Camera Reviews, Camera Accessories, DSLR Camera & More Information about your Camera » Underwater Photography

Samsung AQ100 dives in the pool of 2010 underwater cameras

kars.cam — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 06:03:46 +0000

Samsung Digital Imaging Co. announced its newest underwater digital camera, the Samsung AQ100. The latest underwater camera from Samsung can go up to 10 feet (3 meters) and has an Aqua mode button that optimizes underwater photography.

Samsung said the camera performs excellent on land with its 12 mega-pixel sensor and 5x optical zoom. You can frame and view photos on its 2.7 LCD screen. Samsung AQ100 shoots High Definition videos at 750 frames per second.

“Memories can happen at any given moment and in any environment,” said Steve Mitchell, General Marketing Manager, Samsung Digital Imaging. “Further diversifying and expanding the range of digital imaging solutions available from Samsung, consumers can rely on this durable compact to perform in the most challenging of environments as it’s built to last and feature packed for the highest-quality results.”

The Samsung AQ100 will be released very soon. Click back to Camera.co.uk to check for updates.

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Digital Camera Review: Sony TX5, The Thinnest & Smallest Underwater Camera

kars.cam — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 01:05:32 +0000

Is your body as beach worthy as the Sony Cyber-shot TX5, the thinnest and smallest underwater camera in the world? Hmmm, this Sony TX5, slimmest underwater camera is such an attention grabber it may be the diversion you need from that ‘holiday weight’ you’re trying to hide and shed.

Technology really is taking over real life when digital cameras, and an underwater one at that, is sexier than its owner. However, is there more to this Sony TX5 than just pure sexiness?

Yes! Sony made sure it’s first underwater camera is both brains and beauty. The Sony TX5, dubbed as the slimmest and thinnest certified waterproof camera, can go up to 10 feet deep, for an hour.

The TX5 may be as thin as a deck of cards but it’s a packed semi rugged camera. This means the Sony TX5 is also shockproof (it’ll survive a 5-foot drop), freeze proof (14°F), and dust proof. So you can use this point and shoot on the beach, on a rugged jungle trek, a safari or on your next snowboarding adventure.

The Sony TX5 also has a 3 inch touch screen LCD although it doesn’t have a viewfinder. But you can focus on your subject, operate the menu and share photos and videos with a touch of the screen—wet or dry.

The 10.2 mega pixel, thinnest underwater camera, has a 4x optical zoom.

The Sony TX5 also allows you to capture great underwater videos with its HD movie recording (1280 x 720 at 30p).

It is also Sony’s first digital camera with an “Exmor R” CMOS sensor.

Additionally, the 10.2 megapixel model is Sony’s first digital still camera with an “Exmor R” CMOS sensor.

Sony’s impressive “Exmor R” technology features a 10 frames-per-second continuous shooting burst mode. So the TX5 can capture that belly flop contest with much accuracy!

Another reason to buy the Sony TMX 5 is you can shoot panoramic photos of underwater or mountain views with the Intelligent Sweep Panorama™ feature.

The Intelligent Sweep Panorama™, another “Exmor R” sensor’s feature, combines separate captures, detects faces and subject motion and intelligently adjusts the width while stitching the images together, resulting in natural looking panoramic photos.

The “Exmor R” sensor also boast better light sensitivity for the Sony TX5.

It has a Backlight Correction High Dynamic Range (HDR. This allows for a better image in spite low light and backlight situations. HDR offers a solution for strong backlight situations which typically result in either dark shadows in the foreground or a washed out background. Sony’s “Exmor R” sensor and BIONZ® processor help to correct these issues.

Similar Sony’s newest point and shoot camera, the TX5 runs in both Memory Stick (PRO Duo) and class-four and above SD/SDHC memory cards.

Sony’s accessories for the TX5 underwater camera include a soft carrying case and a floating strap.

Priced at US$350 (it may be a bit hefty but you get what you pay for), it is available in silver, black, pink, red and green. You can get your hand on the Sony TX5 this April.

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Photography Tips: Solutions for 3 Common Underwater Photo Errors

Pam.lico — Mon, 04 Jan 2010 08:00:16 +0000

Into the deep

Anyone who has ever taken their camera under water can easily attest that taking photos in the deep is no easy feat. In pursuing photography under such conditions, you are likely to encounter cases like backscatter, loss of color, and light reflection on the diver’s mask. The great news is, these can easily be diagnosed.

If you haven’t tried underwater photography, it’s best that you read on.

Underwater Photography Error #1: Loss of color

When shooting 30 feet deep (or deeper) under water, warm colors get filtered out and turn everything into a monochromatic black and blue. This loss of color is often a result of minimal artificial light or too much distance between light and subject. Under water, objects appear 25% closer, so if you think you are close enough to shoot your subject, move 25% closer— but never nearer than the lens’s minimum depth of focus. Always keep in mind that water soaks up a lot of light so a maximum distance of 2 to 4 feet from the subject is most favorable; beyond 8 feet, you’ll have to count on natural light.

Underwater Photography Error #2: Backscatter

Backscatter is the effect of a camera’s strobe illuminating distracting particles that are suspended directly in front of your subject.

The particles take form in small specks or larger white blobs— this depends on the shape and focusing of the lens aperture. This error usually happens when the strobe is too close to the lens or when the water is really dirty.

Backscatter is remedied by moving the strobe away from the lens, ideally at a 45° angle above and to the side of the subject. The strobe must be aimed slightly beyond the visual perception of the subject’s location. If the water is very dirty, resort to close-up shots which lessens the distance (and the amount of water) between light and subject. If you must take wide shots, a distracting background is advised so that the particles will be less apparent.

Underwater Photography Error #3: Light reflection on the Diver’s Mask

The title is pretty self-explanatory, don’t you think? But we shall continue.

The error we are referring to here is the bright reflection on your diver’s mask. This occurs when the strobe is placed close to the lens, shining light directly into the mask, and causing it to reflect back into the camera lens. Like the backscatter, this can be remedied by placing your strobe at a 45° angle to your subject.

Resurfacing

There are a lot of other photography errors that occur underwater, but these 3 have got to be the most common— a shame considering how easy the remedies are. See, when you really think about it, it’s all about distance and angling, not so much on fancy equipment or complicated techniques.

Now aren’t you glad you’ve stumbled upon this?

For photography lessons turn to our digital photography tips .

Underwater Photography

Pam.lico — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 02:50:50 +0000

Nature has always been a favorite subject for a lot of photographers. It is instinctive for us humans to be fascinated with the diverse species that coexist with us in this planet. There are those who prefer shooting sceneries like land and water forms. The more adventurous ones are more likely to be inclined in taking photographs of the animals. For years, there have been several renowned nature photographers like Art Wolfe, Frans Lanting, and Galen Rowell. Their works have been featured in various magazines like the infamous National Geographic Magazine. Photography may have started as a mere hobby for them and somewhere along the way, it became their passion to open windows of new experiences to those who can’t physically be there to witness the wonders of nature as they did. They’ve brought us spectacular views of the different wildlife species through their lenses.

The same principle applies to underwater photography. Since we’ve been living on land for practically the whole of our lives, it is inevitable for us to wonder what lies beneath the deep blue colours of the ocean. Because of underwater photography, we are now more familiar with the different life forms that breed in the ocean floor. Our knowledge about certain parts of history is relived through the photos of shipwrecks and the like. A lot of licensed scuba divers have turned into professional underwater photographers since they have already become familiar with the marine life.

To be able to produce nicely framed underwater images, underwater photographers have to be in major stealth mode so as not to alarm the species that they are taking photos of. Documenting life under the sea level in the most accurate way possible through the use of photographs is both exciting and draining especially when certain situations like heavy currents and tidal flow present themselves at your feet.

Underwater photography is more demanding and tricky than any other type of nature photography that’s why it calls for the need of specialized photography tools and an expert performance when shooting. When shooting on land, the amount of light is sufficient that even an average point-and-shoot digital camera is capable of producing photos with bright colours and well-adjusted contrast. On the contrary, in the case of underwater photography, it often poses as a challenge to come up with images that are clear and vibrant in colour. When you are submerged in water, the whole lot of what you see is in the shades of blue and green. The colours around you are washed out because there is very little light source that can permeate from the surface of the ocean.

Underwater photographers have come up with different ways to address this kind of problem but eventually, they’ve settled on using specialized wide-angle lenses to cover “underwater landscapes” and of course, macro lenses for extreme close up shots. They were able to discern that the trick is to get as close as possible to your subjects to reduce the risk of suffering the loss of colours and contrast when shooting.

The other technique is to employ the use of flash. Seeing that light is a major issue in underwater photography, the most obvious solution is to make use of an alternative light source to help in correcting the colour quality of underwater images. As early as the year 1923, W.H. Longley and Charles Martin solved the puzzle when they produced the first ever coloured underwater photos with the help of a magnesium-powered flash. Most photographers said that as much as it helps with the colour quality of underwater images, the complications of underwater photography lie primarily in the use of flash (also known as strobes). The more recent digital camera models like the Canon EOS 40D (which you can use with the Sealux CC40) that make use of the through-the-lens (TTL) metering system that can provide assistance in underwater scenarios with low visibility.

These two techniques have been proven to be very efficient but needless to say, your capability to produce lifelike underwater images relies primarily on your camera. Investing on state-of-the-art camera equipment would probably cost you an arm and leg so it does not help that scuba diving in itself is a very costly hobby. This is what probably makes underwater photography more out of the ordinary since not everybody can practice it. But if you’ll look back to the year 1856 when a man who goes by the name of William Thompson took the earliest set of underwater photos with his pole-mounted camera, you’d get the idea that the comprehensive features equipped in modern digital underwater cameras like the SeaLife DC1000 series can justify their rather heavy price tags. Nikon used to carry the Nikonos, an underwater camera line patterned after Jean De Wouters’ Calypso Phot that was released in 1957. Both make use of 35mm films so it was only expected that Nikon stopped producing the Nikonos in the year 2001 although some photographers opt to use this brand even now when shooting.

To provide more options to underwater photographers and those aspiring to be one, manufacturers like Canon and Olympus has produced a line of specialized underwater housing that you can use together with your favorite digital cameras coming from their various series. For instance, the Canon WP-DC22 will work well with the Canon Digital Ixus 80 IS point-and-shoot camera. For higher image definition, you can make use of the DSLR-ish Olympus SP-560 UZ and pair it with the Olympus PT-037. It is advisable to use the same brand of digital camera and underwater housing but since these leading manufacturers don’t provide casings for each and every camera model, the Ewa-Marine, Fantasea, and Ikelite has made available generic underwater housing lines to suit most camera models. This is good news especially to Sony camera users because they can continue to enjoy their camera even if Sony decided to discontinue its underwater housing line. These generic underwater housing lines (which are relatively cheaper by the way) can offer you new shooting experiences whether you decide on going professional or when you simply want to bring your cameras with you for snorkeling and beach trips.

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