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Re: [OM] Any scuba divers on the list?

Subject: Re: [OM] Any scuba divers on the list?
From: Mark Dapoz <md@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Tue, 6 Apr 1999 12:47:58 -0400 (EDT)
> I've been told for years that I'm nuts not to buy a modern AF SLR
> system -- am I even more crazy to do underwater photography with
> manual focus and exposure?  (Makes me think I should get a cheap,
> disposable OM-10 body if it will work in the housing.  If some
> day I see salt water pouring in, I'd rather see it hitting an
> OM-10 than an OM-1 :-)

It's been a while since I've done underwater photography, but here are
my thoughts on it.  MF is the only way to go, and realisitically it's
the only practical way of focusing.  You need to learn how to judge
the distance of your subject and set the focus on the lens appropriatly.
A large depth of field is key to getting your pictures in focus.  Forget
about using any focusing aids in the viewfinder, it'll be hard enough 
just trying to compose the subject.  You will also need a flash, and a
big one at that!  To get good results you have to have a very large
flash, much larger than anything your would use on the surface.  Without
a flash you will be limited to shooting at depths no deeper than 2-3m.
By 3m you will have lost most of the red part of the colour spectrum.
You also need the large flash output so that you can use a smaller f stop
and increase your depth of field.  Manual vs auto mode is not that big of
a deal since you will most likely be using a flash.  The camera will be set
to its sync speed so you only have to worry about the flash output.  Auto
flash mode is preferable since you don't always know how well the water is
transmitting the light (depends on the calarity of the water).

> Any other people on the list using their precious Olympus gear
> underwater?  Any advice for a new underwater photographer, other
> than obvious things like replacing all the O-rings on a used case
> so it doesn't flood the first time I use it?

I've never used any of my Olympus gear underwarer, I use a Nikonos V with an
SB102 flash.  As much as I love the Olympus stuff, it's no match for a
true underwater camera such as the Nikonos.  You can however still get good
results with a housing as long as you use a good underwater flash.  If
you do decide to pursue underwater photography be prepared to spends lots
of money.  Anything that's cheap usually doesn't work very well.
                                        -mark

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