Equipment--Cameras, Lenses, Strobes, Housings, Film, etc.

Digital cameras have made enormous improvements in quality and performance making them the best choice for most users. Film still provides better dynamic range and resolution but the best digital SLR's are getting close. Digital images from good cameras will appear sharper than film because of the lack of grain, provided they are taken at low sensitivity.

In the past, images for publication were best taken with positive transparency or slide films. Today most clients prefer digital files on CD or sent via the web. Layout is done with computers. In essence commercial photography is all digital now, whether taken with a digital camera or scanned from film, and film is relegated to the realm of fine art.

For underwater photographers I recommend a digital camera for ease of use, negligible cost-per-shot, and instant feedback. Now anyone with a combination of the right equipment, basic instruction, and artistic sense can create lasting memories of the aquatic world.

Note: most of the images on this website were taken with slide film. We switched to digital in 2006.

As mentioned above, the physical size of lenses and image sensors affect the quality of images they create. Consider that many image sensors and lenses have not changed in size while the number of individual pixels continue to increase with each model year, as technology allows them to be made smaller. Pixels are becoming so small that less light falls directly into them, instead some of it bounces off the raised walls of each unit, reducing quality and increasing digital noise.

DSLR image sensors are several times larger than P&S sensors. Rather than packing four times as many tiny pixels onto a DSLR sensor, manufacturers make the pixels larger allowing more light to fall into each one. In combination with large lenses that are easier to manufacture to high standards, DSLR image quality is much better than P&S models.

The general consensus is that digital noise is so evident from high-megapixel cameras, especially compact models, that the megapixel race is coming to an end based on current technology. There is little benefit from upgrading beyond 6 - 8 MP.

Most folks will be happy with a compact P&S camera, combining portability and affordability. In general, traditional Japanese camera manufacturers are the best choice for performance and housing options, but check their website beforehand to make sure one is available. Canon, Olympus, and Casio sell housings for several current models. These are ideal in terms of size, cost, and access to all camera functions. Needless to say, touch-screen cameras won't work well in a housing. Price of a decent camera and housing should be somewhere between $400 - $700 dollars. Ikelite builds housings for more models and provide options for flash and conversion lenses if you want to upgrade but are more bulky and costly.

P&S cameras are especially good for close-ups of stationary or slow-moving subjects, some cameras able to produce nearly life size magnification while maintaining a comfortable working distance between 3 - 5 inches from the lens. Macro capability with flash varies so I recommend you try out a few models before buying.

Using the built-in lens and flash, these cameras are poor to good for normal and wide scenes. Some housings accommodate add-on lenses and flash for better wide-angle performance at considerable cost. Because the flash is so close to the lens, backscatter or light reflected by particles in the water, are a major problem.

In general, images taken with even the best P&S camera are not acceptable for publication. This is due to physical limitations of tiny lenses and image sensors when compared to DSLR's of identical megapixel (Mp) rating. Reduced sharpness, optical aberrations, and noise are problems apparent with most P&S images. However these shortcomings are not obvious to the untrained eye and most users will be satisfied with their work.