Any diver or ocean lover knows how vastly different the underwater world is from what we see every day. It’s what makes underwater photography so interesting, as you get to marvel at surreal creatures and breathtaking marine ecosystems. However, it’s not as simple as taking photos on dry land; you need a lot more care, special equipment, and training to navigate the waters easily.

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The wide range of available gear may also be a little overwhelming for a beginner, so to help you in your search, here’s what you’ll need:

Underwater camera

The most basic piece of equipment you need is a waterproof camera, like the Olympus Tough TG-6 and SeaLife DC2000. Action cameras such as the ones by GoPro can be used too, as most of them are waterproof. What’s more, action cameras are getting more compact with added features, thanks to rigid-flex printed circuit boards (PCBs). PCBs are a key component in practically all tech devices as this is where semiconductors, capacitors, and such are mounted. Manufacturers now have more flexibility to build smaller and more powerful devices because PCBs can bend and fit into unconventionally shaped casing — just like small underwater cameras. Other options include DSLRs, mirrorless cameras, and point-and-shoot cameras for underwater photography.

Underwater housing

Another important piece of equipment is underwater housing. When choosing the right one for your camera, make sure that it’s made for deep diving rather than just for shallow water. In general, it’s best to steer away from universal housing. Because they’re not customized to fit your camera precisely, they may leak. Not all cameras have specific housings, however there is enough out there to give you a good range to choose from. For instance, Olympus TG-6 has the Olympus PT-059 housing. Meanwhile, the Ikelite 200DL can house the Canon EOS R5 mirrorless camera.

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Lenses

Forget your camera’s normal lenses and zoom capabilities as they won’t effectively cut through the water. Not to mention, they’ll be limited by the housing as well. For underwater photography, you’ll need two kinds of lenses: macro and wide-angle. As the name implies, wide-angle lenses are great for when you need to take a photo of a horizontal scope rather than a certain subject. For focusing on a subject, macro lenses generally do a better job. When choosing the lenses, make sure they’re compatible with your camera.

Ports and port extensions

These essentially protect your camera while also preventing cloudy images. There are two kinds of ports that complement the kinds of lenses. Dome ports are good for wide-angle lenses as they don’t magnify what’s in view by keeping the quality of the lens. Flat ports, on the other hand, are compatible with macro lenses since they’re better at letting the lens magnify the subject. If you’re using different lenses, it’s best to have a port extension to extend the port if needed, rather than having to constantly switch ports.

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Color-correcting filters

Scientists have made a color-correcting algorithm that automatically readjusts colors of photos taken underwater. But sometimes, it’s better to get a great photo from the start. If you’re shooting using natural light, your images can turn out a bit too blue or green. So to get a more white balanced-correct image, you’ll need color-correcting filters. The most commonly used are red filters that filter out the blues to produce an image with a warmer hue.Underwater flash/strobes

 

You won’t always get the best natural light; and the deeper you go, the harder it is to expose shots. Underwater flash/strobes will solve this easily. However, remember to get strobes with diffusers to help create natural-looking lighting that spreads out, rather than producing hot spots.

At the end of the day, underwater photography is exciting, however it will take some practice before you’re able to get the shots you want. But be patient, the wait and outcome is worth the effort.

 

This is a contributed post