle wide lens such as the 11-16mm.

I agree with Damien,

I used the Tokina 10-17mm with my limited video use on my Nikon D90. I found trying to light up the area with the lens on 10mm hard especially in dark areas (inside caves etc etc). But I liked it at 10mm when using it natural light.

I should have my D7000 housing soon so I can give you a better understanding.

Regards Mark

I'm also concerned about lighting. I will *not* be shooting in areas with very good ambient light (darker, green water, and deepish). Damien, what were you using for the lighting in your videos (which are great by the way!)? I have dual 35W HIDs with video reflectors that I'd be looking to use. I think the Tokina would be an incredibly hard sell at 10mm, but your footage at 17mm looked like it might work. Was nice to see that the distortion (for either the wrecks or divers) wasn't too noticeable at 17mm.

Does anyone have any UW video using either the Sigma 8-16mm or the Nikon 10-24mm?

Mark, look forward to what you have to say when your D7000 housing arrives!

For the most part I've been using 1-2 DIY LED light heads. Each emits a total of ~1600 lumens with a ~120-140 degree beam. They're extremely wide, though even two of them only barely covers the Tokina @ 10mm adequately.

A single one of those LED lights at 17mm isn't enough either, so I'd seriously question whether two 35w HIDs could do the job. I'm basing that on the limited beam angles that I've seen on HID's with video diffusers (most of which have been 60 degrees max).

Thanks, Damien.

Being able to throw enough light is definitely one of my concerns. Even your 160' wrecks have a lot more ambient light than what we typically see here in Southern California.

Do you know of any videos using either the Sigma 8-16mm or the Nikon 10-24mm (or 12-24mm)? While I'd probably prefer the Tokina 10-17mm for UW stills, one of those other lenses might work better for UW video and as a topside lens.

I can't help you with the Sigma or the common 10-20mm lens space, though I do have a Canon 20-35mm that I'm going to try out. I would have done so today but the boats got cancelled due to weather I'm particularly interested in what it can do at the 20mm end, though I'll just have to wait and see. I doubt it'll be wide enough underwater, particularly for the wrecks we typically dive but I'm more thinking fish, people and scooter based sequences.

I see you're a Nikon man, but I've also been considering a Canon 16-35mm f/2.8 for land and underwater video use. At 16mm it's still pretty wide and at f/2.8 it got a full stop more light than what I'm currently using. I presume there is a Nikon equivalent.

PS. I did a few dives in Monterey and found the conditions very similar to the mid/south east coast of Australia (a dam sight colder though!). The 160' wrecks you mention are on a good days.