Underwater Photography Checklist

A professional underwater photographer’s guide for the enthusiastic amateur.

Recently, a fellow photographer preparing for a trip to south east asia asked me: What is your pre-dive / during dive / post-dive checklist for underwater photography. - Here is what I wrote to him!

 

Basic Setup

• Batteries Charged: Ensure all camera, strobe, and dive computer batteries are fully charged.
• Memory Cards: Verify you have sufficient space (and spares) on your memory cards.

Pre-Dive

1. Assemble and Seal the Housing
• Securely mount the camera in the housing.
• Check O-ring cleanliness and lubrication before closing.
• Perform a quick test shot to confirm autofocus and strobe triggering.
• Attach the port/lens cover to protect the glass until entry.
2. Dive Computer Placement
• Some photographers attach the dive computer to a strobe arm so it’s never forgotten when jumping into the water (make sure to place it on your wrist when starting the dive).
• Wear it on your wrist—just confirm you have it before you leave.
3. Personal Gear Check
• Suit up in your wetsuit/drysuit and have fins, mask, and other gear ready.
• Plan how you will handle your camera entry: handing it from the boat or jumping in with it.
4. Preparing for the Boat or Shore Entry
• Transport the camera with care—ensure it’s placed securely to avoid damage.
• Communicate with the boat crew or shore team about handing your camera to you in the water if needed.
• In strong currents or rough conditions, it may be safer to jump in with the camera.
5. Final Check Just Before Entry
• Power on the camera and strobes.
• Double-check your tank valve is open and gear is secure.
• Let the boat crew hand you the camera a in after you jumped.
• If using a coil lanyard or clip, attach the camera to your BCD for safe entry.
6. Descent Routine
• While descending, position your strobes/arms and confirm everything is functioning.
• Watch for any leaks as you start the dive—check for bubbles or water intrusion.

During the Dive

1. Capture as Many Images as Possible
• Make the most of your time underwater.
• If currents are strong, use a reef hook (where allowed) for stability while waiting for larger marine life.
2. Quick Review
• Briefly check the LCD for exposure (use the histogram if possible).
• Zoom in to verify focus if you’re unsure of sharpness.
• Minimize these checks to avoid losing buoyancy control or bumping into the reef.
3. Situational Awareness
• Maintain good buoyancy; keep a safe distance from corals, rocks, and other divers.
• Perform any necessary adjustments in a stable, safe position.
4. End of Dive Procedures
• During your safety stop, fold in the strobe arms or secure them close to the housing.
• Optionally, switch off camera and strobes to save battery.
5. Surfacing with the Camera
• Hand the camera to the boat crew first if conditions allow.
• Remove fins and exit the water efficiently.
• Stay aware of other divers at the ladder or exit point to avoid congestion.
6. Exit the Water
• Safely climb the ladder to the boat.
• Place and secure your dive gear.
• Ensure immediately the camera is in a safe place, secured to avoid damage.

Post-Dive

1. Rinse and Secure
• Place the camera in a dedicated freshwater rinse tank if available.
• Gently soak to remove salt.
2. Dive Computer
• Some clip it back onto the strobe arm or wear it on the wrist—personal preference. Make sure you have it ready for the next dive.
3. Gear Organization
• Remove and store your wetsuit/drysuit and other gear properly.
• Keep the camera in freshwater until you’re ready to dry it.
4. Drying the Housing
• After rinsing, carefully dry the housing with a microfiber towel or use compressed air to clear water from buttons and seals.
5. Opening the Housing
• Move to a dry, clean area.
• Remove and recharge batteries in both camera and strobes.
• Take out the memory card (often done at day’s end) and transfer images for backup.
6. Maintaining O-Rings
• Clean and re-lubricate the main housing O-ring and any port O-rings as needed.
• Inspect for damage or debris. Replace if necessary.
7. Preparation for the Next Dive
• Confirm if the next dive will focus on wide-angle or macro; set up accordingly.
• If you know your next lens choice, install and prepare the correct port in advance.

Maintenance Kit Essentials

Keep a small kit handy for quick repairs, adjustments, and O-ring maintenance:

• Swiss Army Knife (or Multi-Tool): Great for cutting, tightening, and small fixes.
• Lens Blower & Microfiber Cleaning Cloth: Safely remove dust and water droplets from lens and ports.
• Spare O-Rings: Have replacements for the main housing, strobes, and ports (button O-rings can be tricky, but replacements for the primary ones are crucial).
• Allen (Hex) Keys & Zip Ties: Useful for tightening clamps, arms, or other housing components.
• Guitar Pick: Ideal for gently removing O-rings without damaging them.
• O-Ring Grease: Use only the lubricant recommended by the manufacturer.
• Cotton Swabs (Q-tips): Helpful for detailed O-ring cleaning in grooves and corners.
• Lens/Glasses Cleaning Wipes: Can be used to clean lens surfaces or gently wipe around O-rings (ensure they’re free from harsh chemicals).

Pro Tips for a Smooth Experience

• Plan Ahead: Talk with your dive guide about potential subjects so you’re prepared for macro or wide-angle opportunities.
• Charge Often: Even if your battery can last two days, it’s best to recharge after each day or each dive session to minimize risks.
• Protect Your Gear: Keep your camera station organized on the boat; others might not appreciate how delicate it is.
• Check Regularly: A quick post-dive inspection helps catch minor leaks or issues before the next dive.
• Conserve Air & Focus: Limit fiddling with settings mid-dive; maintain good buoyancy to avoid collisions with coral or other divers.

Enjoy your underwater adventures!
Capture every magical moment beneath the surface—while respecting and preserving the marine environment. Safe diving and happy shooting!

Delving Deep: The World of Rare Underwater Lenses

Underwater photography is a mesmerizing realm, where light, colors, and clarity converge in ways unlike anywhere else. Capturing this magical underwater universe requires specialized gear, with lenses being at the heart of it all. While many photographers are acquainted with popular underwater optics, the universe of rare underwater lenses remains mostly uncharted. In this post, we'll plunge into some of the most elusive and coveted lenses designed specifically for capturing Neptune's kingdom.

1. Nikonos 13mm f/2.8

This lens, designed for the Nikonos underwater camera system, is a legendary piece. The Nikonos 13mm was not just the widest lens for the system but was also amphibious, meaning it worked both in and out of water. Its unique construction and top-tier optical performance have made it a collector's favorite.

Underwater camera housing manufacturer SeaCam has developed an option in order to use this extraordinary lens with exceptional optical performance on DSLR cameras.

2. Sea & Sea 12mm f/13 Fish-Eye

Built specifically for underwater use, the Sea & Sea 12mm offered a stunning 167° angle of view. It was praised for its minimal distortion and ability to capture wide vistas, making it perfect for shooting expansive coral reefs or schools of fish.

3. Hugyfot 150mm f/2.8

While wide-angle lenses dominate the underwater scene, there's a demand for macro optics to capture the smaller denizens of the deep. The Hugyfot 150mm is a gem in this category. Known for its razor-sharp imagery, it allows photographers to get up close and personal with tiny marine creatures.

4. Zeiss Divegon 16mm f/5.6

Zeiss, a name synonymous with optical excellence, once ventured into underwater photography with the Divegon series. The 16mm was a standout, offering impeccable sharpness and color rendition, capturing the ethereal beauty of underwater landscapes.

5. Subal 3D Underwater Housing for Canon EF 8-15mm f/4L

While technically not a lens, this housing deserves mention. Created for the Canon EF 8-15mm lens, it allowed for 3D underwater photography – a rarity in itself. The housing combined two Canon lenses, paving the way for capturing underwater worlds in mesmerizing 3D.

Why the Pursuit of Rare Underwater Lenses?

The deep-sea allure is evergreen, and unique challenges emerge when shooting beneath the waves. Rare lenses, often born from specific needs or inventive collaborations, offer underwater photographers opportunities to see and depict the marine world differently. The unique rendering of colors, contrasts, and field-of-view these lenses provide can elevate an image from ordinary to extraordinary.

Final Bubbles

Navigating the abyss of rare underwater lenses is a journey filled with tales of innovation, dedication, and passion. They stand as beacons for those photographers wishing to portray the undersea world in ways less traveled. For the ardent underwater photographer or the discerning collector, these lenses are a testimony to humanity's endeavor to capture the ethereal beauty that exists below the surface.

Adobe Lightroom for Underwater Photographers: Capabilities and New Features

Adobe Lightroom has been a preferred choice for photo editing and organization for years. As a software, it blends simplicity with powerful editing tools to transform images in an intuitive and non-destructive way. One specific genre of photographers that greatly benefits from Lightroom's capabilities are underwater photographers. This article aims to shed light on how Adobe Lightroom supports the creative endeavors of underwater photographers and the newest features that make it a strong tool.

Adobe Lightroom for Underwater Photographers

Underwater photography is a unique discipline that has its own set of challenges, especially when it comes to post-processing. Adobe Lightroom offers several tools and capabilities specifically suited to addressing these challenges.

White Balance and Color Correction

The first significant issue for underwater photographers is the color distortion caused by the water's depth. As you go deeper, the light spectrum changes and images tend to skew toward the blue or green end of the spectrum. Adobe Lightroom comes with advanced color correction capabilities, allowing photographers to adjust white balance post-capture, bringing back the true colors of the underwater scene.

Noise Reduction

Underwater photographers often need to crank up the ISO to deal with the relatively low-light conditions underwater, which could introduce noise. Lightroom's noise reduction capabilities can help to manage and reduce noise, maintaining the clarity and crispness of the photograph. Specially the new AI based noise reduction algorithm does a pretty good job.

Lens Corrections

Underwater housings and ports can distort images, causing aberrations. Adobe Lightroom has a lens correction feature that can fix this distortion, providing the ability to manually adjust the vertical and horizontal perspective as well as correcting for chromic aberrations.

Detail Enhancement

Often, intricate details of the underwater life may get lost due to limited light and water clarity. Lightroom’s clarity, texture, and dehaze sliders can enhance these details, making the image more vibrant and revealing the hidden beauty of the underwater world.

Newest Features in Adobe Lightroom (as of 2023)

Adobe continually enhances Lightroom with newer features, making it even more powerful for underwater photographers.

Super Resolution

With the Super Resolution feature, photographers can now upscale their photos without losing details. This feature uses machine learning to increase the resolution of the photo, which could be beneficial for printing large format images or for heavy cropping.

Advanced Color Grading

The color grading tool, an upgrade on the older split toning, allows photographers to apply color tints to the shadows, midtones, and highlights separately. For underwater photographers, this feature can help achieve more creative color grading, helping the underwater life in the image to stand out.

Faster Performance

Adobe has made significant strides in improving Lightroom's performance, resulting in faster import, preview generation, and export times. A smooth and responsive editing experience is invaluable for photographers with large batches of underwater photos.

Improved Masking

The recent updates have introduced a new Masking panel which includes Select Subject and Select Sky. These can be particularly helpful for underwater photographers when editing creatures or specific underwater features. As well as in the process of removing backscatter particles.

Presets and Profiles

While not entirely new, Adobe Lightroom continues to expand its offering of built-in presets and creative profiles, which could provide a good starting point for editing underwater photos, and help in maintaining a consistent style.

To conclude, Adobe Lightroom offers a wealth of features that can help underwater photographers overcome the unique challenges posed by their genre. The continuous updates and added features keep enhancing its capabilities, maintaining Lightroom's position as an indispensable tool in the digital darkroom for underwater photographers.

As an underwater photographer: What can I do with Nikon Z8 what I am not able to do with a Nikon D800?

As my current photography setup - with a focus on underwater photography - is based on the Nikon D8, I ask myself if the Nikon Z8 should be my step into mirrorless.

The Nikon Z8, as a more recent model, incorporates several advancements over the Nikon D800, offering several features and capabilities that are not available in the older camera. Here are some key differences and advantages of the Nikon Z8 compared to the Nikon D800:

1. Mirrorless Design: The Nikon Z8 is a mirrorless camera, while the Nikon D800 is a DSLR (Digital Single-Lens Reflex) camera. The mirrorless design eliminates the need for a mechanical mirror and pentaprism, resulting in a more compact and lightweight body for the Z8. This makes it more portable and easier to handle, especially in underwater environments.

2. Electronic Viewfinder (EVF): The Nikon Z8 features an electronic viewfinder, whereas the Nikon D800 utilizes an optical viewfinder. An EVF provides a real-time preview of the image, displaying exactly what the sensor captures. It offers advantages such as exposure simulation, focus peaking, and the ability to review images directly in the viewfinder, which can be particularly useful for underwater photographers in challenging lighting conditions.

   And, not having to change position in order to review the just shot image on an external display can be essential. Specially, as in underwater photography one moves really close to the subject in order to minimise the density of particles in the water between subject and lens.

3. Higher Resolution: The Nikon Z8 boasts a higher resolution than the Nikon D800. While the D800 offers an impressive 36.3 megapixels, the Z8 takes it a step further with a 60-megapixel full-frame sensor. This higher resolution allows for capturing more detail and provides flexibility for cropping or printing large-format images.

4. Enhanced Low-Light Performance: The Nikon Z8 incorporates improved low-light capabilities compared to the Nikon D800. Its larger pixel size, better ISO performance, and advanced noise reduction algorithms enable it to capture cleaner and more detailed images in low-light situations, which is beneficial for underwater photography where light diminishes as you go deeper.

5. Advanced Autofocus System: The Nikon Z8 features a more advanced autofocus system compared to the Nikon D800. It utilizes Nikon's latest autofocus technology, which includes a higher number of focus points, improved subject tracking, and enhanced speed and accuracy. This allows for more precise and reliable autofocus performance, even in challenging underwater conditions with fast-moving subjects.

   That might be another "killer feature" given subjects in nature photography often move quickly and getting the focus spot right is key for good quality pictures.

6. 4K Video Recording: While both cameras offer video capabilities, the Nikon Z8 provides 8K video recording, whereas the Nikon D800 is limited to Full HD (1080p) video. The ability to shoot in 8K resolution allows for higher-quality video footage with more detail and flexibility in post-processing.

7. Connectivity and Features: The Nikon Z8 incorporates modern connectivity options, such as built-in Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, which facilitate wireless image transfer and remote camera control using compatible devices like smartphones or tablets. Additionally, the Z8 offers improved in-camera features like in-body image stabilization, multiple exposure modes, and enhanced creative options, allowing for more creative control over your underwater photography.

It's important to note that while the Nikon Z8 offers these advancements, the Nikon D800 still remains a capable camera with excellent image quality. However, if you are specifically looking for the latest features, improved performance, and the benefits of a mirrorless design, the Nikon Z8 provides a significant upgrade in terms of resolution, low-light capabilities, autofocus performance, and video capabilities, which can enhance your underwater photography experience.

Use of 60mm vs. 105mm macro lenses in underwater macro photography

Up to now, I shot all my underwater macro photography with a 105mm macro lens and eventually an external close up lens. This week I got a 60mm macro lens and I am curious what this will add to my underwater macro work.

When it comes to underwater macro photography, the choice of lens is crucial. Two popular options are the 60mm and 105mm macro lenses. While both have their benefits, they have different uses and purposes. In this article, we will delve into the differences between these two lenses and how they can enhance your underwater macro photography.

Focal Length

The most significant difference between the 60mm and 105mm macro lenses is their focal length. The 60mm lens has a shorter focal length, making it ideal for shooting smaller subjects or those that require close-up shots. On the other hand, the 105mm lens has a longer focal length, which is useful for capturing subjects that are further away or larger.

Working Distance
Another difference between the two lenses is the working distance. The working distance is the distance between the lens and the subject when the lens is focused on it. The 105mm lens has a longer working distance than the 60mm lens. This makes it easier to capture subjects that are more skittish or likely to move away when approached. The longer working distance also means that the 105mm lens can be used to capture subjects that are more dangerous or venomous.

Depth of Field
Depth of field refers to the range of distance in an image that appears sharp and in focus. The depth of field is affected by several factors, including the aperture setting and the distance between the lens and the subject. The 105mm lens has a shallower depth of field than the 60mm lens. This can be beneficial when you want to isolate a specific part of the subject or when you want to create a shallow depth of field effect.

Size and Weight
The size and weight of the lenses are also important factors to consider. The 60mm lens is generally smaller and lighter than the 105mm lens. This makes it easier to handle and maneuver, especially when shooting in tight spaces or underwater. The smaller size also makes it more convenient to travel with, as it takes up less space and adds less weight to your gear.

Price
Finally, the price is another factor to consider. The 60mm lens is generally less expensive than the 105mm lens. This makes it a more accessible option for photographers who are just starting with underwater macro photography or those who have a tighter budget.

In conclusion, both the 60mm and 105mm macro lenses have their advantages and disadvantages. The 60mm lens is more suitable for shooting smaller subjects or those that require close-up shots, while the 105mm lens is better for capturing larger or more distant subjects. The working distance, depth of field, size, weight, and price are all factors that you should consider when deciding which lens to use. Ultimately, the best lens for you will depend on your specific needs and preferences as a photographer.

Pygmy In Love

Once upon a time, in the vibrant waters of the Indo-Pacific Ocean, there lived two young pygmy seahorses, named Sirena and Marlin. They lived in the heart of a beautiful red gorgonia coral, swaying with the gentle currents of the ocean.

Sirena and Marlin had known each other since they were just babies and as they grew older, they found themselves drawn to each other. They would spend their days swimming and exploring the coral reef together, and their nights cuddled up in the safety of the red gorgonia.

But their love was not meant to be easy, for there was a fierce storm brewing in the ocean. The powerful currents threatened to tear apart their home and separate them forever. But Sirena and Marlin refused to let their love be destroyed. They fought against the storm with all their might, using their tiny fins to guide their home to safety.

Through their determination and love, they were able to save the red gorgonia coral home and their love was stronger than ever.

As a symbol of their love and devotion, they changed their colors to match the vibrant red of the gorgonia coral, becoming known as the "red seahorses of love" among the sea creatures. They lived happily in the coral reef for many years, and their love story became a legend among the ocean dwellers.

One day, a group of divers stumbled upon their home and were awestruck by the sight of the two seahorses, their matching red colors and the tale of their love and bravery. They shared the story with the world, and Sirena and Marlin's love became an inspiration to all.

Sirena and Marlin's love for each other was as enduring as the ocean itself, and their story would be told for generations to come.

The end.

Get the fine art print of Sirena and Marlin's love for your wall with a special discount (discount code: PYGMY) applied at checkout.